- Home
- About us
- Visas and migration
- Travelling to Australia
- Services for Australians
- Doing business with Australia
- Passports
- Study in Australia
- Media
- About Australia
- Events
- Australia-United States of America relationship
Citizenship By Descent - Instructions and Checklist
All residents of the USA, Mexico and Central America (including Cuba) must lodge their application for Australian citizenship by descent in the DIAC Washington office.
The following is a list of requirements to be included with your or your child's application for Australian citizenship by descent. We recommend that you submit all required documents in the first instance so as to ensure the timely processing of the application.
All official documents must be ORIGINALS, however we ask that you include a photocopy of each original for our files. Certified copies of identity documents will be acceptable if, and only if, they are certified by an Australian citizen in Australian Government employment, such as at an embassy or consulate.
Any material submitted in a language other than English must be accompanied with an English translation from a registered translator.
The application may be lodged in person or by mail. Please refer to our important tips for lodging your application in Washington.
We will return the original official documents you supply once we finalise the application, unless you request to have your originals sent back to you prior to decision (see below).
Please submit the following information with your/your child's application for Australian citizenship by descent:
► Completed and signed Form 118
► Processing fee
Please refer to Form 1298i for the current fee and the currency converter for fees in US Dollars. We suggest that you also refer to our important tips for lodging your application in Washington.
Please note that the fee may be paid at any overseas DIAC office, including the DIAC office in Mexico City where cash or bank cheques in Mexican Pesos or US Dollars are acceptable.
► Return postage for the safe return of your originals. Please let us know if you would like your original documents returned to you within days of receipt of your application. If this is the case, you must include 2 (two) self-addressed prepaid envelopes; one for the immediate return of your original documents and one for the certificate of citizenship once/if the application for citizenship is approved - this envelope must be 9.5 inches by 8.5 inches to accommodate the document. Please also refer to the relevant section in our important tips for lodging your application in Washington.
► Endorsed passport size photograph
► Evidence applicant is a natural (not adopted**) child of an Australian Citizen: Original birth certificate of applicant. For children born in the state of Florida and Pennsylvania, please submit the long version of the birth certificate as we require that the city of birth (not just the county of birth) be included on this document.
► Evidence of change of name:
Original marriage certificate (and one copy); or
Deed Poll; or
Statutory Declaration (& at least two documents evidencing usage of name)
► Evidence that at least one parent was an Australian citizen at the applicant’s birth or became an Australian citizen on 26 January 1949:
Original birth certificate of parent (and one copy); or
Original certificate of Australian citizenship (and one copy); AND
Evidence that the Australian parent has not taken out another nationality prior to 4 April 2002. Examples of documents that may be submitted to substantiate your claim include, a copy of US visa and I-94, or US Resident Alien Card, US Naturalization Certificate or any other evidence of citizenship held from another country which shows the date that citizenship was acquired.
► Evidence of character:
Police check
If you are over 18 years of age*, you must provide an FBI criminal history record check AND a local police report (for all places of residence in the USA during the last 12 months).
If you have lived outside of the US for more than 12 months in the past 10 years, you will also need to supply reports from the relevant countries. Please refer to form 47P for further information.
Applicants who will turn 18 during the application process will be required to provide the relevant police clearances described above.
Additional supporting documents may be requested in certain cases.
Please refer to information on children born through surrogacy arrangements if this applies to you so that you may be aware of the associated additional requirements.
** Adopted children are usually not eligible for registration of citizenship by descent. Please refer to our child visa options. If you require further information, please call our Contact Centre to speak to an information officer.