The general residence requirement
Most people applying for Australian citizenship by conferral must meet all four of these conditions on the day they apply:
- Been living in Australia on a valid visa for 4 years immediately before applying.
- Held a permanent visa for the last 12 months of that time.
- Been absent for no more than 12 months in total during the 4 years.
- Been absent for no more than 90 days in the 12 months right before applying.
Time spent in Australia as an unlawful non-citizen does not count. Absences while you held a valid visa can count as residence as long as they stay within the limits above.
How days are counted
The Department of Home Affairs treats the day you depart and the day you return as days in Australia. For example, leaving on a Monday and returning on the Friday of the same week is 3 days of absence. This calculator counts the same way.
Example
Sam arrived on a work visa on 1 January 2021 and got permanent residency on 1 June 2024. Sam has 4 years of residence from 1 January 2025, but must also have held PR for 12 months. The earliest date that meets both is 1 June 2025, provided Sam was away no more than 90 days in the year before.