Dual Citizenship and Migrating to Australia: What Actually Changes
What holding more than one citizenship actually means for an Australian visa application and for becoming an Australian citizen later — disclosure rules, what a few other countries require, and the residence and test requirements for Australian citizenship itself. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
Watch
Chapters
- 0:00 Multiple passports?
- 0:11 Undisclosed citizenship can trigger PIC 4020
- 0:24 Australia has allowed dual citizenship since 2002
- 0:35 Not every other country agrees
- 0:51 Japan's deadline dropped from 22 to 20 in 2022
- 1:06 Citizenship: 4 years' residence,
- 1:17 The citizenship test: 15 of 20, plus 5 of 5
- 1:39 Check your other country's rules before you commit
- 1:51 Where to read more
Transcript
Holding two or more passports isn't a problem on an Australian visa application. Hiding one of them is.
Every citizenship you hold must be disclosed, even one you've never used to travel. Hiding one can trigger PIC 4020 — the public interest criterion for false or misleading information.
Since 2002, Australia lets its own citizens hold as many other citizenships as they like. Acquiring Australian citizenship never requires giving up another.
But your OTHER country might not agree. Singapore generally expects a choice by age 22. India doesn't allow dual citizenship at all, though it offers OCI status instead. China doesn't recognise dual citizenship either.
Japan changed its rule in 2022. If you picked up a second nationality before turning 18, you now choose one nationality by age 20, down from the earlier age 22 — or within 2 years if that happens at 18 or older.
Later, becoming an Australian citizen yourself needs 4 years of lawful residence, including the 12 months immediately before you apply as a permanent resident.
Then there's the citizenship test: 20 questions, a pass mark of 15 correct, and all 5 questions on Australian values have to be right.
There's a further wrinkle for children born overseas. If you yourself became an Australian citizen by descent, they can only inherit it if you've lived in Australia for a total of at least 2 years before their birth.
None of this stops you migrating with multiple passports. It means checking your other country's rules before you commit to Australian citizenship, and getting advice on the specific combination you hold.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.
Talk it through with a registered agent
Every agent on Migratio is on the official OMARA register. Compare agents and their consultation fees.