Citizenship Ceremonies are public, ceremonial occasions, which provide an important opportunity to formally welcome new citizens as full members of the Australian community. Representatives of all three spheres of Government are invited to attend, as are friends and relatives of the candidates.
Citizenship Ceremonies allow new citizens to meet their representatives and community leaders. This enhances the new citizens’ ability to exercise, in an informed way, their right to participate in and contribute to community life.
Dates for Citizenship Ceremonies
Citizenship ceremonies are conducted by the Tamworth Regional four times a year in January, April, July and October. Under special circumstances, a ceremony may also be held at another time, with the agreement of the Mayor of the day.
Venues for Citizenship Ceremonies
The majority of citizenship ceremonies are held in the Tamworth Regional Council Chambers at 437 Peel Street, Tamworth. Ceremonies will also be held in Barraba, Manilla or Nundle for candidates living in these areas who advise Council that they would like a Ceremony held there.
Invitations for Citizenship Ceremonies
An invitation is normally extended to citizenship candidates, their families and friends. You will usually receive a letter of invitation to your citizenship ceremony, which will advise you how many guests you may bring. An invitation is also extended to the current Federal Member of Parliament for New England and the current State Member for Tamworth to attend these ceremonies.
General Information
If you are intending to apply for Citizenship you will need to give a lead time of approximately 3 - 4 months for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to process your information and forward your Certificate to Council so that you may participate in a ceremony. The following outlines some of the key steps:
- the first step is to obtain an application form from the Post Office
- complete and lodge your application with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, with the necessary documents and appropriate fee (cost is approximately $125, check the Department of Immigration and Citizenship for current costs)
- the Department may request that you attend an interview at your local Post Office to verify the originals of your documents
- if your application is approved, you will receive a letter from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship confirming that the grant of Australian Citizenship has been approved
- you will not become an Australian citizen until you have attended your citizenship ceremony and made the pledge
- Council acts as an agent for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship for the conduct of citizenship ceremonies
- the Department of Immigration and Citizenship provides Council with details of the citizenship candidates so that Council can organise the ceremony
- a letter of invitation to a citizenship ceremony is then issued by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship