Where do you sit the Australian citizenship test?

Where do you sit the Australian citizenship test?

You sit it in person, at a test centre. Appointments are held at Home Affairs offices in most Australian capital cities, and at some Services Australia (Centrelink) offices. Your appointment letter gives the exact address.

How do you know which place is yours?

The letter. Home Affairs books the appointment, and the letter shows the date, time and place. You do not pick the place from a list.

Home Affairs also has a "find your nearest citizenship test centre" search on its website. It is useful for planning, but the address in your letter is the one that counts. If the two ever look different, follow the letter.

What if you live far from a capital city?

Offices in capital cities are the main places. Some Services Australia offices also host the test, and these may be closer to where you live. We cannot list them here, because the list can change. Read the address in your letter, then look at a map.

If the trip is long, think about it as soon as the letter arrives. Check the bus, train or road, and look for a way to arrive early. You must arrive on time. If you cannot make the trip, follow the steps in the letter to reschedule. The appointment letter guide explains this.

What if you applied from outside Australia?

If you lodge your application in Australia, you attend an appointment in Australia. If you lodge it from outside Australia, Home Affairs invites you to an appointment after you return to Australia. In exceptional circumstances it may arrange for you to sit at an Australian Embassy or Consulate. Do not plan on that. It is the rare case.

What happens when you get there?

The test is not the first thing. At the test centre, staff talk with you about your application, confirm who you are and that you can sit the test, and take your photo. Then you sit the test on a computer or tablet.

So allow time for the whole visit, not only the 45 minutes of the test. The result shows on the screen when you finish.

Some practical points about the place:

• Children are not allowed in the test centre, and there is no childcare. Arrange it before the day.
• You cannot bring anyone to help you with the test.
• You will be told where to leave your bag.

How early should you plan the trip?

Home Affairs says to arrive on time, and it gives no earlier time. So do the sums yourself. Count the travel, add a spare half hour for a late train or a hard parking spot, and remember that the visit starts with a talk about your application and a photo. A calm arrival helps your head for the test more than ten more minutes of study.

A simple next step

Look up the address from your letter today and plan the trip, with a spare plan for delays. Then read what to bring. For the full day in order, see booking and test day. For what the questions cover, see the whole booklet guide. If the room is new to you, a free practice test on a computer helps you feel ready for the screen.