Stateless

I arrived in Australia at 8 months of age, on my Mum's British Passport, have never left the country, and have never considered myself to be anything other than an Aussie. Imagine my shock when I found out I wasn't one!

I am apparently stateless, and cannot get a passport. To gain citizenship here, I have to have a Permanent Resident’s Visa, which I don't have. To gain a Permanent Resident's Visa, I have to provide my Passport, which I have never had.

I thought I'd try the British Consulate, and get a Passport that way, so I am able to gain Citizenship here. I can't do that either, my Birth Certificate means nothing unless I can provide my parents certified British Marriage Certificate. No can do! They were married in Iran, Dad was working as an Engineer for Anglo Iranian Petroleum and my Mum an English Interpreter. I'm pretty sure England would not have a copy of an Iranian Wedding Certificate. I was going to ring them, but baulked at paying $1.10 per minute to listen to an automated voice and $2.65 per minute to speak to a human.

My Dad died here, I have been married, divorced and re-married, had 4 children, buried one of them, received Family Allowance for all of them, had a Centrelink number, have held an Australian Driver’s Licence since I was 18, worked most of my life, have a mortgage, voted, and paid my taxes. During this time I have spent 9 years as a volunteer Foster Parent with Anglicare, received a Victorian award for services rendered to Foster Care, and been an instructor in Bellydance for the local Neighbourhood House.

According to Immigration, I do not exist, but I do have an appointment with them on the 24th of April, where I have the privilege of doing a Citizenship Test, and if I pass, will be able to state my case, but am not guaranteed anything. I am not entitled to vote, although I have done so since I was 18. I am not allowed to do Jury Duty, but have been called upon to do just that on several occasions. Legally, at this point if I were to apply for a Tax File Number, I could not do so, because I can’t provide my Passport.

A conundrum, I am not in Australia, but also cannot get out of her, neither am I British, even if I was born there, neither am I Iranian. I feel totally alienated that I don’t count for anything, that my life in Australia, or anywhere for that matter, may as well be nonexistent. .