Civic Program and Citizenship

To become an Australian Citizen you need to apply through the Department of Home Affairs. The delivery of the Australian Citizenship Program is the responsibility of the Department of Home Affairs which are supported by Local Councils throughout Australia.

The Department of Home Affairs manages all information regarding Australian Citizenship, including:

• Applications for Australian Citizenship
• Approval of Australian Citizenship
• Allocation of conferees to ceremony dates and times
• Production of Australian Citizenship certificates

If you would like information regarding becoming an Australian Citizen or have any questions about your application, contact the Department of Home Affairs or phone the Citizenship Information Line on 131 880.

Council is not involved in applications, approvals, allocation of conferees to ceremony dates and times, and certifications. City of Parramatta Council is unable to move applicants forward on the list or give preference to attend a specific ceremony.

Council usually holds in-person citizenship ceremonies every second month, with up to 761 people attending each ceremony (citizenship candidates and their guests).  

Citizenship ceremonies are generally hosted by the Lord Mayor and held at Riverside Theatres.  

The Department of Home Affairs allocates citizenship candidates to these ceremonies. Council has no role in allocating candidates to ceremonies. 

Please note that, in addition to the ceremonies held by Council, the Department of Home Affairs holds its own citizenship ceremonies and candidates may also be invited to attend these departmental ceremonies. 

If you have concerns regarding individual wait times for your ceremony, please contact the Department of Home Affairs for further advice of your individual status. 

The Department of Home Affairs advises that approved applicants are required to wait up to 12 months to be invited to attend an Australian Citizenship Ceremony and be presented with your Australian Citizenship certificate, however if you are a resident of the City of Parramatta the wait time is approximately 3 months. 

During the time an applicant waits to be invited to attend an Australian Citizenship ceremony, the Department of Home Affairs advises that citizenship assessment continues. If there are changes to the person’s individual circumstances during this period which affect their application the wait time can be impacted. Other circumstances that can impact the timeframe of when you will be invited to a ceremony include:

• Your application has been approved, however you have linked your citizenship application with another individual’s application that has not yet been finalised/approved. 
• You have not updated your contact details with the Department. Please ensure your email and other contact details are up to date in your Immi account.

If you have concerns regarding individual wait time, please contact the Department of Home Affairs for further advice of your individual status. The Department of Home Affairs' can be contacted on 131 800.

Once an applicant receives a letter from the Department of Home Affairs advising Australian Citizenship has been approved, they must:

• Wait for an invitation to attend an Australian Citizenship ceremony. The Department of Home Affairs will send a letter of invitation advising you of your ceremony details. This invitation will include the date, time and location of the ceremony.
• If you are invited to attend a ceremony and do not attend, you will need to contact the Department of Home Affairs and wait until you are invited to a new ceremony. Failure to attend further ceremonies may result in forfeiting your Australian Citizenship.

The Department of Home Affairs hold ceremonies for candidates, as well as the ceremonies held by City of Parramatta Council and candidates may be invited to attend these departmental ceremonies.

For any further information regarding your Australian Citizenship, please phone the Australian Citizenship Information Line on 131 880.

If you have applied for citizenship, you will be notified of your ceremony details once you have been approved by the Department of Home Affairs and allocated to a ceremony. 

The Department of Home Affairs will send a letter of invitation advising you of your ceremony details.

If you have any questions about the date of your ceremony call the Australian Citizenship Information Line on 131 880.

If your Australian Citizenship has been approved, ask for the citizenship ceremonies section.

If you have compassionate or compelling grounds for an urgent ceremony, you may request one through the Department of Home Affairs by completing the Request for urgent citizenship ceremony form(PDF, 100KB) and emailing it to ceremony.nsw@homeaffairs.gov.au. Urgent ceremonies are only approved in exceptional and very limited circumstances. 

