Australian citizenship by conferral costs $575 for most applicants, dropping to $80 if you hold a valid Pensioner Concession Card, and there is no fee for a child aged 15 or younger on a parent's form. That one fee covers the application, the test and the ceremony. There is no separate test fee and re-sits are free. The fee is indexed to inflation every 1 July, so if you are ready to apply near that date, lodging before it can save you a small increase.
Citizenship fees at a glance
Last updated: June 2026. All amounts in AUD, from the Department's fees schedule (Form 1298i).
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Citizenship by conferral, general eligibility (Form 1300t) | $575 |
| Concession (valid Pensioner Concession Card holder) | $80 |
| Child 15 or younger on a responsible parent form | No fee |
| Citizenship by descent (Form 118) | $370 |
| Citizenship by descent, second and each later sibling together | $150 |
| Evidence of Australian citizenship (Form 119) | $280 |
Source: citizenship application fees schedule (Form 1298i). Note: a Home Affairs eligibility page elsewhere still shows an older figure for the conferral fee, so the 1298i schedule is the one to trust.
Heads-up: fees rise on 1 July
Citizenship application fees are indexed to the consumer price index on 1 July each year, so they usually go up by a small amount at the start of every financial year. If you are reading this in June and you are ready to lodge, applying before 1 July locks in the current fee. After that, expect a modest increase. Always confirm the amount on the day you pay.
What the fee covers
The $575 conferral fee is the cost of the whole process, not just lodging the form. It covers:
- the application itself, including the Department's assessment of your eligibility and identity
- the citizenship test, with no separate booking fee, and free re-sits if you do not pass first time
- the citizenship ceremony, where you make the pledge and receive your certificate, at no extra charge
In other words, for a standard conferral applicant, $575 is the all-in cost. You do not pay again to sit the test, and you do not pay at the ceremony. The Department schedules the test for you after processing, and if you fail it books another appointment free of charge. The one thing the fee does not buy is preparation, which is on you, and there is plenty of free help for that lower down this page.
The other citizenship fees
The $575 figure is the general conferral fee. The Department's schedule also sets fees for related applications, drawn straight from Form 1298i:
- Concession, $80. If you hold a valid Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card and are the primary cardholder (Health Care Cards, Student Cards and Seniors Health Cards do not qualify).
- Child 15 or younger on a parent's form, no fee. Included on a responsible parent's application.
- Citizenship by descent, $370, for a person born outside Australia to an Australian citizen parent. A second and each subsequent sibling applying at the same time is $150.
- Evidence of citizenship (Form 119), $280. This is for proof of an existing citizenship, covered in detail in our guide to the Australian citizenship certificate.
How to pay
How you pay depends on whether you apply online or on paper:
- Online applications: you pay in ImmiAccount at the point you submit, through the My Payments system.
- Paper applications: you pay electronically through the My Payments section of ImmiAccount, under Manage Payments and Pre-Pay Paper Service. You cannot apply online if you are claiming a fee exemption, so exemption applicants pay this way.
A payment surcharge may apply depending on the payment method. The Department lists the current options and any surcharge on its how to pay page, so check it before you pay rather than assuming the method you prefer is surcharge-free.
Refunds
Treat the fee as committed once you lodge. Citizenship application fees are generally not refunded, including if your application is refused or you withdraw it, which is another reason to confirm you meet the citizenship requirements before you pay. The exceptions are narrow. For an application for evidence of citizenship, for instance, if the Department made an error on your certificate and you raise it within six weeks of receiving it, that fee may be refunded.
The test is included, so get your money's worth
Your fee covers the test, but passing is up to you. Prepare for free in the real format and pass first time.
Fee exemptions and concessions
A few groups pay nothing at all. Beyond the $80 Pensioner Concession Card rate, the Department lists fee exemptions on Form 1298i for:
- British and Maltese former child migrants who came to Australia under the Commonwealth Child Migration Scheme between 22 September 1947 and 31 December 1967 (a letter from the Child Migrants Trust must be lodged)
- people who served at least 90 days in the permanent Australian Defence Force (a letter or discharge papers must be lodged)
- people applying under the statelessness provision of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007
Each exemption needs supporting evidence, and you cannot apply onlineif you want a fee exemption: you must use a paper form. Full details are on the Department's fee concessions and exemptions page.
Is it worth it?
Some context. At $575 the conferral fee is a one-off cost for a status you hold for life: an Australian passport, the right to vote, and the ability to live and work in Australia without visa conditions. It is not a recurring charge, and it is the same fee whether you pass the test on the first attempt or the third. The biggest variable is not the fee but the wait, which we track in our guide to citizenship processing times.
When you are ready to lodge, our guide on how to apply for Australian citizenship covers the documents, the ImmiAccount steps and where this fee is paid.
Citizenship fees: FAQs
How much does Australian citizenship cost in 2026?
The application fee for citizenship by conferral on general eligibility (Form 1300t) is AUD $575. A concession rate of $80 applies if you hold a valid Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card, and there is no fee for a child aged 15 or younger applying on the same form as a responsible parent. Citizenship by descent is $370, and an application for evidence of citizenship (Form 119) is $280. These figures come from the Department fees schedule (Form 1298i), current as at June 2026.
Does the citizenship fee include the test and ceremony?
Yes. The $575 conferral fee covers the whole process: the application, the citizenship test and the ceremony. There is no separate charge to sit the test, and if you do not pass, the Department books you another appointment at no extra cost. You do not pay again at the ceremony either. So for a standard conferral applicant, $575 is the all-in cost unless your circumstances change the rate.
When does the Australian citizenship fee go up?
Citizenship application fees are indexed to the consumer price index on 1 July each year, so they typically rise by a small amount at the start of each financial year. If you are reading this close to 1 July and you are ready to lodge, applying before the date can lock in the current fee. Always confirm the exact amount on the day you pay, because the Department fees schedule is the source of truth.
How do I pay the Australian citizenship fee?
For an online application you pay in ImmiAccount when you submit, using the My Payments system. If you lodge a paper form, you pay electronically through the My Payments section of ImmiAccount under Manage Payments, Pre-Pay Paper Service. A payment surcharge may apply depending on the method you use, and the Department lists current payment options and any surcharge on its how-to-pay page. Check it before you pay so the surcharge is not a surprise.
Can I get the citizenship fee refunded?
Citizenship application fees are generally not refunded once you have lodged, including if your application is refused or you withdraw it, so make sure you are eligible before you pay. There are limited exceptions. One example: for an application for evidence of citizenship, if the Department made an error on your certificate and you tell them within six weeks of receiving it, they may refund that fee. Refund rules are narrow, so treat the fee as committed once you submit.
Who is exempt from paying the citizenship fee?
Beyond the $80 Pensioner Concession Card rate, no fee is payable by British and Maltese former child migrants who came to Australia under the Commonwealth Child Migration Scheme, by people who served at least 90 days in the permanent Australian Defence Force, and by people applying under the statelessness provision. Each exemption needs supporting evidence, and you cannot apply online if you want a fee exemption: you must use a paper form. The full list is on the Department fee concessions and exemptions page.