Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2024C00431:section:22a:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2024C00431
Segment Type: section
Provision Reference: s 22A (pt 2/3)
Character Range: 59186–61959

unlawful non‑citizen at any time during the period of 180 days immediately before the day the applicant made the application; and
 (e) the applicant has given the Minister an undertaking, in a form approved by the Minister under subsection (8), that, if the applicant becomes an Australian citizen in circumstances where the Minister exercises the power under this subsection:
 (i) the applicant will be ordinarily resident in Australia throughout the period of 2 years beginning on the day the applicant becomes an Australian citizen; and
 (ii) the applicant will be present in Australia for a total of at least 180 days during that 2‑year period; and
 (f) the applicant has declared, in the undertaking, that the applicant understands the effect of section 34A.
Note: See also subsections (6) to (11).
 (1B) If the Minister exercises the power under subsection (1A) in relation to the applicant, then, for the purposes of section 21, the applicant is taken to satisfy the special residence requirement.

Confinement in prison or psychiatric institution
 (2) Subject to subsection (3), the applicant is taken not to satisfy paragraph (1)(c) if, at any time during the 2 year period mentioned in that paragraph, the applicant was:
 (a) confined in a prison; or
 (b) confined in a psychiatric institution by order of a court made in connection with proceedings for an offence against an Australian law in relation to the applicant.
 (3) The Minister may decide that subsection (2) does not apply in relation to the applicant if, taking into account the circumstances that resulted in the applicant's confinement, the Minister is satisfied that it would be unreasonable for that subsection to apply in relation to the applicant.

Ministerial discretion—administrative error
 (4) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(f) or (1A)(c), the Minister may treat a period as one in which the applicant was a permanent resident if the Minister considers that, because of an administrative error, the applicant was not a permanent resident during that period.
 (5) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(g) or (1A)(d), the Minister may treat a period as one in which the applicant was not present in Australia as an unlawful non‑citizen if the Minister considers the applicant was present in Australia during that period but, because of an administrative error, was an unlawful non‑citizen during that period.

Rules relating to power under subsection (1A)
 (6) The power under subsection (1A) may only be exercised by the Minister personally.
 (7) The Minister does not have a duty to consider whether to exercise the power under subsection (1A), whether he or she is requested to do so by the applicant or by any other person, or in any other circumstances.
 (8) The Minister may, by writing,