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What happens if you fail the Australian citizenship test

Checked 6 Oct 2026

Not passing is common enough that Home Affairs has a plan for it. Your visa is safe, the next appointment is free, and you have time to prepare again.

In short

If you do not pass, your visa is not affected, you can keep living in Australia, and Home Affairs books another appointment for you at no extra cost. If you do not pass after three appointments, your application may be refused. Use the time in between to work on what cost you the most.

What Home Affairs says happens

Your result shows on screen as soon as you finish, so you will know on the day.

Why people do not pass

There are two ways to miss the pass mark:

  1. A values question wrongAll 5 Australian values questions must be right. One miss means no pass, even with 19 of 20. This catches people who scored well overall.
  2. Fewer than 15 of 20 rightThe pass mark is 75%. Missing 6 or more questions overall means no pass, even with all the values questions right.

Breaking the test rules is a third, rarer reason: using a phone or notes, talking to others or copying can lead to the test not counting and the application being refused.

A plan for the next attempt

  1. Write down what felt hardStraight after the test, note the topics you were unsure about, while you still remember them.
  2. Start with the valuesRead Part 4: Australian values and the values topics in Part 2. Then try the 30 values sample questions until you get them all right for the right reason.
  3. Find your weakest PartSit our free practice test. Your result shows your score by Part, so you know where your points went.
  4. Read that Part againUse our study guide and the same pages in Our Common Bond. The glossary helps with hard words.
  5. Practise in test conditionsBefore the next appointment, sit a full practice test in 45 minutes without notes. Aim for a clear margin, not just 15.

If English reading is the hard part, see our page on help in other languages: the guide is free in 40 languages, and the Assisted Test gives 90 minutes to people who qualify.

Take the full free test: 20 questions

Sources

Department of Home Affairs: Learn about the citizenship test (updated 30 September 2026), sections "After the test" and "Citizenship test rules", read by us on 6 October 2026. Your letter and the Home Affairs pages come first.

Independent app, not affiliated with the Department of Home Affairs or the Australian Government. Cal Australia does not book or change test appointments. Found a mistake? Write to hello@calaustralia.com.

Common questions

What happens if you fail the Australian citizenship test?

Your visa is not affected and you can keep living in Australia. Home Affairs books another test appointment for you at no extra cost. Use the wait to prepare again.

How many times can you fail the Australian citizenship test?

Home Affairs says that if you do not pass the test after three appointments, it may refuse your application. So plan to pass at your first or second appointment, and prepare well between them.

Do I have to pay again to resit the citizenship test?

No. Home Affairs books the next appointment at no extra cost. The test is included in your application fee.

Can I fail with 19 out of 20?

Yes. If the one wrong answer is on an Australian values question, the test is not passed. You need at least 15 of 20 right and all 5 values questions right.

Do I book the resit myself?

No. Home Affairs books another appointment for you and sends you the details. If you need to reschedule, follow the instructions in your appointment letter.
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