Not a government site
Source: Department of Home Affairsfigures dated checked

New South Wales citizenship ceremony wait times, November 2026

21,240 approved applicants waiting across 128 councils. 85% had waited under 3 months, 1% more than 6 months.

Ceremony wait by state

85%under 3 monthsNSW21,240 waiting88%under 3 monthsVIC21,471 waiting80%under 3 monthsQLD13,090 waiting69%under 3 monthsWA12,882 waiting79%under 3 monthsSA5,667 waiting82%under 3 monthsTAS631 waiting81%under 3 monthsACT670 waiting83%under 3 monthsNT466 waitingAll 539 councilssearch by name

Big number: share of approved applicants still waiting who had waited under 3 months, at 31 Oct 2026.

21,240

approved applicants were waiting for a citizenship ceremony in New South Wales on 31 October 2026

NSW citizenship ceremony wait times: 85% had waited under 3 months since approval, 14% 3 to 6 months and 1% more than 6 months. Australia: 81%, 16% and 2%.

Official page updated · Waits counted to · Checked by us · Official ceremony wait times

Waited under 3 months85%Australia 81%New South Wales councils, weighted.
Waited 3 to 6 months14%Australia 16%Approved, no ceremony yet.
Waited more than 6 months1%Australia 2%Approved more than 6 months before the cut-off.
Councils listed12824 show "<5", 9 show none waiting.
NSW15%
Australia18%
Wollondilly Shire Council44%
Strathfield Council41%
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council40%

Under 3 months3 to 6 monthsMore than 6 monthsNumber: waiting 3 months or more

Showing 128 of 128 councils

CouncilWaiting<3 mo3–6 mo>6 mo
Blacktown City Council2,29291%8%1%
City of Parramatta Council1,80769%29%1%
Liverpool City Council1,08875%24%1%
Fairfield City Council1,03494%5%1%
City of Canterbury-Bankstown96299%1%0%
City of Sydney87179%19%1%
Cumberland Council83994%5%1%
The Hills Shire Council81993%6%1%
Northern Beaches Council80282%16%2%
City of Ryde74581%19%0%
Bayside Council74488%10%2%
Randwick City Council61079%20%1%
Penrith City Council60687%12%1%
Inner West Council50381%18%1%
Ku-ring-gai Council44293%6%1%
Hornsby Shire Council43294%5%1%
Camden Council41677%22%1%
Central Coast Council38192%7%1%
Campbelltown City Council35894%4%1%
Georges River Council35792%6%1%
Sutherland Shire Council35291%8%1%
City of Canada Bay Council33272%28%0%
Willoughby City Council33267%32%2%
Waverley Council32879%21%0%
Strathfield Council32058%38%3%
North Sydney Council28789%10%1%
Tweed Shire Council17887%8%5%
Lane Cove Council15688%10%1%
Lake Macquarie City Council15588%12%1%
Newcastle City Council15494%5%1%
Wollongong City Council14697%3%0%
Woollahra Municipal Council14387%13%1%
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council13759%36%4%
Hawkesbury City Council12561%38%2%
Maitland City Council11294%5%1%
Burwood Council10191%8%1%
City of Coffs Harbour9288%7%5%
Byron Shire Council8884%15%1%
Shoalhaven City Council8593%7%0%
Wollondilly Shire Council8456%38%6%
City of Wagga Wagga8395%4%1%
Port Stephens Council8363%37%0%
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council8074%21%5%
Wingecarribee Shire Council7377%19%4%
Blue Mountains City Council6975%25%0%
Mid Coast Council6378%22%0%
Orange City Council6285%8%6%
Ballina Shire Council6092%2%7%
Shellharbour City Council6090%8%2%
Albury City Council5593%4%4%
Mosman Council4892%2%6%
Dubbo Regional Council4290%7%2%
Griffith City Council3990%10%0%
Tamworth Regional Council3995%3%3%
Cessnock City Council3897%3%0%
Goulburn Mulwaree Council3479%21%0%
Lismore City Council3474%26%0%
Armidale Regional Council2889%11%0%
Bathurst Regional Council2692%8%0%
Eurobodalla Shire Council2592%8%0%
Muswellbrook Shire Council1995%0%5%
Parkes Shire Council1937%63%0%
Lithgow City Council1894%6%0%
Bega Valley Shire Council1694%6%0%
Clarence Valley Council16100%0%0%
Upper Hunter Shire Council1688%6%6%
Hilltops Council1593%7%0%
Hunter's Hill Council1587%13%0%
Snowy Monaro Regional Council15100%0%0%
Berrigan Shire Council1479%21%0%
Edward River Council1493%7%0%
Lachlan Shire Council1436%64%0%
Richmond Valley Council1493%7%0%
Bellingen Shire Council1275%25%0%
Snowy Valleys Council12100%0%0%
Kiama Municipal Council1173%18%9%
Murray River Council1182%18%0%
Narrabri Shire Council1164%27%9%
Warren Shire Council10100%0%0%
Gunnedah Shire Council989%11%0%
Junee Shire Council956%33%11%
Leeton Shire Council9100%0%0%
Nambucca Valley Council978%22%0%
Singleton Council9100%0%0%
Inverell Shire Council7100%0%0%
Warrumbungle Shire Council786%14%0%
Yass Valley Council786%14%0%
Broken Hill City Council683%17%0%
Cabonne Council6100%0%0%
Central Darling Shire Council60%100%0%
Mid-Western Regional Council6100%0%0%
Temora Shire Council6100%0%0%
Uralla Shire Council683%17%0%
Kempsey Shire Council5100%0%0%
Moree Plains Shire Council5100%0%0%
Balranald Shire Council<5---
Bland Shire Council<5---
Blayney Shire Council<5---
Bogan Shire Council0---
Bourke Shire Council<5---
Brewarrina Shire Council0---
Carrathool Shire Council<5---
Cobar Shire Council<5---
Coolamon Shire Council<5---
Coonamble Shire Council<5---
Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council<5---
Cowra Shire Council<5---
Dungog Shire Council<5---
Federation Council<5---
Forbes Shire Council<5---
Gilgandra Shire Council<5---
Glen Innes Severn Council0---
Greater Hume Council0---
Gwydir Shire Council<5---
Hay Shire Council<5---
Kyogle Council<5---
Liverpool Plains Shire Council0---
Lockhart Shire Council<5---
Murrumbidgee Council<5---
Narrandera Shire Council<5---
Narromine Shire Council<5---
Oberon Council0---
Tenterfield Shire Council0---
Upper Lachlan Shire Council<5---
Walcha Council<5---
Walgett Shire Council0---
Weddin Shire Council0---
Wentworth Shire Council<5---

