Australian Citizenship Oath.

All the people who look forward to becoming an Australian citizen and settling down with their family in Australia, need to first follow a set of rules and regulations, procedures and express their willingness to be Australian citizens by participating in the oath taking ceremony. More commonly referred to as the Citizenship ceremony, the oath taking ceremony is a very austere and formal one for every person who has applied to accept the citizenship of the country. However, one of the factors that most citizens who take the oath do not bother about is that they do not take into account the meaning, the significance and the implications of the oath. Therefore, it is important for people to understand the meaning and significance of the Australian Citizenship Oath of Allegiance so that they are true to it and respect it completely without having to worry about violating it due to ignorance.

The Australian Citizenship Oath of Allegiance:

Basically, understanding the Australian Citizenship Oath of Allegiance or the "pledge of commitment" as it is more commonly called, gives the power to the citizen to become a rightful and a dutiful citizen of the country, thereby, making life more secure and peaceful. Moreover, with each citizen understanding the meaning of the oath, the country becomes stronger and more secure. The nation building process is enhanced by the citizens’ knowledge of the oath and the execution of the same.

Every citizen has a right to choose between Pledge 1 and Pledge 2. Though both are basically the same and they also have the same implications, the only difference is that Pledge 1 is addressed to God and Pledge 2 is not.

Pledge 1 is:

From this time forward, under God,

I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people,

whose democratic beliefs I share,

whose rights and liberties I respect, and

whose laws I will uphold and obey.

Pledge 2 is:

From this time forward,

I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people,

whose democratic beliefs I share,

whose rights and liberties I respect, and

whose laws I will uphold and obey.

Meaning of the Australian citizenshipPledge:

The significance of the Australian citizenship pledge can be known only by understanding the meaning of the pledge, as well as the importance of acquiring the Citizenship of Australia. A person, by making a pledge lays his or her allegiance to the nation, its people, and the democratic beliefs that makes Australia such a great nation. Moreover, the pledge also is a promise to the nation that the citizen will abide by all the rules and regulations, obey the legal norms of the country and will perform the duties that is demanded by the country from the citizen and also graciously accept the rights conferred on the citizens as per the laws of the country.

Implications of the Australian citizenshipPledge:

It is one and the same thing whether it is the Australian Citizenship Oath of Allegiance or the "pledge of commitment". Earlier the oath of allegiance was made addressing The Queen, but now it has changed addressing the pledge to God. However, citizens are given a choice to referring to God if they wish to do so. Making the pledge proves that the citizen has made a commitment to the country Australia and this is done publicly so that there is nothing secretive about it. Moreover, this also is a promise to the nation that the citizen has accepted the responsibilities that come along with being a citizen and the privileges that the citizen gains as a consequence of being a citizen.

The pledge is usually made during the Citizenship ceremony after which the citizenship certificate is issued to all the people who have acquired citizenship at the ceremony.