Australian Citizenship by Descent: Are You Already Eligible?

Born overseas to an Australian citizen parent? This video explains the two-part eligibility test for Australian citizenship by descent, the 2-year rule that limits how far it extends across generations, and what Form 118 actually involves — cost, evidence and processing time. Figures as at September 2026.

Read the full guide, with official sources →

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Chapters

  1. 0:00 Born overseas to an
  2. 0:13 Two conditions,
  3. 0:34 The law began
  4. 0:47 The 2-year rule
  5. 1:00 It's a registration,
  6. 1:14 Cost and timing
  7. 1:25 No deadline —
  8. 1:45 A stepparent's citizenship
  9. 1:55 Where to read more

Transcript

Born overseas to an Australian citizen parent? You may already be eligible for Australian citizenship — no matter where you were born.

There are two conditions: you were born outside Australia, and at least one parent was an Australian citizen at the exact moment you were born.

Timing is everything. If your parent became a citizen after your birth, descent doesn't apply. If they were already a citizen at your birth and lost it later, you're still eligible.

Australian citizenship law itself began on 26 January 1949, replacing British subject status. Births before that date follow different transitional rules.

Second and third generation descent is common — but there's a limit. Someone born overseas through descent generally needs 2 years lawfully in Australia before they can pass citizenship to their own overseas-born children.

The process is a registration, not a grant: Form 118, through ImmiAccount, with your birth certificate, your parent's citizenship evidence, identity documents, and a police clearance if you're 18 or over.

Form 118 currently costs around $365 for an adult applicant, and processing typically takes 6 to 12 months before a citizenship certificate is issued.

There's no deadline. Adults can apply at any age. Children can be registered any time before they turn 18.

Once granted, descent citizenship is full citizenship: work, vote, an Australian passport, and the same right to pass it on, subject to that 2-year rule.

The common mix-up: a stepparent's citizenship doesn't make you eligible. Only a biological or adoptive parent's citizenship at your birth counts.

The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description.

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