Booking the citizenship test and what happens on the day
Last updated 22 October 2026
Everything on the test is in the free booklet, Our Common Bond. We help you practise reading the questions the way the test asks them. Many people search for how to book the test. This guide says who does it and what to expect.
You do not book it
Home Affairs books your appointment. After you apply for citizenship, and if you must sit the test, Home Affairs sends you a letter. The letter has the date, time and place of your appointment.
We do not book or run the test. No other website can book it for you. If a site offers to, be careful.
If you need to change the appointment, follow the instructions in the letter. Do not wait until the day.
Who sits the test
Most people who apply for citizenship by conferral and are aged 18 to 59 on the day Home Affairs receives the application. People aged 17 or under, and 60 or over, generally do not. Some other people, such as some with an incapacity or impairment, also do not. People who do not sit the test may be asked to an interview, so that Home Affairs can confirm their identity.
Where it is held
Appointments are held in Home Affairs offices in most capital cities, and in some Services Australia (Centrelink) offices. Your letter names the place. If you live outside Australia, the arrangements differ. Check the Home Affairs page.
What it costs
There is no extra cost for the test. The application fee you paid includes it. A sitting again after a fail also costs nothing extra.
The day
Plan to arrive early. Read your letter for anything you must bring.
The rules at the centre are plain.
- Turn your mobile phone off and put it away.
- Do not bring books or notes into the test.
- Do not talk to others, copy, or take a helper in with you.
- Children cannot come into the centre.
Follow the staff's directions. They are there to run the test fairly, and it is the same for everyone.
The test
You use a computer or tablet. There are 20 multiple choice questions. You have 45 minutes, or 90 minutes for an Assisted Test. The test is in English. If you cannot read English, you can choose to listen to the questions through headphones.
You need 15 right, and every values question right. Your result shows when you finish.
After the test
If you pass, Home Affairs continues to process your application. When it is approved, and if you must attend a ceremony, you receive a letter of invitation. The booklet says the ceremony is generally held within six months of approval.
At the ceremony you make the Pledge. You do not become a citizen until you have made it.
If you do not pass, Home Affairs books another appointment at no cost. You can have up to three appointments in all. See how many times you can sit the test.
How to prepare for the day
Practise in the same way the day will run.
- Sit a mock in one go, with a 45 minute timer.
- Put your phone away while you do it.
- Answer all the questions, then check your result.
- Look at the overall score and the values score.
Our free mock does this for you. It is practice, not the real test.
Last checked against Our Common Bond (2020): 22 October 2026