A Bill for an Act to amend the Australian Citizenship Act 1948

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1 Short title

This Act may be cited as the Australian Citizenship for Eligible De facto Spouses Act 2003.

2 Commencement

This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

3 Schedule

Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendment of the Australian Citizenship Act 1948

1 Paragraph 13(9)(c)

After “spouse”, insert “, de facto spouse”.

2 Paragraph 13(9)(d)

After “spouse”, insert “or de facto spouse”.

3 After subsection 13(9A)

Insert:

(9B) For the purposes of subsection (9):

de facto spouse, in relation to a person, means a person who, whether or not of the same gender as the person, lives with the person and they have a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others.

4 Subsection 15(3)

After “spouse”, insert “or de facto spouse”.