Citizenship>>>>help

[Pommy99]

CITIZENSHIP.......HELPFUL ASDVICE NEEDED

HI this is my first post so please be gentle with me. I want to apply for citizenship in September then move back to the UK for 2 years to sort my business then come back for the ceremony at some point in time (without my wife and kids as they will stay in the UK for convenience).

 

1. Can I go back to the UK inbetween the application and citizenship being approved?

 

2. Once approved can I come back on my own to attend the ceremony and represent my whole family so they all become citizens?

 

3 Is this legal?

 

I would be so grateful to hear from anyone who knows these answers.

 

Have a great day.

 

Pommy99

[Diane]

Can't help you with all your questions, but I know my husband applied for his citizenship early last year, then travelled back to the UK in July on his UK Passport no problems. Once you have your ceremony and get your certificate though, your visa is effectively cancelled and if you want to re-enter Australia after that, you have to do so on an Australian passport. It might be worth double checking with immigration though and perhaps getting an email or something in writing to carry with you, just in case you get a jobsworth on your flight home who tries to tell you your visa is invalid when it's not! (Have a read here: http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/news-gossip/10989-word-warning-again.html)

[Rachiegarlo]

You have to be in the country for citizenship to be granted. Even though it may be approved you wont get your final letter which announces your impending citizenship until you are in the country. I'm pretty sure somewhere it says that you must take the oath within a specified time of being approved.

For your wife to be granted citizenship she would have to take the oath as well, in short be in the country for it to be granted. You can travel once your a application has been approved and just let the local council know you are going to be away. Also there is the thing that to be eligible for citizenship you must have been resident in the country in the 12 months prior to applying on top of the other requirements.

 

Your kids under 16 can be included on your application but again I think they may need to be present in Aus before it's granted.

[Rammygirl]

 

I would be so grateful to hear from anyone who knows these answers.

 

 

 

Pommy99

 

 

Try here Australian Citizenship – Becoming an Australian Citizen they know their stuff! Also is your current visa still active for travel? If not you will need an RRV to leave and re-enter Oz if you are not a citizen.

 

Other posters are right you all need to be there for citizenship.

[Pommy99]

Thanks everyone for your answers.