Who needs to take the Australian citizenship test?
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Most people who apply for Australian citizenship by conferral and are aged between 18 and 59 will be given an appointment to sit the citizenship test. That is the Department of Home Affairs' own description of who takes it. Applicants outside that age range, and applicants with a permanent or enduring physical or mental incapacity, may have an interview instead.
The 18-to-59 rule
The citizenship test is part of the application process for most applicants for citizenship by conferral, which is the route for permanent residents and for New Zealand citizens holding a Special Category visa. The Department's page for that route is written for people aged 59 and under, and its step-by-step list puts the test at step four: most people aged between 18 and 59 years will have an appointment to sit it.
There is no separate application for the test. You apply for citizenship online in ImmiAccount, using Form 1300t if you are between 18 and 59, and the Department contacts you about the appointment. The application fee, AUD 595 for general eligibility from 1 July 2026, covers the test.
Who has an interview instead of the test
Applicants who do not need to sit the test may have an interview, at which the Department confirms identity and asks about the application. Its pages describe three groups. If you are 16 or 17, you may be asked to show you understand the nature of the application, have a basic knowledge of English, and understand the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship. If you are 60 or over, or have a hearing, speech or sight impairment, you may be asked to show you understand the nature of the application. If you have a permanent or enduring physical or mental incapacity, the Department may need to verify the claim.
In each case a family member or support person can come to the appointment, and the Department can arrange an interpreter. Children aged 15 or younger are included in a parent's application and are not tested.
The residence requirement comes before any of this
Sitting the test is not what makes you eligible. The general residence requirement is that you have been living in Australia on a valid visa for the four years immediately before you apply, including the last twelve months as a permanent resident, and that you have not been absent for more than twelve months in those four years, or more than 90 days in the final year. You must also be of good character if you are 18 or over, and the Department must be satisfied of your identity from birth.
The Department's page lists exemptions and ministerial discretions for particular situations, such as Australian Defence Force service and certain New Zealand citizens, and a special residence requirement for people who need citizenship for a specific activity. If you are unsure, its eligibility section for the conferral route is the place to check, and it is more current than any summary.
The test is also your English test
Citizenship by conferral requires a basic knowledge of English, and the Department's page says how the test satisfies it: if you score 75% or more and answer all five questions on Australian values correctly, you meet the language requirement. There is no separate English exam for people who sit the test. The test is conducted in English only, although the booklet it is based on is published in 40 community languages so that you can learn the content in your own language first.
If you are not sure which group you are in
Age is measured at the time of the application, and the Department publishes separate pages for people aged 60 and over, for 16 and 17 year olds applying on their own, and for people with an incapacity or impairment. The invitation you receive after applying will say whether it is for a test or an interview. When a forum and the Department's page disagree, the page wins.
Australian Citizenship is an independent educational app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Department of Home Affairs or any government body. Its content is based on the official resource Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, which the Department says is all you need to prepare, and which it publishes free.
Questions people also ask
Do I have to sit the citizenship test if I am 60 or older?
Generally no. The Department's page for the conferral route is written for people aged 59 and under, and its interview page says that if you are aged 60 or over you may be asked to show you understand the nature of your application instead. A family member or support person can attend with you.
Do children have to sit the Australian citizenship test?
No. Children aged 15 or younger are included in a parent's application at no extra cost and are not tested. Sixteen and 17 year olds apply on their own and may be asked at an interview to show they understand the application and have basic English.
