Cotton citizenship case takes new turn

Bryce Cotton’s push to acquire Australian citizenship has taken another turn, with the Perth Wildcats requesting information as to why the star guard’s legal against the Federal government was withdrawn this week.

Cotton lodged an Application For Review Of The Decision that make him ineligible for Australian citizenship, on June 2, in which he challenged the ruling from the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs.

The current status of Cotton’s case on the AAT’s website reads as “application withdrawn”.

Cotton has represented the Wildcats since 2017, and recently spoke to The West Australian about his battle to gain Australian citizenship.

He was officially detained in Melbourne in 2021 while paperwork for a Distinguished Talent Visa was being processed.

That 30 minutes where he was technically without a visa has been determined as the Wildcats star being in the country illegally.

“Because I was in the country of Australia without a visa for that time, that’s what they’re using as the delay. That is what explained to us,” Cotton said in April.

“Me getting permanent residency screwed everything because I was detained and in this country without a visa for 30 minutes.

“I’m in a hole because of 30 minutes which is ridiculous ... I don’t understand why they’re making sure they’re keeping me from having citizenship. It doesn’t make any sense.”