Australian citizenship test exemptions: who doesn't need to sit the test?

Not everyone who applies for Australian citizenship needs to sit the citizenship test. Several categories of applicants are automatically exempt, and others may be exempt depending on their circumstances.

The Department explains who sits the test on its official citizenship test page. Use that as the source of truth for exemptions.

Exemptions at a glance

Situation	Test required?	Notes
Applicant under 18	No	Includes children applying separately or included in a parent's application
Applicant aged 60 or over	No	Other citizenship requirements still apply
Permanent physical or mental incapacity	May be exempt	Assessed case by case; medical evidence may be required
Citizenship by descent	No	Different pathway; no test or ceremony
Evidence of Australian citizenship	No	For people who are already citizens and need proof
Standard conferral applicant aged 18-59	Yes	Unless another exemption applies

The key point: being exempt from the test does not mean citizenship is automatic. You still need to use the correct pathway and provide the evidence required for that pathway.

Age exemptions

Under 18: Children under 18 at the time of their application don't sit the test. If a child is included in a parent's conferral application, the test requirement applies to the parent, not the child.

60 and over: Applicants aged 60 or above at the time of application are exempt from the test. They still need to meet the other eligibility requirements — lawful residence, permanent residency, good character — but the test is not one of them.

These are the most common exemptions, and they apply automatically. No special request is needed.

Children and teenagers

Children under 18 are exempt from the test, but their pathway still matters:

• A child born in Australia may already be a citizen depending on the parents' status at birth.
• A child born overseas to an Australian citizen parent may need citizenship by descent.
• A child under 16 may be included in a parent's conferral application if eligible.
• A 16 or 17 year old usually applies separately, even though they are exempt from the test.

For the full child-specific breakdown, see Australian citizenship for children.

Permanent incapacity

An applicant with a permanent incapacity that prevents them from:

• understanding the nature of their application, or
• sitting the citizenship test

may be exempt from the test requirement. This is assessed on an individual basis by the Department. If you think this applies to you or a family member, contact the Department of Home Affairs for guidance on the appropriate documentation and process.

This is not the same as ordinary test anxiety, low confidence, or finding the material difficult. The exemption is for permanent incapacity that affects the person's ability to understand the application or sit the test.

Test exemption vs ceremony exemption

The citizenship test and citizenship pledge are separate requirements.

Requirement	What it means
Test exemption	You do not need to sit the 20-question citizenship test
Ceremony/pledge exemption	You may not need to attend a ceremony or make the pledge, depending on the situation

Many people who are exempt from the test still attend a ceremony and make the pledge. For example, applicants aged 60 or over are exempt from the test, but they usually still complete the citizenship ceremony process.

What about the pledge?

Exemption from the test doesn't automatically mean exemption from the citizenship pledge (made at the ceremony). Most exempt applicants still attend a ceremony and make the pledge as part of becoming a citizen.

Applicants who lack the legal capacity to make the pledge may be exempt from this requirement too — again, assessed case by case.

Pathways that don't require the test

Certain citizenship pathways don't involve the test at all:

• Citizenship by descent — for people born overseas to an Australian citizen parent; no test required
• Evidence of Australian citizenship — for people who are already citizens but need documentary proof; no test required

See citizenship by conferral vs descent to understand which pathway applies to you.

What exempt applicants still need to do

If you're exempt from the test but applying by conferral, you may still need to:

• prove permanent residency
• meet the residence requirement
• satisfy character requirements
• provide identity documents
• respond to Department requests through ImmiAccount
• attend a citizenship appointment or ceremony if required

For documents, see Australian citizenship documents checklist. For the broader conferral process, see step-by-step Australian citizenship application.

Common mistakes

• Assuming over-60 applicants skip the whole application process
• Assuming a child does not need evidence because they are test-exempt
• Applying for conferral when the correct pathway is citizenship by descent
• Assuming permanent incapacity exemptions are automatic without supporting evidence
• Confusing test exemption with pledge or ceremony exemption

If you're not exempt and need to prepare

For applicants who do sit the test, the pass mark is 75% (15/20 correct), plus all five Australian values questions must be answered correctly. See how the Australian citizenship test is scored for the full breakdown.

To start preparing:

• Read Our Common Bond: official booklet
• Work through Practice Test 1 and the rest of the series

Related guides

• Australian citizenship for children
• Australian citizenship by conferral vs descent
• Requirements for Australian citizenship
• Common mistakes that delay citizenship applications
• How the Australian citizenship test is scored

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Eligibility for exemptions is assessed by the Department of Home Affairs. Always confirm your situation directly with the Department before assuming an exemption applies.