Conferees are advised that all fields in the form must be completed with supporting evidence attached so that requests can be assessed and considered by the Department. Please ensure all documentation is translated into English. If you do not provide evidence, your request will not be accessed and you will not receive a reply from the Department of Home Affairs.

If you have any questions regarding urgent ceremonies, please contact the Department of Home Affairs directly for further advice on your application. The Department of Home Affairs can also be contacted on 131 880.  

By Car

 Explore parking options 

Permanent traffic changes are now in place on and around Church Street (between Market & Macquarie Streets) for the Parramatta Light Rail.

Additionally, on CommBank Stadium event days the roads around Riverside are busier than usual with ticketholders making their way to the stadium during the afternoon or evening peak. For event days, check the CommBank event calendar.

Motorists traveling to Riverside should note these changes and events may affect the amount of time that it takes them to drive and park. Plan ahead by checking the LiveTraffic website.

By Train

 Plan your trip by train

Parramatta is linked from all directions by train. Riverside is approximately a 12-minute walk from Parramatta Train Station. Exit the station towards Parramatta Square (exit 5), turn left towards Centenary Square, Parramatta Town Hall and PHIVE. Turn right towards Church Street, and follow it up to the theatre, just across the Lennox Bridge.

Alternatively, we are a 5-minute light rail trip from Parramatta Square Light Rail stop to Prince Alfred Square (towards Westmead) on the L4 Westmead & Carlingford Line.

There is also an option of a quick bus ride using Parramatta’s FREE City Shuttle bus between 7am & 6:30pm on weekdays, and 8am to 4pm on weekends/Public Holidays – open the ‘By Bus’ option below for more details.

By Light Rail

Plan your trip by light rail

Parramatta’s L4 Westmead & Carlingford Line is now open. Services are every 9 minutes in the peak (7am to 7pm), and 12-16 minutes in the off-peak on Monday to Friday; and 12 minutes in the peak (7am to 7pm) and 16 minutes in the off-peak on weekends. Alight at Prince Alfred Square Light Rail stop for a short walk to the theatre.

For more information about parking and public transport please visit:riversideparramatta.com.au/your-visit/

Once an applicant has been invited to an Australian citizenship ceremony by the Department of Home Affairs, the final step to becoming an Australian citizen is to attend the ceremony and make the Australian Citizenship Pledge to Australia and its people.

Making the Pledge

Making the Pledge is the final legal requirement to becoming an Australian citizen. Following the pledge, new citizens will receive their Australian Citizenship certificate. The "Pledge" contains the words that are to be read out loud to complete the citizenship requirements. There are two pledges that conferees can choose from, one mentions God and the other does not. To view the pledges, please visit the Australian Citizenship Pledge page.

All conferees will be assigned to a seating area to make their Pledge of Commitment.

Special and formal occasion

Australian citizenship ceremonies in Parramatta are a special and formal occasion.

They fulfil requirements under Australian citizenship law. They also provide an important opportunity to officially welcome new citizens as full members of the Australian community.

They are often an emotional experience for the new citizen, as well as their host, family and friends and other ceremony guests.

You are welcome to bring family and friends to this special occasion, however guest spaces are limited.

If you are unable to attend your ceremony, please contact the Department of Home Affairs on 131 800 and follow the instructions in your invitation letter provided by the Department of Home Affairs.

In most cases, you will receive a non-attendance from the Department and you will be then invited to the next appropriate ceremony. 

Conferees will be contacted by the Department of Home Affairs when they have been allocated to a ceremony. The Department of Home Affairs will send a letter of invitation advising you of your ceremony details. Applicants are asked to please ensure their email address is up to date in their Department of Home Affairs ImmiAccount.

Once the ceremony has concluded, Australian Electoral roll applications completed by new citizens can be submitted. It is compulsory by law for all eligible Australian citizens to enrol and vote in federal elections, by-elections and referendums. For further information regarding voting or the Australian electoral roll, please visit Australian Electoral Commission.