Citizenship Ceremonies
Leichhardt Council holds regular citizenship ceremonies, usually on a bi-monthly basis. Its purpose is to welcome new citizens into the Leichhardt community and to become an Australian Citizen.
To become an Australian Citizen you must contact the Department of Immigration and you will follow an application process.
Once approved, you will be invited to attend a Citizenship Ceremony in your local council area.
Ceremonies at Leichhardt are held in the Leichhardt Town Hall commencing at 6pm.
There is also a ceremony held on Australia Day 26 January at 11am, which is held at the Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre.
Q: I want to become an Australian Citizen. What do I have to do?
A:You will need to contact the Department of Immigration & Citizenship by phoning 131 880 or vist their website for more information: http://www.citizenship.gov.au/applying/how_to_apply/
There is an application process which varies depending on your circumstances.
Q: What happens after I am approved for Citizenship?
A: The final step to become an Australian citizen is to make the Australian Citizenship Pledge at an Australian Citizenship ceremony.
Ceremonies are arranged by Leichhardt Council within three months of your application being approved. You will receive a letter of invitation from the Department of Immigration & Citizenship.
To attend a ceremony at Leichhardt Council, you will live within the Leichhardt Local Government area.
Q: When are Leichhardt Council’s Citizenship Ceremonies?
A: For 2012 the following dates have been allocated for Citizenship Ceremonies:
March 14, May 16, July 18, August 15, November 21, January 26 2013.
They commence at 6pm and usually finish at approximately 7.30pm.
The Ceremony on Australia Day January 26 commences at 11am and can go up to 2.5 hours as special guests attend and speak. After the ceremony a free BBQ is provided to new citizens & their guests.
Q: Where are they held?
A: Leichhardt Town Hall (Cnr Norton & Marion St) – parking is available in Councils car park free from 6pm.
The ceremony on Australia Day January 26 is held at Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre (Mary St, Lilyfield), however if wet weather prevails it will be held at Leichhardt Town Hall- guests will be notified.
Q: How many guests can I bring?
A: Each person is welcome to bring along friends and family.
There are approximately 60 people who become new citizens at each ceremony; Council staff usually caters for approx 200 guests.
Q: What happens at the ceremony?
A: Citizenship ceremonies usually go for about two hours. Generally, you will be asked to arrive about 30 – 40 minutes before the ceremony so that you can register with the Australian Electrol Commision (AEC) and find your seat.
After you are seated there will be an introduction and welcome by the General Manager & Mayor of Leichhardt Council, speeches and formalities including a speech read out by the mayor of Leichhardt on behalf of the Minister for Immigration & Citizenship.
You will be required to make a citizenship pledge either as an Oath (under God) or an Affirmation (Not under God).
The list of names will be called out alphabetically for the presentation of the citizenship certificates.
The National Anthem will be played and the ceremony will conclude with light refreshments.
As a small token of our welcome we provide you with an Australian native Plant and a professional photograph that is taken once you receive your Citizenship certificate. Sometimes the media will attend the ceremony too.
Q: What do I have to bring?
A: You should bring along with you appropriate forms of identification eg: driver's licence or passport as you will be offered the opportunity to put your name on the Australian electoral roll, so that you can vote in Australian elections. You may complete your enrolment form at the ceremony or take it home to complete later.
Whatever you decide to do, it is your responsibility to enrol to vote once you become a citizen. Voting in Australia is compulsory.
Q: What do I wear to the ceremony?
A: You can dress in whatever you’re comfortable with, some people choose to dress formal and others like to come dressed in casual attire.
It’s usually a hot day on Australia Day and many people choose to wear dresses and board shorts, some people turn up in Australian branded attire eg: t-shirts and thongs.
Q: Something has come up & I can’t make my citizenship ceremony that I have been listed for. What do I do?
A: If you need to change the date of your ceremony the Department of Immigration and Citizenship can generally accommodate you however you will need to contact the department on 131 880 as soon as possible.
Limits of Responsibility
Leichhardt Council is not responsible for deciding who becomes an Australian Citizen or when you attend a ceremony; the Department of Immigration & Citizenship are responsible for all administrative areas involving citizenship applications, approvals and ceremonies.
Leichhardt Council’s role is to facilitate the ceremony where we witness the pledges of each new citizen, hand out the certificates, take photographs and give the new citizens the opportunity to enrol to vote with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). We also provide light refreshments.
Contacts
For further information
Debbie Kosh Personal Assistant to Mayor
Ph: 02 9367 9191 E: debbiek@lmc.nsw.gov.au
References
Australian Government / Department of Immigration and Citizenship
http://www.citizenship.gov.au/applying/how_to_apply/
Download a printable PDF of this page here: 
Leichhardt Council Citizenship Ceremonies (24.58kB)