The National Archives in Canberra holds naturalisation records for the Colony of Victoria and the Province of South Australia for the period from 1848 to 1903, and many records for the Commonwealth of Australia from 1904. Details of relevant records series are in the table below.
Naturalisation records for the Province of South Australia before 1904 are held by our office in Adelaide.
Naturalisation records for New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania before 1904 are held by the appropriate State government archives. Contact details for these institutions are provided in Fact Sheet 2 – Addresses of other archival institutions.
The naturalisation file you are seeking may already be listed on our RecordSearch database. Conduct searches using the surname of the subject as a keyword term. Note that the word ‘naturalisation’ in these file titles may be spelt either naturalisation or naturalization. Reference archivists are available in reading rooms to guide your research
If the file you are seeking is not listed on RecordSearch the Department of Immigration Citizenship Index may be consulted. A microfiche version of the Citizenship Index is held by all offices of the Archives. Arranged alphabetically, the index lists all applicants for naturalisation from 1904 to the present. Because it contains information not yet in the open access period the index cannot be made publicly available. Our reference staff will consult it on your behalf to identify the file number and location of records of naturalisations that took place more than 30 years ago. Additional sources that may be consulted include the nominal index card series A1652, A3907 and A3908. A search is more likely to be successful if the following information can be supplied:
Many naturalisation files are held in Canberra, but depending on the State of residence of the subject at the time of their naturalisation relevant records may be held in another office of the Archives. If you are unable to visit the office holding the records we are able to supply you with a photocopy – a quote for the cost can be provided.
In general records relating to naturalisation become publicly available once they are more than 30 years old.
Pre-Federation records normally consist of Memorial for Letters of Naturalization (the application), Oath of Memorialist (ie the applicant) and Certificate and Oath of Allegiance. Post-Federation records may also include a Statutory Declaration, Application for Certificate of Naturalization and some routine correspondence.
Volumes of naturalisation certificates issued for the period 1904–1962 are also available. These are available on microfilm for the period 1904–1937. Reference staff will assist you in obtaining access to these records.
 | Letters of naturalisation | 1852–1903 | A712 | ||
| Correspondence files (includes naturalisation files) | 1903–1938 | A1 | ||
| Correspondence files | 1910–1910 | A63 | ||
| Name index cards, naturalization | 1911–1956 | A1652 | ||
| Correspondence files (includes naturalisation files, 1939–1943) | 1939–1950 | A659 | ||
| Correspondence files (includes naturalisation files, 1944–1950) | 1939–1950 | A435 | ||
| Nominal index cards (Europeans) | 1945–1964 | A3907 | ||
| Nominal index cards (non-Europeans) | 1945–1973 | A3908 | ||
| Correspondence files (migrants – alphabetical by family name) – surnames A–C | 1951–1952 | A439 | ||
| Correspondence files (migrants – alphabetical by family name) – surnames D–G | 1951–1952 | A440 | ||
| Correspondence files (migrants – alphabetical by family name) – surnames H–K | 1951–1952 | A441 | ||
| Correspondence files (migrants – alphabetical by family name) – surnames L–N | 1951–1952 | A442 | ||
| Correspondence files (migrants – alphabetical by family name) – surnames O–S | 1951–1952 | A443 | ||
| Correspondence files (migrants – alphabetical by family name) – surnames T–Z | 1951–1952 | A444 | ||
| Correspondence files | 1953–ongoing | A446 | ||
Prior to 26 January 1949 the process of naturalisation conferred British nationality on applicants. Residents of British, or naturalised British status were therefore not required to seek naturalisation in order to obtain citizenship. The wife and under-age children of an Australian resident of British or naturalised British status automatically gained citizenship upon the naturalisation of the spouse or father. Amendments to naturalisation legislation which took effect from 26 January 1949 gave recognition to the concept of Australian nationality. This meant that all migrants wishing to become Australian citizens after this date, including spouse and children, and regardless of country of origin were required to apply for naturalisation.
While many migrants to Australia who were eligible did seek naturalisation, it has never been compulsory. There is therefore no guarantee that a record of naturalisation will exist for all eligible migrants.
You can obtain more information about the record series listed above (and the items within the series) fromRecordSearch, the Archives database. Follow the links in the series lists to go directly to information on that series. You can also use RecordSearch to find out about the agencies that created the records and to locate more records on your subject. You might also explore PhotoSearch to find out if there are photos pertaining to your subject.
RecordSearch and PhotoSearch are available online or in all Archives reading rooms. Reference staff are available in the reading rooms to help you, or email ref@naa.gov.au.
Comments or other feedback can be sent to archives@naa.gov.au
updated January 2006