Senate President Stephen Parry will quit parliament on Thursday after British authorities found him to have dual citizenship through his UK-born father.
The Liberal senator from Tasmania sought advice from the UK Home Office after the High Court ruled on the eligibility of seven parliamentary colleagues.
It's expected he will be replaced in the Senate by former minister Richard Colbeck, but it's unclear who will move into the president's role.
"Now that the High Court's recent ruling has given absolute clarity to the meaning and application of section 44(1) and as required by section 17 of the constitution, I will submit my resignation as both president of the Senate and as a senator for Tasmania to his excellency the Governor-General tomorrow," he wrote in a letter to senators on Wednesday.
Senator Parry thanked his colleagues for their support and confidence.
His final plea to senators was not to refer too many issues to an "already overloaded committee system".
"I wish my successor all the best and trust that she or he will continue with the reforms that I have commenced, particularly in attaining greater independence from the executive by way of an independent funding model for all of the parliamentary departments," he said.
He quoted former US president Abraham Lincoln who said in 1864: "I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me."
Tasmanian colleague Eric Abetz paid tribute to Senator Parry and said he was confident Mr Colbeck would "hit the ground running".
"Stephen Parry has been a tremendous servant of the people of Tasmania since 2005 and there are many people, like myself, who are deeply disappointed by the news that he will be leaving the Senate," Senator Abetz said in a statement.
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