Commonwealth Numbered Acts Commonwealth Numbered Acts
No. 20, 2007
An Act relating to Australian citizenship
Contents
Part 1--Preliminary  2
1............ Short title............................................................................................ 2
2............ Commencement.................................................................................. 2
2A......... Simplified outline................................................................................ 3
3............ Definitions.......................................................................................... 5
4............ Australian citizen................................................................................ 8
5............ Permanent resident............................................................................. 9
6............ Responsible parent............................................................................. 9
6A......... National security offences................................................................ 10
7............ Children born on ships or aircraft or after death of parent............... 10
8............ Children born as a result of artificial conception procedures........... 11
9............ Confinement in prison or psychiatric institution............................. 11
10.......... Personal identifiers........................................................................... 12
11.......... Operation of Act.............................................................................. 13
Part 2--Australian citizenship 14
Division 1--Automatic acquisition of Australian citizenship 14
11A....... Simplified outline.............................................................................. 14
12.......... Citizenship by birth......................................................................... 14
13.......... Citizenship by adoption................................................................... 15
14.......... Citizenship for abandoned children.................................................. 15
15.......... Citizenship by incorporation of Territory....................................... 15
Division 2--Acquisition of Australian citizenship by application 17
Subdivision A--Citizenship by descent 17
15A....... Simplified outline.............................................................................. 17
16.......... Application and eligibility for citizenship........................................ 18
17.......... Minister's decision........................................................................... 19
18.......... Registration....................................................................................... 20
19.......... Day citizenship begins..................................................................... 20
19A....... When a person does not become a citizen despite the Minister's approval 20
Subdivision AA--Citizenship for persons adopted in accordance with the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption 21
19B....... Simplified outline.............................................................................. 21
19C....... Application and eligibility for citizenship........................................ 21
19D....... Minister's decision........................................................................... 23
19E........ Registration....................................................................................... 25
19F........ Day citizenship begins..................................................................... 25
Subdivision B--Citizenship by conferral 25
19G....... Simplified outline.............................................................................. 25
20.......... Requirements for becoming a citizen................................................ 26
21.......... Application and eligibility for citizenship........................................ 26
22.......... Residence requirement...................................................................... 30
23.......... Relevant defence service................................................................... 33
24.......... Minister's decision........................................................................... 33
25.......... Minister may cancel approval.......................................................... 37
26.......... Pledge of commitment must be made............................................... 38
27.......... How pledge of commitment is to be made....................................... 39
28.......... Day citizenship begins etc................................................................ 40
Subdivision C--Resuming citizenship 41
28A....... Simplified outline.............................................................................. 41
29.......... Application and eligibility for resuming citizenship........................ 41
30.......... Minister's decision........................................................................... 43
31.......... Registration....................................................................................... 44
32.......... Day citizenship begins again etc....................................................... 44
Division 3--Cessation of Australian citizenship 46
32A....... Simplified outline.............................................................................. 46
33.......... Renunciation..................................................................................... 46
34.......... Revocation by Minister.................................................................... 48
35.......... Service in armed forces of enemy country........................................ 51
36.......... Children of responsible parents who cease to be citizens................ 51
Division 4--Evidence of Australian citizenship 53
37.......... Evidence of Australian citizenship................................................... 53
38.......... Surrender of evidentiary notice......................................................... 53
39.......... Altering evidentiary notice............................................................... 54
Division 5--Personal identifiers 55
Subdivision A--Obtaining personal identifiers 55
40.......... Request for personal identifiers........................................................ 55
41.......... Provision of personal identifiers....................................................... 55
Subdivision B--Obligations relating to identifying information 55
42.......... Accessing identifying information.................................................... 55
43.......... Disclosing identifying information................................................... 57
44.......... Unauthorised modification or impairment of identifying information 58
45.......... Destroying identifying information.................................................. 60
Part 3--Other matters 62
46.......... Application requirements................................................................. 62
47.......... Notification of decisions................................................................... 63
48.......... Computerised decision‑making......................................................... 63
49.......... Evidence of whether computer program is functioning correctly..... 64
50.......... False statements or representations................................................. 65
51.......... Geographical jurisdiction for offences.............................................. 66
52.......... Review of decisions.......................................................................... 66
53.......... Delegation......................................................................................... 67
54.......... Regulations....................................................................................... 67
Schedule 1--Pledge of commitment as a citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia 68
1............ Form of pledge no. 1......................................................................... 68
2............ Form of pledge no. 2......................................................................... 68
Australian Citizenship Act 2007
No. 20, 2007
An Act relating to Australian citizenship
[Assented to 15 March 2007]
Preamble
The Parliament recognises that Australian citizenship represents full and formal membership of the community of the Commonwealth of Australia, and Australian citizenship is a common bond, involving reciprocal rights and obligations, uniting all Australians, while respecting their diversity.
The Parliament recognises that persons conferred Australian citizenship enjoy these rights and undertake to accept these obligations:
(a) by pledging loyalty to Australia and its people; and
(b) by sharing their democratic beliefs; and
(c) by respecting their rights and liberties; and
(d) by upholding and obeying the laws of Australia.
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
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