Dual Citizenship in Australia: Can You Keep Your Other Citizenship?
Many applicants want to know whether they must give up their current citizenship. Australia itself does not ask you to, but that is only half of the answer.
Australia allows dual citizenship
Home Affairs states that Australia allows a person to have dual citizenship. Australian citizens may also hold the citizenship of another country or countries if the laws of those countries allow it.
Your other country decides
Some countries do not allow dual citizenship. Home Affairs suggests checking with the relevant embassy or consulate to find out what applies to you.
Travelling as a dual citizen
Australian citizens should use their Australian passport to enter and leave Australia.
Australian law still applies
Even if you also hold another citizenship, you must follow all Australian laws at all times while in Australia, and some Australian laws also apply to citizens overseas. Dual citizens cannot seek election to the Australian Parliament.
Check your other country before the ceremony
Some countries end your citizenship automatically when you become a citizen of another country, while others let you keep it, or let you apply to retain it in advance. Sri Lanka, for example, has a retention application under Section 19(3) of its Citizenship Act for people who want to keep Sri Lankan citizenship when they take another. Because timing can matter, check the rules with your embassy or consulate before your ceremony, not afterwards.
Travelling before your ceremony
Until you have made the pledge, you are a permanent resident. If you travel before your ceremony, you can only use the passport of the country you are currently a citizen of, and the travel facility on your permanent visa must be valid for you to return. If it has expired, you need a Resident Return Visa.
Your first Australian passport
You can apply for an Australian passport once you have become a citizen at your ceremony. Home Affairs suggests waiting at least 10 days after the ceremony before applying online with the Australian Passport Office. A passport is the best way to show that you are an Australian citizen: without one, entering Australia can be more difficult and an airline might not let you board. After you leave Australia, you can use the passport of your other country.
What some common countries of origin say
According to the High Commission of India, the Citizenship Act 1955 does not allow dual citizenship. Anyone who has held an Indian passport must surrender it immediately after acquiring another citizenship. Source
China does not recognise dual nationality. Under Article 9 of the Nationality Law, a Chinese national who has settled abroad and acquires a foreign nationality of their own free will automatically loses Chinese nationality. Source
Nepal does not allow dual citizenship. A Ministry of Home Affairs FAQ says the Nepal Citizenship Act 2063 provides penalties for holding dual citizenship. Ask the Embassy of Nepal how becoming Australian affects your Nepali citizenship. Source
Australia is on Pakistan's list of countries with a dual nationality arrangement (DGIP). Pakistani law generally lets you keep Pakistani citizenship when you become a citizen of a listed country, but confirm this with the High Commission of Pakistan before your ceremony. Source
Under Republic Act 9225, former natural-born Filipinos who lost their citizenship through foreign naturalisation can retain or reacquire Philippine citizenship by applying to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate. Source
The United Kingdom recognises dual nationality and does not require British citizens to give up British nationality when they take another. Source
The Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia handles applications for Vietnamese nationality and a separate procedure to renounce it. We could not confirm from an official source what happens when you become Australian, so ask the embassy before your ceremony. Source
Sri Lankan citizenship can cease when you obtain another citizenship. Section 19(3) of the Citizenship Act lets you apply to retain it before you become Australian, and Section 19(2) covers resuming it afterwards. Source
A selection only, checked against official government sources on 29 September 2026. Rules change and can depend on your situation. As Home Affairs advises, check with the embassy or consulate of your other country before you apply and before your ceremony. Where we could not confirm the rule from an official source, we say so.
Sources & notes
Based on the Home Affairs pages on travelling as a dual citizen and the citizenship ceremony, checked on 29 September 2026, plus the official government source linked for each country. Australia does not control other countries' citizenship laws, so always confirm your own situation with your country's embassy or consulate.
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