Australia Day is one of the biggest days for citizenship ceremonies, with many choosing today to officially call Australia home.
But do you know what it takes to become an Australian citizen?
On Monday morning’s episode of The Briefing, we will bring you the story of Sami Shah, a comedian and journalist. Shah shares his personal journey—from fleeing danger in Pakistan to navigating one of the world’s most expensive and lengthy citizenship processes.
Shah’s decision to migrate to Australia came after threats to his life in Pakistan as a journalist.
He spent years navigating the complex immigration system, with multiple stages of temporary and permanent residency before finally becoming a citizen in 2017.
The process took more than six years, costing tens of thousands of dollars, including fees for visas, legal assistance, and the citizenship test.
“The process as far as I know now is longer wait times because of home affairs and immigration departments having less staff to deal with the large influx of people,” Shah said.
“And then while you’re on those wait times, that sense of insecurity, not knowing whether you’ll ever qualify for citizenship or not, when the citizenship application will come through, and then the actual costs of applying for citizenship as well,” he added.
In 2017, Shah received his citizenship from then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during an Australia Day ceremony, an experience he describes as both proud and bittersweet.
“I do understand the complexities of making migrants turn into citizens on the exact same day that is seen as invasion day by Indigenous Australians…but I feel like it’s unfair to put the onus of that on migrants who’ve sacrificed a great deal,” Shah said.
For many migrants like him, the cost and effort of becoming Australian citizens are not just about paperwork but about claiming a future in a country they have come to call home.
“I like the fact that Australia is multicultural and someone like me and many other people like me get to call themselves Australian, I’m also very aware of the baggage that being in Australia comes with when it comes to history and politics.”
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