If you were born outside Australia and one of your parents was an Australian citizen when you were born, you may already be entitled to Australian citizenship — you just need it recognised. Form 118 is how you claim it. Citizenship by descent is a right you register, not a favour you request, but the paperwork still has to be right.
Here is what Form 118 is, and where descent applications go wrong.
What Form 118 is
Form 118, officially Application for Australian citizenship by descent, is the application for people born outside Australia who acquire citizenship through an Australian citizen parent.
It sits under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (Cth) s 16. The core requirement is straightforward in principle: at least one parent must have been an Australian citizen at the time of your birth. The detail — which parent, their citizenship status then, and the evidence for it — is where the care goes. You can apply online or on paper; access the current form from the official source: Form 118 on the Department of Home Affairs website.
What descent actually requires
Descent is about your parent's status at the moment you were born, not now. That single point resolves most of the confusion I see:
- A parent who became a citizen after your birth does not, by that alone, make you a citizen by descent.
- A parent who was an Australian citizen at your birth generally can — even if they have since lost or renounced it.
There can also be requirements tied to the parent's own connection to Australia and, in some cases, registration timeframes. Because descent turns entirely on facts at your date of birth, the evidence — your birth record, your parent's citizenship evidence, the dates — must be assembled with precision.
Identity, and the online pathway
Where you apply online for citizenship by descent, your identity is verified using Form 1195, the Identity declaration — the endorser-signed form that confirms who you are. Getting the 1195 endorser right (an Australian citizen in a listed occupation, not related to you) is part of a clean descent application, not an afterthought.
Common mistakes and their consequences
Assuming any Australian parent qualifies you. It is the parent's status at your birth that matters. Check the timing.
Confusing descent with conferral. Descent (Form 118) is for those born overseas to an Australian parent. Becoming a citizen as a permanent resident is conferral — Form 1300t or, for special situations, Form 1290.
Confusing an application with proof. Form 118 claims citizenship by descent. If you are already a citizen and simply need a certificate as proof, that is Form 119.
A weak Form 1195. An online descent application needs a valid Identity declaration. A disqualified endorser stalls the whole thing.
How Form 118 fits your situation
Form 118 is one of the citizenship family, and knowing which form is yours saves months. Descent is 118; general conferral is Form 1300t; other citizenship situations are Form 1290; proof of an existing citizenship is Form 119; and identity in online descent and evidence applications is Form 1195. If a lawyer acts for you, your Form 956 keeps the correspondence with them, and citizenship fees sit with the charges collected on the Form 990i fee page.
If you think you may be Australian by descent — or you are applying for a child born overseas — book a $97 10-minute chat with me. Descent is often clearer than people fear, and I can tell you quickly whether the entitlement is there.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form 118 used for?
Form 118 is the application for Australian citizenship by descent, for people born outside Australia who acquire citizenship through an Australian citizen parent under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (Cth) s 16.
Who is eligible for citizenship by descent?
Generally, a person born outside Australia where at least one parent was an Australian citizen at the time of the person's birth. There may be further requirements tied to the parent's connection to Australia and to registration timeframes.
Does my parent need to be a citizen now?
No. What matters is that a parent was an Australian citizen at the time of your birth. A parent who has since lost or renounced citizenship can still found a descent claim; a parent who became a citizen only after your birth generally cannot.
What is the difference between Form 118 and Form 119?
Form 118 claims citizenship by descent. Form 119 applies for evidence of an existing Australian citizenship — a certificate as proof. If you are already a citizen and only need proof, Form 119 is the correct form.
Do I need Form 1195 with Form 118?
Where you apply online for citizenship by descent, your identity is verified using Form 1195, the Identity declaration, completed by an eligible endorser. It is part of a complete online descent application.
Think you might be Australian by descent? I act for citizenship applicants and families nationwide from eight locations. Book your $97 10-minute chat — or if you are ready to engage, start at myvisa.com.au/work.