Australian citizenship by birth
Update
22 April 2023
Children born in Australia on or after 1 July 2022 with a non-protected Special Category Visa-holder parent will be deemed to be Australian citizens from birth. Apply for Proof of Australian citizenship from 1 July 2023.
If you did not acquire Australian citizenship at birth you may be eligible to apply directly for citizenship from 1 July 2023 without needing to apply for a permanent visa.
Not everyone with an Australian parent, or born in Australia, is an Australian citizen by birth, it depends on:
- where you were born
- when you were born
- the residency status of your parents when you were born.
You cannot inherit Australian citizenship through a grandparent.
Australian citizens must depart and enter Australia on an Australian passport. New Zealanders with a child born in Australia, who is not Australian citizen at birth, should apply for New Zealand citizenship by descent and a passport for the child as soon as they are born.
Please note
- Do not wait until you have a family emergency requiring you to travel overseas.
- New Zealand citizenship by descent and passport applications take 30 to 50 working days to be processed and costs AU$407.
- Urgent requests take up to 10 working days and cost AU$622.
Children born outside Australia
Children born outside Australia before 26 January 1949
You may have become an Australian citizen under special transitional provisions of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. Refer to the Born to New Zealand citizen parents section of Acquiring Australian citizenship by Birth table, on the Department of Immigration website.
Children born outside Australia on or after 26 January 1949
If, when you were born, at least one of your parents was an:
- Australian citizen, you can apply for Australian citizenship by descent.
- Australian citizen by descent, you can apply for Australian citizenship by descent ONLY if your Australian citizen parent has resided in Australia for at least two years at some point.
- Australian permanent resident, you are NOT an Australian citizen by birth. If you are residing in Australia you can apply for Australian citizenship under the direct pathway for New Zealanders from 1 July 2023.
Children born in Australia
If you were born in Australia, and at least one of your parents was an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident when you were born, you are an Australian citizen by birth.
Children born in Australia between 26 January 1949 and 19 August 1986
You are an Australian citizen by birth, unless your parents were diplomats or were on a Special Purpose Visa. In that case, apply for Evidence of Australian citizenship if you usually lived in Australia until age 10.
You may be eligible for Australian citizenship under the direct pathway for New Zealanders from 1 July 2023 if you are residing in Australia now.
Children born in Australia between 20 August 1986 and 31 August 1994
If your parents were New Zealand citizens when you were born, you are NOT an Australian citizen by birth. You may be eligible to apply for:
- evidence of Australian citizenship if you usually lived in Australia until age 10; or
- citizenship if you are a Protected Special Category Visa-holder; or
- citizenship under the direct pathway for New Zealanders from 1 July 2023 if you are a non-protected Special Category Visa-holder and residing in Australia.
Children born in Australia between 1 September 1994 and 26 February 2001
If one of your parents was a New Zealand citizen when you were born you are an Australian citizen by birth, unless your parents were diplomats or were on a Special Purpose Visa. Apply for Proof of Australian citizenship.
Children born in Australia between 27 February 2001 and 30 June 2022
You are an Australian citizen by birth if one your parents was in Australia as:
- an Australian citizen, Permanent Resident or Protected Special Category Visa-holder; or
- they have a Centrelink Certificate of Australian Residency.
You are NOT an Australian citizen if your parents were in Australia:
- as Diplomats or on a Special Purpose Visa; or
- as Non-Protected Special Category Visa-holders.
If you are not an Australian citizen by birth you can apply for Australian citizenship under the direct pathway for New Zealanders from 1 July 2023.
Children born in Australia on or after 1 July 2022
You are an Australian citizen from birth if one of your parents was an Australian PR, citizen or Special Category Visa-holder. Apply for Proof of Australian citizenship from 1 July 2023.
Children born to NZ 189 visa applicants
A child born in Australia between 1 January 2022 and 30 June 2023 prior to the grant of their parent's New Zealand stream 189 visa can apply for proof of Australian citizenship from 1 July 2023. Any child born to an Australian citizen or Permanent Visa-holder becomes an Australian citizen from birth.
New Zealand citizens by descent
Children born outside of New Zealand to a New Zealand citizen parent can apply for New Zealand citizenship by descent, unless their parents are also New Zealand citizens by descent.
If your child was born in Australia to two SCV New Zealand citizens by descent they are not an Australian citizen by birth, and not eligible for New Zealand citizenship either. This can be a serious issue, please refer to children ineligible for parent's citizenship for more information.
Register your child's birth
Contact the Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages for your state to register a child's birth or to apply for a full birth certificate. If they are an Australian citizen they must depart and enter Australia on an Australian passport.
Related
Table - Acquiring Australian citizenship by birth
Children ineligible for parent's citizenship
Have a question?
Phone the Department of Immigration on 13 18 81 or contact them via social media. Please do not provide your personal details on a public forum.
Disclaimer:
The above “Acquiring Australian citizenship by birth” information should not be relied on as an alternative to advice from the Department of Home Affairs, or a professional immigration services provider.
If you have any specific questions about an immigration matter, you should consult the Department of Home Affairs or a professional immigration services provider.