Usually, if your child is born in a foreign country, he automatically becomes a citizen of that country. That was the rule till 20 August 1986 for Australia. Ever since that date, legal specifications have restricted citizenship of the child by virtue of his birth in the country. The legislation has been passed keeping in mind the rise in temporary migration. Before this law was passed, all the children born in Australia were automatically granted Australian citizenship.  A migration consultant is  the best person to get the knowledge about the laws.

The New Law

The new law doesn’t mean that your child is born in Australia has nil chances of getting citizenship. If the child has at least one parent who is an Australian citizen or is a permanent citizen at the time of the birth of the child, then the newborn child will be given Australian citizenship. Once the birth certificate of the child has been issued, the parents can apply for an Australian passport for the child. The Australian citizens must obtain a citizenship certificate before applying for the child’s passport.

Parents On A Temporary Visa

If the parents hold a temporary visa in Australia, their child too will hold a temporary one. The visa application process is not necessary for the child but the Department of Home Affairs should be notified of the birth. The visa can be attached to the child’s passport. If a child born in Australia and holding a temporary Australia visa, lives in Australia for  10 consecutive years, then he becomes eligible for Australian citizenship.

Cases In Which Automatic Citizenship Is Not Granted

There are some cases where citizenship is not granted automatically. We will have a look at them. The children born outside Australia and whose parents are not Australian citizens when the child was born are of course not going to be granted citizenship by descent. The children born to Australian citizens while they are overseas may be eligible for Australian citizenship by descent, provided the parents register the child’s birth with the Australian embassy in the concerned country. If a child is born overseas to non-Australian permanent residents, the child is not eligible for Australian citizenship but can apply under the child visa category. The processing will take 1 to 2 years roughly. So the child can enter Australia and live with his parents within a span of two years.

The cost of the process

The application costs around are $2,740 AUD but that is the basic cost. There are other charges like police certificates, health assessments, and other important tests and certificates.

Ways To Get Australian Citizenship For Your New Born

The application process takes a lot of steps and requires many documents. You may face certain unforeseen circumstances and require additional documents. The application process calls for many details and accurate information. Any lapse on this part will lead to rejection of the application. It is best to hire professional services of a   migration consultant for the same. Hiring one will ensure that the application process is executed smoothly.