IT WAS a first for the new citizens and Tamworth Regional Council.
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New citizenship ceremonies were conducted individually last week to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Mayor Col Murray said it was a joy to welcome 19 new Australian citizens, in 10 separate ceremonies at the council chambers.
"I think it's a great privilege to have to conduct citizenship ceremonies, it's a beautiful ceremony and it's always refreshing to see the joy of people and just how much becoming an Australian citizen means to them," he said.
"I think it's one of the most pleasurable ceremonies you can conduct under the office of mayor."
There were 61 people who were ready to pledge their citizenship but only 19 went ahead due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among them were people from the Phillipines, the UK, India and Malta.
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The separate ceremonies were another example of the impacts of the virus, Cr Murray said.
"We tried to limit the face-to-face contact even down to new citizens," he said.
