Character Requirements for Australian Citizenship and Visas

The character requirement is a mandatory criterion for most Australian visas and for Australian citizenship by conferral. It exists to ensure that people who enter or remain in Australia are of good character, and it is assessed against a range of factors including criminal history, immigration detention history, and conduct in the community. The official guidance does not publish a single exhaustive list of what constitutes good character, so you must check the specific character pages for your visa subclass and for citizenship before you rely on any assumption. The practical starting point is to gather evidence of your identity, your criminal history (or lack of it), and any other conduct that could be relevant, and to be prepared to explain any adverse information in a statutory declaration or written statement.

What the Character Requirement Covers

The character requirement is a legal test that applies to visa applicants and to people applying for Australian citizenship. It is not a simple check of whether you have a criminal record. The decision maker will consider your past and present conduct, including any criminal convictions, any charges that are still pending, any period of immigration detention, and any behaviour that suggests you may not uphold Australian law or the values of the Australian community.

The official guidance does not provide a fixed list of offences that automatically fail the character test. Instead, it describes the character requirement as a broad assessment of your conduct. This means that even if you have no criminal record, you may still be asked to provide information about your background, particularly if you have spent time in immigration detention, have been involved in criminal activity that did not result in a conviction, or have been associated with groups or activities that raise concerns.

For citizenship, the character requirement is a separate and distinct test from the visa character requirement. The citizenship application process requires you to declare any criminal history and to provide evidence of your identity. The official guidance does not publish a specific list of offences that automatically disqualify you from citizenship, so you must rely on the character pages for citizenship applications to understand what the department will assess.

Evidence You Need to Provide

When you apply for an Australian visa, you must provide evidence that supports your claim to meet the character requirement. This typically includes a police certificate from every country where you have lived for a specified period, and a completed character assessment form. The exact requirements vary depending on your visa subclass, so you must check the specific requirements for your application.

The official guidance does not specify a universal list of countries or time periods for which you must provide police certificates. You should check the character requirements page for your visa subclass to confirm the countries and periods that apply to you. In general, you will need to provide police certificates from every country where you have lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years, but this is not a rule that is stated in the official guidance, so you must verify it on the official page.

For citizenship applications, you will be required to provide evidence of your identity and to declare any criminal history. The citizenship application form will tell you exactly what documents you need to attach. You should not assume that a visa grant means you automatically meet the character requirement for citizenship, because the two assessments are separate.

How the Department Assesses Character

The department assesses the character requirement on a case-by-case basis. The decision maker will consider the nature and severity of any criminal conduct, the length of time since the conduct occurred, and any evidence of rehabilitation. They will also consider whether you have ever been removed or deported from Australia, whether you have been involved in criminal activity that is not reflected in a conviction, and whether you have provided false or misleading information in a previous application.

The official guidance does not publish a scoring system or a set of thresholds for the character requirement. This means that there is no way to predict with certainty whether you will meet the character test. The best you can do is to provide complete and accurate information, to disclose any adverse information proactively, and to provide evidence of rehabilitation where relevant.

If you have a criminal record, you should not assume that you automatically fail the character requirement. The decision maker will consider the specific circumstances of your case, including the seriousness of the offence, the sentence imposed, and the time that has passed. However, the official guidance does not provide any guarantee that a particular offence will or will not result in refusal, so you must seek advice from a registered migration agent or lawyer if you have any concerns.

Character and Health Requirements for Visas

The character requirement is separate from the health requirement. The health requirement is assessed by a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC), who considers whether you have a condition that is likely to result in significant costs to the Australian community or prejudice access to health care and community services in short supply. The Significant Cost Threshold (SCT) is currently $86,000, and it is reviewed biennially.

If your estimated health costs are assessed as being above the SCT, you will not meet the health requirement, unless you are an eligible child born and ordinarily resident in Australia, or a health waiver is available for your visa subclass and the decision maker exercises that waiver. The health requirement is not a character issue, and the two are assessed independently. However, both must be met for a visa to be granted.

The official guidance does not state that a health condition affects the character assessment, and vice versa. You should treat them as separate requirements and ensure that you address each one in your application.

What to Do If You Have a Criminal History

If you have a criminal history, you should disclose it in your application. Failing to disclose a conviction or charge can lead to refusal on character grounds, even if the offence itself would not have caused a refusal. The official guidance does not state this explicitly, but it is a well-established principle of Australian migration law, and you should not rely on it without checking the current character requirements page.

You should also provide evidence of rehabilitation, such as character references, evidence of completion of a rehabilitation program, or evidence of stable employment and community involvement. The decision maker will weigh this evidence against the seriousness of your conduct. The official guidance does not publish a specific list of rehabilitation evidence that is accepted, so you should provide whatever is relevant to your circumstances.

If you are unsure whether you meet the character requirement, you should not guess. You should seek advice from a registered migration agent or lawyer who can assess your circumstances against the current law and policy. The official guidance does not provide a self-assessment tool for the character requirement, so professional advice may be necessary.

How to Verify the Current Rules

The character requirement is set out in the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, and it is applied by the Department of Home Affairs. The official guidance pages for character requirements are the primary source of information, and they are updated regularly. You should check the character requirements page for your specific visa subclass, and the citizenship character requirements page if you are applying for citizenship.

The official guidance does not publish a single page that covers the character requirement for all visa subclasses and for citizenship. You must check the relevant pages for your application type. The character requirement is also subject to change, so you should not rely on information from other sources, including this article, without verifying it on the official pages.

What to Do Next

Before you apply for an Australian visa or citizenship, you should:

• Check the character requirements page for your specific visa subclass or for citizenship.
• Gather evidence of your identity, including a valid passport and any other identity documents.
• Obtain police certificates from every country where you have lived for the relevant period.
• Disclose any criminal history, including charges that are still pending.
• Provide evidence of rehabilitation if you have a criminal record.
• Seek advice from a registered migration agent or lawyer if you have any concerns about your character.

The official guidance does not publish a specific list of documents that are required for every application, so you must check the requirements for your visa subclass or citizenship application. The application form in ImmiAccount will tell you which documents you must attach, and you should submit a complete and decision-ready application to avoid delays.

If you have a criminal history, you should not assume that you will be refused. However, you should also not assume that you will be granted. The character requirement is a discretionary assessment, and the outcome will depend on the specific circumstances of your case. The only way to know how the department will assess your application is to apply and see the decision, or to seek professional advice before you apply.