What happens at an Australian citizenship ceremony?

What happens at an Australian citizenship ceremony?

You arrive, register, take your seat, hear speeches, make the pledge aloud, and receive your certificate. You become an Australian citizen the moment you make the pledge.

Our Common Bond describes the ceremony too, and the pledge ties to every part of the booklet.

How do you get the invitation?

After your application is approved, you get a letter of invitation. It comes from your local council or from Home Affairs, usually about four weeks before the event. It shows the date, time and place. You cannot choose these.

The time between approval and the ceremony varies. The booklet says generally within six months, but check the current Home Affairs page for the latest information.

Councils usually organise the ceremonies. Some are small, with a few people. Others are very large.

Who must attend?

You need to attend and make the pledge if you were 16 or older when you applied and you do not have a permanent or enduring incapacity. Some others do not need to attend, for example children under 16 and people granted citizenship by descent or adoption.

If you cannot attend, you will get a non-attendance letter and you do not need to contact Home Affairs. You may wait for another invitation, because places are limited. If you do not attend within 12 months of approval, your approval may be cancelled unless you give an acceptable reason with evidence.

What do you bring?

• Your invitation.
• One form of photo identification: an Australian driver licence, a passport, or another formal document that shows your photo.
• If you have no photo ID, at least 3 documents showing your name and address, such as bank statements, utility bills or credit card statements.
• Formal translations of any document not in English.
• A holy book, if you want to hold one during the pledge.

Guests: the invitation says whether you can bring guests and how many. They may sit apart from you. Keep children well supervised.

What do you wear?

Formal or smart casual clothes. You may wear national or cultural dress. If the ceremony is outdoors, think about a hat and sunscreen. Your invitation may give more detail.

What happens on the day?

Allow at least two hours. The ceremony itself may take about one hour, and you arrive early to register and find your seat.

Most ceremonies follow this order:

1. A formal introduction. The booklet says you may be welcomed by a traditional owner of the local land, in a Welcome to Country.
2. Speeches, including a welcome message from the Minister.
3. An address to the new citizens.
4. The pledge of commitment, said aloud.
5. The national anthem.

The booklet adds that you may get a small gift from the community and that you can meet and celebrate with others afterwards.

The certificate and what comes next

After the pledge, you should receive your Certificate of Australian Citizenship. If it is not ready, it will be posted. It is an important legal document. You need it for a passport and perhaps for some jobs. It is an offence to write on it or change any detail.

New citizens aged 16 and over also receive an Australian Electoral Commission sheet with a QR code to help you enrol to vote. Voting is a responsibility for citizens aged 18 and over. See voting in Australia and Part 2 of the booklet.

How the ceremony links to your study

The ceremony is where the pledge happens. Read what the pledge means and the topics in the test. If the test is still ahead of you, take the free practice test.

Check yourself

• Do you know who sends the invitation, and what it shows?
• What photo ID will you bring?
• What do you gain once you have made the pledge?