The processing time for Australian Citizenship is getting longer again, mainly due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
With all face to face interactions suspended, there are currently no Citizenship tests or Interviews being carried out. This is causing a hold up after initial checks are finalised for applications.
Citizenship Processing times from Application to Ceremony:.
2019
May 2019, 75% were finalised in 16 months or less.
June 2019, 75% were finalised in 16 months or less.
July 2019, 75% were finalised in 20 months or less.
December 2019, 75% were finalised in 21 months or less.
2020
January 2020, 75% were finalised in 20 months or less.
April 2020, 75% were finalised in 23 months or less.
At 30 April 2020, 117,958 applicants are still in the queue for citizenship.
Between 1 July 2019 and 15 May 2020, 170,819 people have been conferred Australian citizenship.
This number was about 110,000 in the same period during 2018-19.
For earlier applicants, those whose Citizenship was approved before the coronavirus but had not had their ceremony, these ceremonies are now being carried out in video calls, individually.
It has been stated that more than 750 online ceremonies are now being conducted each day. (This is probably per working day, up to 5 days per week.)
As at 20 May 2020, more than 15,000 people have received citizenship by online ceremony during the pandemic.
On 21 April 2020, it was reported that the Acting Citizenship Minister, Alan Tudge, said: “we expect 90,000 people will receive their citizenship by online ceremony during the next six months.”
As at 21 April 2020, 170 online ceremonies had been conducted with officials from the Department of Home Affairs.