The Australian Department of Home Affairs has identified three specific categories of foreigners who are completely exempt from paying the citizenship application fee, according to information published on the Australian Government's official immigration website. These exemptions apply to individuals seeking citizenship by conferral as permanent residents, and all eligible applicants must submit a paper application rather than using the online portal.
Who Qualifies for Full Fee Exemption?
The first group includes British and Maltese former child migrants who arrived in Australia without their parents between 22 September 1947 and 31 December 1967 under the Commonwealth Child Migration Scheme. Applicants in this category must provide a letter from the Child Migrants Trust confirming their arrival and sponsorship details.
The second category covers individuals who served at least 90 days in the permanent forces of the Commonwealth of Australia. Those applying under this provision must include a letter or discharge papers from the Australian Defence Force clearly stating their service dates.
The third group consists of people applying under the Statelessness provision, specifically section 21(8) of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.
Reduced Fees for Other Applicants
Beyond the full exemptions, the Australian Government offers reduced fees for certain applicants who do not qualify for a complete waiver. Any individual holding a valid Pensioner Concession Card issued by either Services Australia or the Department of Veterans' Affairs can apply for citizenship at a discounted rate, provided they are the primary cardholder and the card has not expired.
Dependants aged 17 years or younger who appear on a valid Pensioner Concession Card may also access the reduced fee. Additionally, children aged 15 or younger who are applying on the same form as a parent pay no fee at all.
Non-Qualifying Cards and Related Rules
It is important to note that Health Care Cards, Student Cards, and Senior Health Cards do not qualify an applicant for any fee reduction under the current rules. The Department of Home Affairs has also previously outlined the residence requirements for citizenship applicants, specifying how many years a person must have lived in Australia on a valid visa before applying, along with the allowable time spent outside Australia during that period.
These fee exemptions and concessions are part of Australia's broader citizenship framework, which aims to accommodate specific historical and humanitarian circumstances. Eligible applicants are encouraged to follow the paper application process to benefit from these provisions.
