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Australia requires a 'Close and continuing' association/link/ties with Australia either by living in Australia or by maintaining such ties while overseas as a criterion for naturalization.

My friend asked me this question and we tried to search it on the internet but were unable to find examples of scenarios in which a person is considered to possess close links with Australia while living overseas. If someone had naturalized less than a year ago, but found a better option to relocate somewhere else (my friend's situation), how can that criterion be satisfied? What should be done so as to maintain the fact that ties are not broken with Australia (so that citizenship is not revoked)?

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  • How long is it since your friend actually naturalized? If they "just" naturalized, then it's difficult I guess to satisfy the criterion but I don't know exactly what that criterion asks for.
    – Yashveer Singh
    Sep 28, 2020 at 12:45
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    That some criterion is required for naturalization does not mean that failing to meet it after naturalization would result in loss of citizenship. In fact, it generally does not. This question may be of interest to people who are not yet citizens of Australia, but those who are already naturalized, as in the case, do not need to worry unless their living abroad could expose them to suspicion of fraud, or unless they received Australian citizenship "for special services provided to Australia." See sbs.com.au/language/english/…
    – phoog
    Sep 28, 2020 at 15:26
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    Australia really seems to be very suspicious, and to her, it is extremely likely that Australia will definitely cancel her citizenship if she doesn't continue living in Australia. This is why we decided to post a question regarding how that "continuing and close links while overseas" criterion could she satisfy?
    – Joseph Johnson
    Sep 28, 2020 at 15:44
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    @phoog I think it is useful to consider what requirements in relation to continuing links with Australia while living overseas were supposed to be met pre-naturalization, to find out what their friend should do now in order to maintain pre-naturalization requirements so that it does not look like their friend lied pre-naturalization. Is this (the pre-naturalization requirement about links with Oz) what you want to know Joseph?
    – Yashveer Singh
    Sep 28, 2020 at 18:09
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    @YashveerSingh Yes that will definitely be satisfying to know. Can you tell what it means to "maintain close and continuing links with Australia" (in the pre-naturalization scenario)? Can you give some scenarios in which such links are established when the applicant intends to live abroad after naturalization? I think Australia does permit living abroad after naturalization but some permanent links with Australia must be established. What are they?
    – Joseph Johnson
    Sep 28, 2020 at 18:15

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"Close and continuing association" is a requirement to retain and renew permanent residence in Australia while overseas. It does not apply to citizenship, which is permanent.

It is very, very difficult to "cancel" (revoke) Australian citizenship once granted: basically, if you have actively applied for and been granted citizenship, the only possible grounds to revoke it are blatant fraud during the application process, or active terrorism/waging a war against Australia (and even this has been curtailed significantly by the courts). See the Citizenship Act 2007 for details.

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