Who Has to Sit the Australian Citizenship Test?

Whether you sit the citizenship test depends mainly on your age on the day Home Affairs receives your application. Here is who takes the test and who has an interview instead.

Aged 18 to 59: generally yes

If you are aged between 18 and 59 years on the day Home Affairs receives your application for citizenship by conferral, you are generally required to sit the test.

Who does not sit the test

You do not sit the test if you were aged 17 or younger, or 60 or over, when you applied. People with a permanent or enduring physical or mental incapacity, or a permanent loss or substantial impairment of hearing, speech or sight, are also exempt. So are people applying as the child of a former Australian citizen, people born in Papua before 16 September 1975 to an Australian citizen parent, and people born stateless in Australia.

An interview instead

People who do not sit the test may have an interview so that Home Affairs can confirm their identity and ask about their application. Applicants aged 16 or 17 may be asked to show a basic knowledge of English. Applicants aged 60 or over may bring a support person, and an interpreter can be arranged if needed.

How the appointment works

You cannot book the test yourself. Home Affairs sends a letter with the date, time and place. Appointments are held at departmental offices in most capital cities and at some Services Australia offices. Bring an original photo ID and your appointment letter, and arrive 10 minutes early.

If you apply from outside Australia

If you lodge your application in Australia, you attend your test appointment in Australia. If you lodge it from outside Australia, Home Affairs invites you to a test appointment after you return. Only in exceptional circumstances may a test appointment be arranged at an Australian Embassy or Consulate. If you need to reschedule, follow the instructions in your appointment letter.

What happens at the appointment

At the appointment, staff discuss your citizenship application, confirm your identity and take your photo. You sit the test only after your identity has been confirmed. You must sit it on your own, but a Test Facilitator can show you how to use the computer or tablet, read the questions aloud, give you headphones, or select your answers if you respond verbally. There is no extra cost, because the application fee already includes the test.