Direct pathway to Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens – More information for family type visa holders or applicants
On 22 April 2023, the Australian Government announced a direct pathway to Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens living in Australia.
From 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens who have been living in Australia for four years or more will be eligible to apply directly for Australian citizenship. They will no longer need to first apply for and be granted a permanent visa. This means all New Zealand citizens who hold a permanent visa or a Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV) are eligible to apply directly for citizenship (by conferral).
These changes only apply to citizenship applications submitted on or after 1 July 2023. If you are a New Zealand citizen, you can check on the day you want to apply to confirm your eligibility.
Withdrawing your application
New Zealand citizen SCV holders with a pending Partner, Parent, Child or Other Family type visa application, who on 1 July 2023 may be eligible to apply for citizenship by conferral under the new direct pathway for Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens, may wish to consider withdrawing their application.
Applicants should consider:
- Their individual circumstances
- impact on family members and their pending visa applications, visas they hold, and/or their future visa options in Australia
- the benefits of permanent residence
- the timeframes for processing citizenship applications.
Applicants would remain temporary residents during citizenship processing.
For further information on how to withdraw your visa application see: You want to withdraw an application
From 25 November 2023* the Government plans to remove the limit on the number of Short-term stream TSS visa applications that visa holders can make in Australia.
Refunds
The direct pathway to citizenship for New Zealand citizens living in Australia does not entitle holders or applicants for any Partner, Parent, Child or Other Family type visa, who are holders or would otherwise hold an SCV, a refund of their Visa Application Charge (VAC). There are very limited circumstances in which a VAC may be refunded. For further information about refunds, see the Department’s website: Getting a refund
Family members of New Zealand citizens
The backdating of permanent residence for SCV holders will impact children born to SCV holders. From 1 July 2023, any child born in Australia on or after 1 July 2022 to an SCV holder may automatically acquire Australian citizenship at birth. From 1 July 2023, children who meet these circumstances can apply for evidence of citizenship.
Eligible family members of SCV holders will continue to be able to apply for, and be granted, a New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (subclass 461) visa.
Family members who already hold a Subclass 461 visa will continue to hold this visa for the remaining period of its validity, which could be up to 5 years. See your visa conditions, including its expiry date, in your grant letter or in VEVO.
Family members of SCV holders who acquire Australian citizenship, however, will no longer be eligible to apply for a Subclass 461 visa from the citizenship acquisition date.
New Zealand citizens who obtain Australian citizenship through the new direct pathway can visit the Department’s website to explore visa options to sponsor their family members. Relevant visa options to remain in Australia may include Partner and Child visas.
Impacted family members of New Zealand citizens who get Australian citizenship through this pathway may also wish to explore their visa options.
