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Visas
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Applying
for a visa_
- How
do I apply for a visa to enter and/or stay in Australia?
- To make a valid
application for a visa for Australia, you must:
indicate the type or class of visa which you want, use
the correct form, pay the required charge (where applicable),
See: Immigration Costs - Information. Whatever the
outcome of your application, the charge is non-refundable.
There may be other costs associated with the application,
such as those required for health and character clearances.
These costs will be paid directly to the providers
of these services. Lodge an application via the
internet (where applicable),
provide the correct documentation in support of your
application,
satisfy other requirements for that visa (for example,
you have to be outside Australia to apply for the
visa), and send or deliver your application to
the Department's nearest regional office in Australia
or an Australian diplomatic office overseas. You
must also: complete the form in English, answer
all questions truthfully - if you provide incorrect
information or documents, your visa may later be cancelled,
and provide certified copies of all documents.
Please do not provide originals unless requested by
the Department. The Australian Government decides
who should be granted a visa to enter/stay in Australia.
Your application will be decided on the information
you give and generally, the law at the time you apply.
-
You
should read all the information and instructions,
and make sure you provide the right information
and documents. This will avoid delays in processing
your application. If, after reading the information,
you do not think you qualify for a visa, you may
want to reconsider whether to apply. Any charge
paid will not be refunded if you are unsuccessful.
-
While
you may be asked to complete a number of steps
during the processing of your application, it
does not mean your application will be successful.
You will be advised, in writing, of the decision
on your application.
- How
do I pay the application charge?
- You must pay the
application charge at the time of your application.
Whatever the outcome of your application, the charge
is non-refundable.
- Payment of the
visa application charge, is to be made by EFTPOS (in
Australia), credit card (American Express, MasterCard,
Visa, Diners Club, JCB or Bankcard), bank cheque drawn
on a bank with representation in Australia, or international
money order. Please make all bank cheques or money
orders payable to the Department of Immigration and
Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA).
Please do not pay by cash or personal cheque.
- What
is a bridging visa?
- If you apply for
a visa in Australia, you will usually be granted a
bridging visa to keep you lawful, in case your previous
visa ceases before a decision is made on your application.
It will also keep you lawful if your visa is refused
and you seek merits review of that decision.
- If you wish to
travel overseas and the bridging visa does not allow
you to return to Australia, you will need to seek
another bridging visa that allows you to return to
Australia. Not all bridging visas will have a return
travel facility.
- Are
there any limitations on applying for a visa in Australia?
If you are in Australia, you may be prevented from
making further applications if, for example:you do
not hold a substantive visa (any visa other than a
bridging visa or a criminal justice visa), you hold
a sponsored visitor visa, you have had a visa
cancelled or refused since you last arrived in Australia,
your visa was granted with the condition that you
would not be entitled to be granted a substantive
visa (other than a protection visa) while you remain
in Australia, you hold a criminal justice visa, you
are in immigration detention and do not apply for
a visa within a particular time, or you have previously
applied for a protection visa.
- Do
I need to advise the Department if my circumstances
change?
- If your circumstances
change after you lodge an application (for example,
serious illness, marital status, engagement, birth
of a child), you must notify the Department as soon
as possible, so that any answer or information given
to the Department is updated and correct.
- Your visa may be
cancelled if you give incorrect information or fail
to advise the Department that some information is
no longer correct.
- However, if you
advise the Department of a change in information before
your visa is granted (or in the case of a visa granted
outside Australia, before you are immigration cleared),
your visa cannot later be cancelled on the basis of
that incorrect information.
- How
long will it take to process my visa application?
The time taken to process your application will depend
on whether you are in Australia or outside Australia,
the type of application and supporting documentation
provided. Complete applications (those that have all
necessary supporting documentation included) will
generally be processed faster than incomplete applications.
- Can
I withdraw my application?
You can withdraw your application by advising the
Department, in writing, at any time before a decision
is made. Any charges that you paid at the time of
the application are usually not refunded.
- How
can I check the progress of my application?
- If processing
your application has taken longer than the publicised
standard, you may contact the Department to inquire
about progress. Please remember that unnecessary contact
with the Department may delay processing of your application,
as the decision-maker dealing with inquiries will
have to take time away from deciding applications.
