Who can apply
Citizenship for children: newborns, under-16s and teenagers
Enter the child’s age to see how they become a citizen with you, then total the fees for the whole household.
Independent, non-government site: tests, applications and appointments are handled only on the Home Affairs website.
How a child becomes a citizen with me
How the child applies
On your form
| Fee | nil |
| Residence requirement | not required |
| Test and ceremony | no test, ceremony optional |
How a child becomes an Australian citizen depends first on age and place of birth. A newborn in Australia is a citizen at birth if a parent is a citizen or permanent resident that day; a baby born overseas to an Australian citizen applies by descent ($380, $160 for each sibling lodged together). For migrant families, a child aged 15 or under who is a permanent resident can be included on a parent’s conferral application at no cost: no residence requirement, no test, and the child becomes a citizen at the same moment as the parent, with the ceremony optional. The child must still be a permanent resident under 16 both when the application is lodged and when it is decided. A teenager of 16 or 17 cannot be included: they lodge their own application on form 1290 for $365 ($40 as a dependant on a Pensioner Concession Card), must meet the general residence requirement unless it would cause significant hardship, do not sit the test, and must attend a ceremony.
Conferral fee for my household
Fees to pay
$1,190
| Each adult | $595 |
| Each 16 or 17 year old | $365 |
| Children under 16 | nil on a parent’s form |
Questions, dates and fees by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How questions and dates are built
Which route for which child
| Child | Route | Fee (form 1298i) | Ceremony |
|---|---|---|---|
| Born in Australia, a parent a citizen or PR at the birth | citizen by birth | nil | no |
| Born in Australia to temporary visa holders | citizen on the 10th birthday after living here, or on a parent’s form | nil | no |
| Born overseas to an Australian citizen parent | descent, form 118 | $380, then $160 each | no |
| Adopted overseas under the Hague Convention by a citizen | form 1272 | $380, then $160 each | no |
| Permanent resident aged 15 or under | on a parent’s conferral form | nil | optional |
| Permanent resident aged 16 or 17 | own application, form 1290 | $365 | yes |
Newborns
For a baby born in Australia, the question is the parents’ status on the day of birth. Since 20 August 1986, Home Affairs explains, a child born here is a citizen at birth if at least one parent is a citizen or permanent resident. There is nothing to apply for; the full birth certificate is the starting point for a passport, and an evidence certificate is optional. Babies born here to temporary visa holders are not citizens at birth: the born in Australia page explains the ten-year rule and the other options. A baby born abroad to an Australian parent applies by descent, at any age, with the parent’s proof of citizenship.
Children under 16 on a parent’s form
This is the usual route for migrant families. You can include any dependent child aged 15 or under who holds a permanent visa, or a Special Category visa for New Zealand citizens. The child pays nothing, does not need to meet the residence requirement and does not sit the test. When you make the pledge, the child becomes a citizen at the same moment, whether or not they come on stage. The panel below totals the fees for a household with adults, younger children and teenagers.
Conferral fee for my household
Fees to pay
$1,190
| Each adult | $595 |
| Each 16 or 17 year old | $365 |
| Children under 16 | nil on a parent’s form |
For each included child, the application needs a full birth certificate or family register showing the parents, the child’s passport or travel document, proof linking the birth name to the current name if they differ, and one passport-sized photograph, plus any parenting orders and adoption papers. The documents page covers translations and copies.
Teenagers of 16 and 17
A 16 or 17 year old cannot be included on a parent’s application. They lodge their own on paper, using form 1290 for other situations. They must be a permanent resident on the day they apply and the day of the decision, and meet the general residence requirement: 4 years living in Australia on a visa, 12 months as a permanent resident, no more than 365 days away in total and 90 in the last year. If meeting it would cause significant hardship and disadvantage, they can explain why with evidence. They do not sit the citizenship test, but they must attend a ceremony. Families often lodge the parent’s and the teenager’s applications together, so the household reaches the same ceremony stage at about the same time.
A child applying alone
A child under 18 can lodge their own application with permission from a parent or guardian, and Home Affairs has a separate path for a child aged 15 or under, or an unaccompanied humanitarian minor, who applies alone. The conditions for that path are on its own Home Affairs page. Character is not assessed under 18, and Australian police checks start at 16.
Fees and concessions for children
No fee is payable for children aged 15 or under on the same form as a responsible parent. A teenager listed as a dependant on a valid Pensioner Concession Card pays the concession fee of $40 instead of $365; Health Care Cards and Student Cards are not accepted. Siblings applying by descent or Hague adoption at the same time pay $160 each after the first. The cost page lists every fee.