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Australian citizenship: residence and absence limits

Residence & citizenship · Asia-PacificChecked Updated

Australian citizenship

Residence & citizenship
12 monthsout in 4 years, with 90 days in the last 12 months

During the 4 years immediately before applying, you must not have been outside Australia for more than 12 months in total, including no more than 90 days in the last 12 months.1

Window
Both absence counts end on the day you apply: one looks back 4 years and the other looks back 12 months.1
Permanent residence
The 4 years of living in Australia immediately before applying must include the last 12 months as a permanent resident.1
Two absence totals
The 12-month total can come from more than one trip. A separate 90-day cap applies inside the final 12 months.1

Worked example

The shorter window needs its own count

  1. Apply on 1 November 2026. Three trips have 150, 61 and 60 days outside, all within the 4-year window.1How we count: The research trips are 1 January to 1 June 2023, 1 December 2024 to 1 February 2025, and 1 June to 1 August 2026. Counting dates strictly between departure and return gives 150 + 61 + 60.
  2. The total is 150 + 61 + 60 = 271 days outside in 4 years. Only the latest trip falls in the final 12 months, giving 60 days there.1How we count: 150 + 61 = 211; 211 + 60 = 271. The 60-day trip from June to August 2026 is inside the final 12 months.
  3. The example is below both absence lines: 271 days across 4 years and 60 days in the last 12 months, against 12 months and 90 days.1How we count: The research case evaluates 271 as below the 12-month total and 60 as below 90.

The rule it rests on: During the 4 years immediately before applying, you must not have been outside Australia for more than 12 months in total, including no more than 90 days in the last 12 months.1 Both absence counts end on the day you apply: one looks back 4 years and the other looks back 12 months.1

Questions people ask

How long can I be outside Australia before applying for citizenship?

During the 4 years immediately before applying, you must not have been outside Australia for more than 12 months in total, including no more than 90 days in the last 12 months.1

Which periods do the absence counts cover?

Both absence counts end on the day you apply: one looks back 4 years and the other looks back 12 months.1

Do I need 4 years as a permanent resident?

The 4 years of living in Australia immediately before applying must include the last 12 months as a permanent resident.1

Can the 12 months outside come from several trips?

The 12-month total can come from more than one trip. A separate 90-day cap applies inside the final 12 months.1

Sources

1 official page, each with its exact words
  1. Home Affairs form 1300t, residence requirement · Australian Government Department of Home Affairs · read 27 Oct 2026
    Exact words living in Australia "4 years immediately before the day they apply, which must include the last 12 months as a permanent resident, and not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in the 12 months immediately before applying."
Checked against Australian Government Department of Home Affairs on 27 Oct 2026 Updated 26 Oct 2026

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