- When contacting
the Department, please include:
your name (as given in the application) and date of
birth. Where relevant, include the name of the sponsoring
business or organisation, the client or file
number if it has been given to you or the employer,
or, if you do not have a client or file number, the
application receipt number, and if the application
is made outside Australia, include the name of the
office where you applied.
- Can
I leave Australia while my visa application is being
processed (if you are applying in Australia)?
You must tell the Department if you intend to travel
during processing of your application. For most visas
applied for in Australia, you must be in Australia
when a decision is made. You must also ensure, before
you leave Australia that you have a visa to return.
Otherwise you may not be able to return to Australia
and, if your application is refused, you may not have
a right of review.
- How
will I be notified of a decision on my application?
- You will be notified
of the decision on your application by a letter sent
to the last address given to the Department. If you
are refused a visa you will be advised why the application
was refused and, if applicable, where you can apply
for merits review of the decision (and the time limit
for doing so).
- When you are advised
about the decision on an application, you will be
considered to have received the letter:
at the end of the day (ie. midnight) on which the
letter is transmitted by fax, e-mail or other electronic
means, or three 3 working days if sent by prepaid
post, or by any other prepaid method (for example,
by courier service), or 7 days after the date
of the letter (if sent within Australia), or 21
days after the date of the letter (if sent outside
Australia), or at the moment the letter is handed
to you, or at the moment another person, who
appears to be at least 16 years of age and who appears
to be living at your last residential address, or
who appears to be working at your last business address,
is handed the letter.Your time to seek review of a
refusal decision or your time to depart Australia,
dates from this notification - the letter will provide
details.
- What
happens if the visa application is refused (read only
if applying in Australia)?
If a visa application is refused, you will be advised
of any merits review rights and the date by which
you must leave Australia. If you do not apply for
review of the decision and do not leave Australia
by the required time, you will become unlawful and
be liable for detention and removal from Australia.
If this occurs, you:
may not be allowed to return to Australia for a period
of time, and will be liable for the costs of your
detention and removal (goods and earnings you have
in Australia may be confiscated to cover these costs).
- How
do I apply for a visa to enter and/or stay in Australia?
- To make a valid
application for a visa for Australia, you must:
indicate the type or class of visa which you want,
use the correct form, pay the required charge
(where applicable), See: Immigration Costs - Information.
Whatever the outcome of your application, the charge
is non-refundable. There may be other costs associated
with the application, such as those required for health
and character clearances. These costs will be paid
directly to the providers of these services. lodge
an application via the internet (where applicable), provide
the correct documentation in support of your application,
satisfy other requirements for that visa (for example,
you have to be outside Australia to apply for the
visa), and send or deliver your application to
the Department's nearest regional office in Australia
or an Australian diplomatic office overseas.
- You must also:complete
the form in English, answer all questions truthfully
- if you provide incorrect information or documents,
your visa may later be cancelled, and provide
certified copies of all documents. Please do not provide
originals unless requested by the Department.The Australian
Government decides who should be granted a visa to
enter/stay in Australia. Your application will be
decided on the information you give and generally,
the law at the time you apply.
- You should read
all the information and instructions, and make sure
you provide the right information and documents. This
will avoid delays in processing your application.
If, after reading the information, you do not think
you qualify for a visa, you may want to reconsider
whether to apply. Any charge paid will not be refunded
if you are unsuccessful.
- While you may be
asked to complete a number of steps during the processing
of your application, it does not mean your application
will be successful. You will be advised, in writing,
of the decision on your application.
- How
do I pay the application charge?
- You must pay the
application charge at the time of your application.
Whatever the outcome of your application, the charge
is non-refundable.
- Payment of the
visa application charge, is to be made by EFTPOS (in
Australia), credit card (American Express, MasterCard,
Visa, Diners Club, JCB or Bankcard), bank cheque drawn
on a bank with representation in Australia, or international
money order. Please make all bank cheques or money
orders payable to the Department of Immigration and
Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA).
Please do not pay by cash or personal cheque.
- What
is a bridging visa?
- If you apply for
a visa in Australia, you will usually be granted a
bridging visa to keep you lawful, in case your previous
visa ceases before a decision is made on your application.
It will also keep you lawful if your visa is refused
and you seek merits review of that decision.
- If you wish to
travel overseas and the bridging visa does not allow
you to return to Australia, you will need to seek
another bridging visa that allows you to return to
Australia. Not all bridging visas will have a return
travel facility.
