What will you do the moment you arrive at the testing venue?
When you arrive at the testing centre, you will be directed to a counter where a citizenship agent will review your papers to confirm your identification and the details you submitted on your citizenship application form.
This type of process verifies that you are able to take the citizenship exam on that particular day. If you haven’t brought an endorsed photo of yourself, the officer will be the one to take the photo of you.
Once you have arrived in the testing room, the officer will provide the password so that you can conveniently sign in to their computer which is located on the other side of the testing venue.
Rules and regulations inside the testing venue
- An applicant is only allowed to answer the Australian citizenship test in 45 minutes.
- Resource materials such as notebooks, books, and notes are all prohibited inside the testing venue.
- Your gadgets and electronic devices must be turned off before you begin the test
- Your personal belongings must be under your desk
- You are not allowed to talk to anybody else inside the room except for the test administrator
What happens during the Australian citizenship test?
You will be assisted by the test administrator should you need help with logging in and using the computer. Should you have a physical disability such as difficulty reading the instructions and cannot use the computer mouse, you can seek help from the staff inside the test area.
If you are not proficient in English, there is a “text-to-speech technology” feature wherein you can listen to the question and the multiple-choice answers.
In case you have encountered that your computer or mouse is malfunctioning, immediately seek assistance from the staff inside the room.
What should you do after the test?
Once you have finished the exam, your test results will immediately show on your screen and will be automatically recorded in your application. After that, the citizenship authority will return all your original documents. Make sure to double-check your files before leaving the venue.
Now is the time that you will have to patiently wait for the results of your Australian citizenship application. You will get an approval letter later once you have completed and met all the necessary requirements.
Another thing is that you will have to wait for one more letter that indicates the time, date, and venue for your Australian citizenship ceremony which takes about 6 months after the application approval has been delivered.
An Australian citizenship ceremony is a mandatory event that you will have to attend, otherwise, you cannot be an Aussie citizen until you have taken the pledge. You need to attend the ceremony within 12 months of your citizenship application approval.
In case you cannot attend, you need to provide a valid reason for not attending and amendments will be made. Immediately contact the department if you cannot take the pledge.
Listed here are valid reasons for not attending the citizenship ceremony:
- If you have a physical and cognitive disability
- If you are born in Papua
- If you are 15 years old and below
- If you have acquired Australian citizenship by descent or adoption
- If one of your parents is an Australian citizen
What if you fail the test?
If you have failed your citizenship test, fret no more because you can still take another one probably on the same day. If not, you are allowed to reschedule the day of your test retake.
You won’t have to pay an additional fee to retake the examination.