New citizens choose Australia for love

Nearly half of newly minted Australian citizens at Sydney's Australia Day ceremony adopted their new home for love rather than money.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore handed citizenship certificates to 28 new Australians at Circular Quay on Tuesday as their stories were read out detailing how they came, found love and decided to stay.

Tetenda Manduku charmed his now-wife nine years ago in the student dorms at a Sydney hotel school.

"I made the first move but she didn't like me back then," he said, laughing.

He credits his wife's Australian family for making his move from Zimbabwe easier.

"They received me so well in the family and as soon as that happened I knew this was it," he told AAP.

"It's hard to move away from home. You have to sacrifice certain things to gain a better life."

When asked how he would spend his first day as an Australian, Mr Manduku answered: "We're going to head off to Bondi? Where else?"