Australian citizenship for children: conferral, descent and included applicants

Children become Australian citizens through different pathways depending on their circumstances. Born in Australia, born overseas to an Australian citizen parent, or applying alongside a parent who is becoming a citizen — the rules are different in each case.

The official starting point is the Department of Home Affairs citizenship information. For a child's specific situation, confirm the pathway before applying because the wrong pathway can delay the application.

For the main pathway comparison, see Australian citizenship by conferral vs descent.

Quick pathway table

Child's situation	Likely pathway
Born in Australia and at least one parent was an Australian citizen or permanent resident	Already an Australian citizen at birth
Born in Australia but neither parent was a citizen or permanent resident	Check evidence/eligibility rules; automatic citizenship may depend on later residence
Born overseas and one parent was an Australian citizen at birth	Citizenship by descent
Under 16 and parent is applying by conferral	May be included in the parent's conferral application
Aged 16 or 17 and not already a citizen	Usually applies separately
Already a citizen but needs proof	Evidence of Australian citizenship

This page is a child-specific overview. If you already know the child was born overseas to an Australian citizen parent, the more specific guide is how to obtain Australian citizenship for babies born overseas.

Born in Australia

Not every child born in Australia is automatically an Australian citizen. You're automatically a citizen at birth if at least one parent was an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time of your birth.

If neither parent was a citizen or permanent resident when the child was born in Australia, there may still be a pathway — but it depends on specific circumstances including how long the child has been resident in Australia. Check the Department's evidence of citizenship guidance if you need to prove whether a child is already a citizen.

Common examples:

• If one parent was an Australian citizen when the child was born in Australia, the child is generally already a citizen.
• If one parent was a permanent resident when the child was born in Australia, the child is generally already a citizen.
• If both parents were temporary visa holders, do not assume citizenship at birth. Check the Department's rules and evidence pathway.

If the child is already a citizen, the issue is usually proving citizenship rather than applying to become a citizen. See how to get an Australian citizenship certificate.

Born overseas to an Australian citizen parent — citizenship by descent

If a child was born outside Australia and at least one parent was an Australian citizen at the time of the birth, the child may be eligible for citizenship by descent.

Key condition: If the Australian citizen parent is themselves a citizen by descent — that is, not born in Australia and not a naturalised/conferral citizen — they need to have been ordinarily resident in Australia for at least two years before the child can claim citizenship by descent through them.

Citizenship by descent requires an application — it doesn't happen automatically. Start with the official citizenship by descent pathway, then lodge through ImmiAccount.

There is no citizenship test and no ceremony for descent applicants. Approval results in a citizenship certificate.

For more detail, see how to get Australian citizenship by descent or Australian citizenship for overseas babies.

Overseas babies and travel urgency

For newborns and infants born outside Australia, timing matters. Citizenship by descent needs to be approved before the child can use an Australian passport. If you need to travel before approval, the child may need a visa or other travel document.

Do not book travel on the assumption that the baby is automatically Australian. Citizenship is confirmed when the application is approved and the certificate is issued.

For the parent-focused process, see how to obtain Australian citizenship for babies born overseas.

Included in a parent's conferral application

When a parent applies for citizenship by conferral, dependent children under 16 can be included in the same application. If included and approved:

• The child becomes a citizen at the same ceremony as the parent
• Children under 16 don't make the pledge — the parent's pledge covers them
• A reduced application fee applies for each child under 16 included alongside a paying adult
• The child still receives their own citizenship certificate

Children included in an application must be eligible in their own right — they need to be permanent residents, among other requirements. The parent's approval doesn't automatically extend to a child.

Children aged 16 or 17

Children aged 16 or 17 generally cannot be included in a parent's conferral application. They usually submit their own application and pay the standard fee.

They are exempt from the citizenship test because they are under 18, but they still need to meet the other relevant requirements for their pathway. If approved by conferral, they attend a ceremony and make the pledge themselves.

Does the child need to sit the test?

No. Children under 18 are exempt from the citizenship test — whether they're included in a parent's application or applying independently. The Department explains test requirements on its citizenship test page.

The test exemption does not mean the whole application is automatic. Identity, residency, relationship, and pathway evidence still matter.

Does the child attend a ceremony?

It depends on the pathway:

Situation	Ceremony?
Citizenship by descent	No
Child under 16 included in parent's conferral application	Covered by the parent's ceremony
Child aged 16 or 17 applying by conferral	Usually yes
Child already a citizen and only needs evidence	No

The certificate

Children who become citizens receive their own citizenship certificate, which serves as evidence of their citizenship status. This is important for passport applications and other identity purposes.

Keep the certificate safe. It may be needed later for an Australian passport, school records, government services, or proving citizenship as an adult.

Documents parents usually need

The exact list depends on the pathway, but common documents include:

• Child's full birth certificate showing parent names
• Child's passport or identity document, if available
• Parent's Australian citizenship evidence, if applying by descent
• Parent's identity documents
• Evidence of the child's permanent residency, if included in a conferral application
• Guardianship or parental responsibility documents, if the applying adult is not the birth parent
• Certified translations for non-English documents

For the broader list, see Australian citizenship documents checklist.

Common parent mistakes

• Assuming a child born in Australia is always automatically Australian
• Assuming a baby born overseas to an Australian parent is automatically Australian without a descent application
• Trying to include a 16 or 17 year old in a parent's conferral application
• Forgetting that children included in a conferral application usually need permanent residence
• Booking international travel before the child's citizenship certificate or passport is sorted
• Uploading a short-form birth certificate that does not show both parents' names

Related guides

• Australian citizenship by conferral vs descent
• How to obtain Australian citizenship for babies born overseas
• How to get Australian citizenship by descent
• Step-by-step Australian citizenship application
• Australian citizenship documents checklist

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The Australian Citizenship Act governs children's citizenship entitlements. For specific circumstances, confirm eligibility with the Department of Home Affairs before applying. This guide is reviewed regularly.