布里斯班市议会面临澳大利亚最严重的入籍仪式积压问题，7223名已批准申请人陷于漫长等待中[1]。这一数字较两年前的4600人大幅增长[1]，导致申请人无法及时获得澳大利亚护照和相应公民权益。
申请人Hao Shen透露，预计等待时间超过半年，可能长达一年[1]。在此期间，这些获批申请人若需出国旅行并返回澳大利亚，必须申请返回签证，费用高达$1475/人，较7月1日前的$490/人大幅上涨[1]。相比之下，成人10年澳大利亚护照申请费用为$422/本[1]。市议会2026年仅计划举办五场宣誓仪式，每场约容纳450人[1]，远无法满足这一庞大等待队伍。
邻近地区的等待情况存在显著差异。洛根等相邻地方议会的大多申请人等待时间少于三个月[1]，而莫顿湾和阳光海岸各有超过1000人排队等候，其中大多数已等待超过三个月[1]。
Brisbane City Council faces a severe backlog in citizenship ceremonies, with 7,223 approved applicants awaiting swearing-in proceedings [1]. This represents Australia's longest waiting list for such ceremonies, having grown from 4,600 people two years ago [1]. The delays prevent residents from obtaining Australian passports and accessing associated citizenship benefits, forcing many to pay substantial costs for temporary return visas when traveling internationally.
The financial burden on affected families has intensified following recent fee increases. Non-citizens requiring return to Australia now face visa costs of $1,475 per person, a significant jump from the $490 charged prior to July 1 [1]. Combined with Australian passport fees of $422 for a ten-year adult document [1], the expenses create substantial hardship for families in transition. Applicant Hao Shen described the anticipated waiting period as "more than half a year, possibly up to a year" [1].
The council's capacity remains inadequate to address the backlog. Brisbane City Council has scheduled only five citizenship ceremonies for 2026, each accommodating approximately 450 participants [1]. Neighboring local councils have achieved significantly shorter wait times—most applicants in the Logan area wait less than three months—while Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast each have over 1,000 people waiting, with the majority exceeding three months [1].