What this can't tell you

  • The date of your ceremony. The Department says invitations arrive about four weeks before the event, from your council or the Department.
  • Whether you can move to another council. The Department says the ceremony you attend is set by your current residential address and you cannot choose where or when.
  • How long people now joining the list will wait. The figures describe who was waiting at 31 Oct 2026.

Longest waits in NSW: share waiting 3 months or more

CouncilWaiting3 months or more
Wollondilly Shire Council8444%
Strathfield Council32041%
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council13740%
Hawkesbury City Council12540%
Port Stephens Council8337%
Willoughby City Council33234%
City of Parramatta Council1,80730%
City of Canada Bay Council33228%
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council8026%
Lismore City Council3426%

NSW councils with 20 or more waiting.

How to read the NSW ceremony wait figures: 5 things to know

  • The people counted are approved applicants who have not yet had their ceremony, including those already invited to one, at 31 October 2026.
  • The time is how long each of them had been waiting since approval at that date. It is not the full wait of people who have already had their ceremony.
  • Councils with 1 to 4 people waiting are shown as "<5". The Department masks these for privacy.
  • The three shares may not add up to 100% because of rounding.
  • The Department publishes only the current month. We started keeping a copy on 13 November 2026, so this page has no earlier history.

Other states and territories: VIC ceremony wait times · QLD ceremony wait times · WA ceremony wait times · SA ceremony wait times · TAS ceremony wait times · ACT ceremony wait times · NT ceremony wait times. Full decision times: Australian citizenship processing time.

6 questions about NSW citizenship ceremony wait times

How long is the citizenship ceremony wait in New South Wales?

On 31 October 2026, 21,240 approved applicants were waiting for a ceremony in New South Wales. 85% had waited under 3 months since approval, 14% 3 to 6 months and 1% more than 6 months.

Which NSW council has the longest citizenship ceremony wait?

Among NSW councils with 20 or more people waiting, the highest shares waiting 3 months or more were Wollondilly Shire Council (44%), Strathfield Council (41%), Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (40%).

Which NSW councils have the most people waiting for a ceremony?

Blacktown City Council: 2,292; City of Parramatta Council: 1,807; Liverpool City Council: 1,088.

Can I choose where and when to attend my citizenship ceremony?

No. The Department says the ceremony you attend is set by your current residential address, and you cannot choose where and when.

How will I be invited to my citizenship ceremony?

The Department says invitations arrive about four weeks before the event, by a letter from your local council or from the Department of Home Affairs.

Is this a government website?

No. Visa Processing Time is independent and is not affiliated with the Department of Home Affairs.