Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
Citizenship by descent vs Citizenship by conferral
Descent is a registration of a status the child already has a claim to: born outside Australia to a parent who was an Australian citizen at the birth, with no residence requirement, no test, no pledge and no visa. Conferral is the grant of citizenship to a permanent resident who has lived here, met the residence requirement, passed the test where it applies, satisfied character and made the pledge. A child born overseas after the parent became a citizen applies by descent; a child born overseas before, or a permanent resident of any age, applies by conferral, and a child born in Australia to a citizen or permanent resident parent needs neither, only a certificate.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Who
- A person born outside Australia with a parent who was an Australian citizen at the time of the birth · A permanent resident who meets the residence, character and other requirements; children included or alone
- Residence requirement
- None · 4 years’ lawful residence, the last 12 months as a PR, with absence limits; discretion for children
- Test and pledge
- None · The test for applicants aged 18 to 59; the pledge at a ceremony for applicants 16 and over
- Visa needed
- None; the child is a citizen on registration and gets a passport · A permanent visa at application and decision
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About the CPD →Side by side
| Citizenship by descent | Citizenship by conferral | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | A person born outside Australia with a parent who was an Australian citizen at the time of the birth | A permanent resident who meets the residence, character and other requirements; children included or alone |
| Residence requirement | None | 4 years’ lawful residence, the last 12 months as a PR, with absence limits; discretion for children |
| Test and pledge | None | The test for applicants aged 18 to 59; the pledge at a ceremony for applicants 16 and over |
| Visa needed | None; the child is a citizen on registration and gets a passport | A permanent visa at application and decision |
| Parent of a citizen by descent | The parent must have spent 2 years in Australia if they were themselves a citizen by descent | Not applicable |
| Charge | The descent charge; see the descent guide | The conferral charge; children under 16 free on a parent’s form; see the citizenship guide |
| Watch out | A child born before the parent’s citizenship date is not eligible by descent | The residence count on the movement records, and the other parent’s consent for a child |
Charges are the current government application charges (from 1 July 2026, main applicant) — see the fee calculator for your family's total. Checked 30 October 2026.
The honest verdict
Descent is a registration of a status the child already has a claim to: born outside Australia to a parent who was an Australian citizen at the birth, with no residence requirement, no test, no pledge and no visa. Conferral is the grant of citizenship to a permanent resident who has lived here, met the residence requirement, passed the test where it applies, satisfied character and made the pledge. A child born overseas after the parent became a citizen applies by descent; a child born overseas before, or a permanent resident of any age, applies by conferral, and a child born in Australia to a citizen or permanent resident parent needs neither, only a certificate.
Which side of that line you fall on depends on facts a table cannot hold — your age, score, occupation's lists, and what evidence you can actually assemble. That is consultation territory, not guesswork territory.
More head-to-heads: 482 vs 494 · 190 vs 491 · 189 vs 190 · 482 vs 186
General information only, not migration advice. Settings shown are the general rules; exemptions and stream variations exist. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) after a paid consultation under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
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Questions we get asked first
Citizenship by descent or Citizenship by conferral — which is better?
Descent is a registration of a status the child already has a claim to: born outside Australia to a parent who was an Australian citizen at the birth, with no residence requirement, no test, no pledge and no visa. Conferral is the grant of citizenship to a permanent resident who has lived here, met the residence requirement, passed the test where it applies, satisfied character and made the pledge. A child born overseas after the parent became a citizen applies by descent; a child born overseas before, or a permanent resident of any age, applies by conferral, and a child born in Australia to a citizen or permanent resident parent needs neither, only a certificate.
What is the main difference between the Citizenship by descent and the Citizenship by conferral?
Who: Citizenship by descent — A person born outside Australia with a parent who was an Australian citizen at the time of the birth; Citizenship by conferral — A permanent resident who meets the residence, character and other requirements; children included or alone. Residence requirement: Citizenship by descent — None; Citizenship by conferral — 4 years’ lawful residence, the last 12 months as a PR, with absence limits; discretion for children. Test and pledge: Citizenship by descent — None; Citizenship by conferral — The test for applicants aged 18 to 59; the pledge at a ceremony for applicants 16 and over.
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