- Are
there any limitations on applying for a visa in Australia?
If you are in Australia, you may be prevented from
making further applications if, for example:
you do not hold a substantive visa (any visa other
than a bridging visa or a criminal justice visa), you
hold a sponsored visitor visa,
you have had a visa cancelled or refused since you
last arrived in Australia, your visa was granted with
the condition that you would not be entitled to be
granted a substantive visa (other than a protection
visa) while you remain in Australia, you hold a criminal
justice visa, you are in immigration detention
and do not apply for a visa within a particular time,
or you have previously applied for a protection visa.
- Do
I need to advise the Department if my circumstances
change?
- If your circumstances
change after you lodge an application (for example,
serious illness, marital status, engagement, birth
of a child), you must notify the Department as soon
as possible, so that any answer or information given
to the Department is updated and correct. Your visa
may be cancelled if you give incorrect information
or fail to advise the Department that some information
is no longer correct.
- However, if you
advise the Department of a change in information before
your visa is granted (or in the case of a visa granted
outside Australia, before you are immigration cleared),
your visa cannot later be cancelled on the basis of
that incorrect information.
- Do
I need to advise the Department if I change my address?
- If you change your
address for more than 14 days while your application
is being processed, you must notify the Department
of your new address and how long you will be there.
Letters about your application will be sent to the
latest address you have provided and you will be taken
to have received them:
- 7 days after the
date of the letter (if sent in Australia); or
21 days after the date of the letter (if outside Australia).
- How
long will it take to process my visa application?
The time taken to process your application will depend
on whether you are in Australia or outside Australia,
the type of application and supporting documentation
provided. Complete applications (those that have all
necessary supporting documentation included) will
generally be processed faster than incomplete applications.
- Can
I withdraw my application?
You can withdraw your application by advising the
Department, in writing, at any time before a decision
is made. Any charges that you paid at the time of
the application are usually not refunded.
- How
can I check the progress of my application?
- If processing
your application has taken longer than the publicised
standard, you may contact the Department to inquire
about progress. Please remember that unnecessary contact
with the Department may delay processing of your application,
as the decision-maker dealing with inquiries will
have to take time away from deciding applications.
- When contacting
the Department, please include:
your name (as given in the application) and date of
birth. Where relevant, include the name of the sponsoring
business or organisation,the client or file number
if it has been given to you or the employer, or, if
you do not have a client or file number, the application
receipt number, and if the application is made
outside Australia, include the name of the office
where you applied.
- Can
I leave Australia while my visa application is being
processed (if you are applying in Australia)?
You must tell the Department if you intend to travel
during processing of your application. For most visas
applied for in Australia, you must be in Australia
when a decision is made. You must also ensure, before
you leave Australia that you have a visa to return.
Otherwise you may not be able to return to Australia
and, if your application is refused, you may not have
a right of review.
- How
will I be notified of a decision on my application?
You will be notified of the decision on your application
by a letter sent to the last address given to the
Department. If you are refused a visa you will be
advised why the application was refused and, if applicable,
where you can apply for merits review of the decision
(and the time limit for doing so).When you are advised
about the decision on an application, you will be
considered to have received the letter: at the
end of the day (ie. midnight) on which the letter
is transmitted by fax, e-mail or other electronic
means, or three 3 working days if sent by prepaid
post, or by any other prepaid method (for example,
by courier service), or 7 days after the date
of the letter (if sent within Australia), or 21
days after the date of the letter (if sent outside
Australia), or at the moment the letter is handed
to you, or
at the moment another person, who appears to be at
least 16 years of age and who appears to be living
at your last residential address, or who appears to
be working at your last business address, is handed
the letter. Your time to seek review of a refusal
decision or your time to depart Australia, dates from
this notification - the letter will provide details.
- What
happens if the visa application is refused (read only
if applying in Australia)?
If a visa application is refused, you will be advised
of any merits review rights and the date by which
you must leave Australia. If you do not apply for
review of the decision and do not leave Australia
by the required time, you will become unlawful and
be liable for detention and removal from Australia.
If this occurs, you:
may not be allowed to return to Australia for a period
of time, and will be liable for the costs of your
detention and removal (goods and earnings you have
in Australia may be confiscated to cover these costs).
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