15+ common mistakes in Citizenship application

1) Answering NO to the question “Has this applicant entered or departed Australia since July 1990?”

Correct approach : Yes (for most people)

EDIT: Mention current visa details (which would be either PR or SCV) for the next question about ‘previous’ visa application details as previous means the ‘one just before’.

2) Mentioning children details only in one parent’s application.

Correct approach: Mention children details in both parents application – as ‘co applicants’ in one parent’s application and as ‘other children’ in another parent’s application. If the children are already Australian citizens, include them under ‘other children’ in both parents applications.

3) Not including spouse name in application.

Correct approach: Provide spouse details under ‘associated family’.

4) Not including citizenship details for parents, kids, spouse and other associated family members.

Correct approach: Answer yes to the question ” Has this person ever held citizenship of any country? Include all current and all previous citizenships

held.” so it will open another page for you to enter their citizenship details.

5) Travel history in last 10 years, since the age of 18, confusing this with overseas PCC requirements criteria.

Correct approach: If aged less than 28, Give travel history from 18th birthday. If aged 28 or more, give travel history for last 10 years. Include your home country stay before first arriving in Australia also.

EDIT: NZ CITIZENS WITH SCV 444 NEED TO FURNISH ALL TRAVEL DETAILS FROM AGE OF 18, IRRESPECTIVE OF CURRENT AGE. THIS IS ONE OF THE COMMON ‘REQUEST FOR INFORMATION’ FOR KIWIS.

6) Identity documents: Not giving 3 distinct documents to prove identity – one with photo and sign, another with Australian address and third is birth certificate.

Correct approach: Don’t give same document such as driving licence for both photo/sign proof and address proof. Don’t give passport as evidence for birth certificate. Give 3 different documents as asked.

7) Uploading passport for “Passport photograph – front”.

Correct approach: Scan and upload passport size photo, not the passport itself!

8 ) Giving expired documents such as Passport as identity evidence and later submitting it to govt for renewal while citizenship process is still ongoing

Correct approval: Either renew passport and then submit the application OR give some other identity document that is valid.

9) Not attaching Form 1399 (Declaration of service)

Correct approach: If military service is compulsory in your home country, provide this form. This is one of the most requested document before fixing test date.

10) Unreadable documents uploaded

11) Not providing address change documents, while moving places

12) Not uploading original foreign language document in addition to translated document

13) Not uploading form 1195 for everyone in the application including infants and children

14) Not revealing traffic offences especially the ones that didn’t go to court

Correct approach: If in doubt, declare.

15) Not using BLOCK LETTERS in form 1195.

Correct approach: Fill up form 1195 in block letters and also request the signatory to use block letters while writing.

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EDIT: NEWLY ADDED

16) Wrongly selecting “YES” to the question – Was the applicant born outside Australia to a former Australian citizen?

Correct approach: Its “NO” for most people. There are few cases who encountered this issue recently, so its probably a system issue as well rathern than the applicants selecting it wrongly, so be sure to check all answers thoroughly before submitting the application. Also, if you notice strange evidences such as ” Australian birth certificate of parents”,”Australian citizenship evidence for parents” etc., then you know there is some problem with the application.

17) Using “Manage Payments” in immiaccount to make fees payment for online application

My Payments>Manage Payments is meant for paper application and also for paying any invoices that dept asked you to pay (for any difference in fees, in case you paid less when you originally applied). Its not to be used for online applications.

If payment was wrongly made using this link, you may request for refund using ‘Request Refund’ link in immi after the payment status changed to ‘credit’ or ‘paid’ status. Never reverse or cancel a payment wrongly made, instead request for refund.

18) For 16/17 years old children application – attach student id of the children (naming the file as Proof of schooling) and also the passport of the parent (naming the file as identity document of responsible parent) in others folder. This was asked for some applicants as probably they need the identity of the parent signed their 1195 form.

19) Attaching passport as evidence of Birth certificate.

Dept specifically mentioned Passport will not be accepted as evidence of birth. Indian applicants may also note that their embassey issued birth certificates (issued based on passport) are not accepted by dept. If you have birth certificate, submit it without waiting for them to ask. If birth certificate is in foriegn language, get it translated by NAATI approved translator and upload both original and translated birth certificate.

20) Not attaching expired/current passport as evidence for first entry

Primary evidence for first entry is the current or expired passport with which you have made the first entry. If you entered with other travel documents such as DFTA, PLO56 (M56), Titre de Voyage or ImmiCard etc., add the details of those travel documents. Secondary evidences such as flight ticket and international movement records can be uploaded, but primary evidence of passport or one of the other travel documents is must.

21) Children born in Australia when parents were PR and Children born in Australia when parents were holding temporary visas, but they were ordinarily resident for 10 years are already citizens, so don’t apply citizenship by conferral for these children. (Refer my another post containing flow diagram on citizenship routes for children)

22) Attaching documents under wrong heading. Also, some applicants attach additional documents under wrong category. For example, if you have given the passport details as the document containing photo and signature, the system will ask only for passport, upload only that. If you have an Australian DL, that you want to give as an additional evidence for document containing photo and signature, attach it under others folder that gets created after submitting application. Don’t upload it under passport heading as it will lead to confusion.