Current wait time for citizenship?

[sianvz]

We'll be applying for our citizenship in a few weeks and see the current turnaround time on immi website says 13-15 months which seems excessive! Our PR hits the 5 year mark end of May which means until we get citizenship we will need a resident return visa if either of us needs to go overseas (we don't have any plans to go but just thinking in case of family emergency). My brother says his citizenship only took 3 months! Our son was born here and is a citizen but I don't think this necessarily speeds things up.

 

Anyone recently applied and how long did it take?

 

Thanks!

Edited March 14, 2018 by sianvz

[springmielie]

Hi sianvz

My daughter applied last year July and is still waiting. I think there is quite a backlog after they put a hold on the processing of applications last year when they wanted to pass a new law or restrictions on citizenships. When the motion failed they started again with the processing. Good luck

[HadEnoughofJuju]

We applied on 1 April which was our 4 mark and it took 9 months. That was before all the changes came into affect.

[Nev]

We applied in January and have the same wait

 

This is as a result of the proposed citizenship changes, when they reversed the decisions that would have made the entire process harder everyone who had been procrastinating and then had to wait the extra 6 months while they made up their minds (Us included) put in their applications, the department is basically just swamped with applications

 

We were expecting 12-14 months when we applied and it looks like that is how it will go

[sianvz]

Thanks for all your responses, good to know so we're prepared!

[bbop]

We applied in May last year and just waiting for the ceremony to make it official.

[Robyn2259]

We applied in October 2017 and haven’t heard a thing...

[RYLC]

Current processing times published for citizenship is 13 to 16 months and you don't hear anything along the way unfortunately.  There was a big surge in applications late last year so that will have an impact too.  

[Robyn2259]

FYI for anyone following:

10/10/17: Online application for citizenship submitted 

2/05/18: Received email confirming interview and test date (set for 16/05/18)

 

Nearly there!

 

 

[TeeTMI]

There is a horrific backlog as with Robyn an application I am assisting with - submitted mid-October - we received the interview letter early last month. 

 

Because there were a number of times at which a lot of people will have applied at the same time (e.g. when things opened up again) I imagine the timelines may vary over time.

 

The government is aiming to try to change the legislation again in July this year.