Eligibility Quiz
Documents Required
Identity Documents
You must provide three documents that together demonstrate your birth name, date of birth, gender, photograph, signature, and current residential address. Acceptable documents include:
- Australian driver licence
- Pages from a valid passport (showing photo, personal details, and issue/expiry dates)
- National identity card
- UNHCR document
- Aircrew identity document
- Seafarer identity document
- Military identity document
- Australian issued proof of age card
Birth Certificate
A full birth certificate showing both parents' names is essential. If a full birth certificate cannot be provided, you may provide a family or household registration document or any other collection of documents issued prior to arrival in Australia that collectively confirm your identity from birth.
Evidence of Parent's Australian Citizenship
This is the most critical component of your application. You must provide strong evidence that your parent was an Australian citizen at the exact time of your birth. Acceptable documents include:
- Full Australian birth certificate (if your parent was born in Australia)
- Australian citizenship certificate or naturalisation certificate
- Australian passport issued before your birth and still valid at that time
- Evidence of naturalisation from the National Archives of Australia
You should also provide proof of any other citizenships held by your Australian parent, such as a certificate or letter showing the date and method of acquisition.
Evidence of Parent's 2-Year Residency (if applicable)
If your parent acquired citizenship by descent or adoption, you must provide evidence that they spent at least two years lawfully in Australia. Acceptable evidence includes:
- School records
- Employment records
- Documents issued by an Australian government agency
- Contact with the National Archives of Australia if no evidence is available
Evidence of Name Changes
If you or your parent have changed names since your birth, you must provide official evidence of any name change, such as:
- Official (non-commemorative) marriage or divorce certificate
- Change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or relevant overseas authority
- Other official documents showing links between names
Identity Declaration
You must complete Form 1195 Identity Declaration and have it signed by someone with the correct authority. A passport-sized photograph must be glued to the form and signed by the authorised person.
Character Documents (if 18 or older)
If you are 18 years or older, character documents are required:
Australian National Police Check — The Department will request this on your behalf if you have spent any time in Australia since turning 18.
Overseas Penal Clearance Certificates — Required if, in the last 10 years, you have lived or travelled outside Australia since turning 18 and the total time spent outside Australia adds up to 12 months or more, with time in any one country being 90 days or more.
Exception: If New Zealand is one of the countries where you spent time, an overseas penal clearance certificate for New Zealand is not required; the Department will request this directly from the New Zealand Ministry of Justice.
Penal clearance certificates can be obtained from a country's government or law enforcement authority.
Responsible Parent Documents (if 15 or younger)
If you are 15 years or younger, the responsible parent signing the application must provide:
- Proof of identity documents showing signature, photograph, and current address
- Any orders relating to custody, guardianship, or parental responsibility
- Proof of adoption if you were adopted overseas
Translation and Certification
All documents not in English must be provided with an English translation. In Australia, translators should be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). Translators outside Australia do not need to be NAATI accredited. Every translation must include the translator's full name, address, telephone number, and qualifications and experience in the language being translated.
You do not need to have documents certified; you should scan all original documents (English and non-English) in colour, ensuring scans are legible and meet Department requirements.