Orange citizenship ceremony: 45 people granted Australian citizenship

The Orange City Council event on Wednesday afternoon saw Australian citizenship granted to people who had started their journeys in 16 different countries.

Among them was Thi Bich Duyen Pham, her husband Ngoc Khoi Nguyen and and their nine-year-old son, Ngoc Quy Nguyen.

The family had called Orange home for the past three years after moving to Australia from Vietnam shortly after Ngoc Quy was born in 2013.

After finishing a degree in hospitality and tourism in Melbourne, she had been granted permanent residency to stay and work in Australia.

Now, as the front-of-house attendant at popular Orange restaurant, Lolli Redini, Mrs Pham said it was a very exciting day to receive her Australian citizenship alongside her family.

"We were very happy. When we came to Australia, we really wanted to stay here," she said.

"That's why we try our best and put all the effort [into] my study and work.

"It was a very happy [day] for us [to receive citizenship]."

With her and her family's dream of securing Australian citizenship now realised, Mrs Pham said her next goal was to start her own nail technician business out of her home - in addition to working at Lolli Redini.

Wednesday's citizenship ceremony event occurred under COVD-safe protocols, with all those in attendance needing to wear masks and be socially-distant.

Sixteen different nationalities were granted citizenship, including those originally from Thailand, India, the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Nepal, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, the Philippines, Italy, Indonesia, Fiji, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

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