City of Sydney citizenship ceremony wait time, November 2026
871 approved applicants were still waiting. So far, 79% had waited under 3 months and 1% more than 6 months. NSW overall: 85% and 1%.
Ceremony wait by state
Big number: of the people still waiting at 31 Oct 2026, the share who had waited under 3 months so far. Not the share who get a ceremony within 3 months.
79% of the 871 people still waiting for a citizenship ceremony at City of Sydney had waited under 3 months so far
City of Sydney citizenship ceremony wait time: 79% under 3 months, 19% 3 to 6 months and 1% more than 6 months since approval, at 31 October 2026. 20% had waited 3 months or more, a higher share than NSW overall (15%). This is how long people had waited so far, not how long is left until their ceremony.
Waits counted to · Official page updated · Checked by us · Official ceremony wait times
Under 3 months3 to 6 monthsMore than 6 monthsNumber: waiting 3 months or more
Compared with the other 59 NSW councils with 20 or more waiting: 18 had a higher share waiting 3 months or more than City of Sydney, 41 had a lower share.
Your ceremony is with the council for your current residential address. The Department says you cannot choose where or when to attend.
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.
- How much longer anyone still waiting will wait. The figures show time already waited at 31 Oct 2026.
- How long people now joining the list will wait. The figures describe who was waiting at 31 Oct 2026.
Other NSW councils
| Council | Waiting | 3 months or more |
|---|---|---|
| Blacktown City Council | 2,292 | 9% |
| City of Parramatta Council | 1,807 | 30% |
| Liverpool City Council | 1,088 | 25% |
| Fairfield City Council | 1,034 | 6% |
| City of Canterbury-Bankstown | 962 | 1% |
| Cumberland Council | 839 | 6% |
| The Hills Shire Council | 819 | 7% |
| Northern Beaches Council | 802 | 18% |
| City of Ryde | 745 | 19% |
| Bayside Council | 744 | 12% |
| Randwick City Council | 610 | 21% |
| Penrith City Council | 606 | 13% |
The 12 NSW councils with the most people waiting. All 128 NSW councils.
City of Sydney ceremony wait, recorded readings
The Department replaces these figures each month and keeps no history. We record every change from 13 November 2026.
| Seen | Waiting | <3 mo | 3–6 mo | >6 mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 871 | 79% | 19% | 1% |
How to read the City of Sydney figures: 6 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.
- Applications still waiting for a decision are not in these figures. They are counted on the citizenship processing time page.
- Councils with 1 to 4 people waiting are shown as "<5". The Department masks these for privacy.
- Council shares are the Department's own, rounded, so they may not add up to 100%. State and Australia shares are our totals, weighted by the number waiting in each council and rounded to add up to 100%.
- The Department publishes only the current month. We started keeping a copy on 13 November 2026, so this page has no earlier history.
These figures come from the Department of Home Affairs, not from City of Sydney. Full decision times: Australian citizenship processing time.
6 questions about the City of Sydney citizenship ceremony wait
How long is the citizenship ceremony wait at City of Sydney?
On 31 October 2026, 871 approved applicants were still waiting for a ceremony at City of Sydney. So far, 79% had waited less than 3 months since approval, 19% 3 to 6 months and 1% more than 6 months.
How many people are waiting for a citizenship ceremony at City of Sydney?
871 approved applicants, including any already invited to a ceremony, at 31 October 2026. Across New South Wales the number was 21,240.
Is the ceremony wait at City of Sydney longer than the NSW average?
20% of those waiting at City of Sydney had waited 3 months or more, a higher share than NSW overall (15%).
When will City of Sydney invite me to a ceremony?
This data cannot say. The Department says invitations arrive about four weeks before the event, by a letter from your council or from the Department of Home Affairs.
Can I go to a ceremony at a different council?
The Department says the ceremony you attend is set by your current residential address, and you cannot choose where and when.
Is this a government website?
No. Visa Processing Time is independent and is not affiliated with the Department of Home Affairs or any council.