Frequently Asked Questions

You will find detailed information about visa options for Australia on the Department’s website at: www.homeaffairs.gov.au/

The website includes a ‘Find a visa’ tool that provides you with appropriate visa options based on information you provide. This is an easy-to-use tool that provides you with extensive information on visa options, including how to apply for an application. There are also extensive Frequently Asked Questions covering a wide range of matters provided on the Department’s website.

You should not book flights or make travel commitments until you have a visa to travel to Australia. The Department will not be liable for any financial loss incurred by clients whose visa application was finalised later than expected or unsuccessful.

You can view current global visa and citizenship processing times for most visa subclasses and citizenship types. To view current processing times, see the product page for the specific visa subclass or citizenship type you are applying for. You can navigate to any product from Individuals and Travellers or Visa Support. On the product page, two processing times will be displayed, indicating how long it takes to finalise 75 and 90 per cent of all applications submitted globally.

Processing times apply from the date your complete application is lodged.

You can also use the Visa Finder to compare processing times for up to three different products.

Please note that applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and that actual processing times may vary due to individual circumstances including:

• whether the applicant has lodged a complete application including all necessary supporting documents
• how promptly the applicant responds to any requests for additional information
• how long it takes to perform required checks
• how long it takes to receive additional information from external parties, particularly in relation to health, character, national security, and Assurance of Support requirements
• the number of places available in the migration programme (for permanent migration visas)
• surges in demand and peak periods

To ensure your application falls within the published processing times, we strongly encourage you to submit complete applications. The checklists provided on ImmiAccount will assist in making sure you have included all required documents during the application process.

Applications and documents submitted online can be confirmed and tracked from your ImmiAccount, available here:

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/applying-online-or-on-paper/online

If you wish to confirm receipt of applications or documents submitted by registered mail or courier, you should check with the provider to confirm delivery. If you have provided documents by email to the Department, then an automated message should confirm it has been received. Note that applications are not able to be submitted by email.

The Department does not provide additional confirmation of receipt of documents or enquiries.

Once you have submitted your online application, you can attach documents through ImmiAccount until the application has been finalised.

Please check the relevant document checklist for the subclass you are applying for to see which documents to attach to your application. These should be scanned colour copies.

For more detail about how to upload files to ImmiAccount, please click here.

There are limits on the number of files which can be uploaded for each application. However, you may incorporate multiple documents in each file to minimise the total number of files you upload. Please note that files must not exceed 5MB in size.

If you are experiencing technical issues with ImmiAccount, please first check the Frequently Asked Questions and Quick Reference Guides available on the Department’s website: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/applying-online-or-on-paper/online

If you still require technical support for account related issues only, send a description of your issue and screenshots using the ImmiAccount technical support form at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/applying-online-or-on-paper/online/technical-help Any general enquires will not be responded to through this service.

ImmiAccount allows you to update contact details and passport information. This is the quickest and most effective way of ensuring your details are correct in Departmental systems. Below are easy, step-by-step instructions on how to do this.

How to update passport details
How to update address details
How to update email address

You should not book flights or make travel commitments until you have a visa to travel to Australia. The Department will not be liable for any financial loss incurred by clients whose visa application was finalised later than expected or unsuccessful.

All travellers who are not Australian citizens need to obtain a valid visa or authority to enter Australia. This must be obtained before travelling to Australia. Special provisions apply to most New Zealand citizens, and to people eligible to transit Australia without a visa.

You may travel to Australia on a temporary visa while you are waiting for your permanent visa to be finalised. However, as with all visas, you must meet the criteria for that visa and ensure that your entry and stay in Australia comply with the relevant conditions of that visa. Further information on other visas to Australia can be found on our website: www.homeaffairs.gov.au/

Please note that if your travel to Australia results in you spending an accumulative period of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years, you will need to provide an Australian Federal Police (AFP) check in order for your permanent visa to be granted. For further information, please see the following website: http://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/police-checks/national-police-checks.aspx

Everyone who wants to enter or stay in Australia must satisfy the character requirement as set out in Section 501 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act). This includes all non-citizens, sponsors of visa applicants and non-migrating family members seeking to enter or stay in Australia.

Entering or remaining in Australia is a privilege, and it is expected that non-citizens are, and have been, law-abiding. Visa holders must also continue to satisfy the character requirement.

Irrespective of which visa you apply for, you must advise us if you have any criminal convictions inside or outside of Australia, and you may be asked to provide police certificates as part of your assessment against the character test. If you do not inform us of your criminal history, your visa application may be refused or your visa cancelled.

We and the Minister for Home Affairs have the power to refuse or cancel a visa on the basis that a person does not pass the character test.

In some cases, even if you do not pass the character test, we or the Minister can exercise discretion not to cancel your visa.

Decisions to cancel or refuse visas on the basis of the character test are made after full consideration of all the circumstances of a case.

For further information on the character requirement for visas to Australia, please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/character

There is no requirement to have a return ticket when you arrive in Australia. However officers at the border need to be satisfied that visitors, working holiday maker and temporary residents are intending to and have the means to depart Australia before their visa expires. While not a mandatory requirement, you may wish to carry a copy of your bank statement to demonstrate you have sufficient funds to purchase an airline ticket to depart Australia.

Once you have submitted your online visa application, you can attach documents through ImmiAccount until the application has been finalised.

Please check the relevant document checklist for the subclass you are applying for to see which documents to attach to your application. These should be scanned colour copies.

Police clearances must be originals if sent by mail or a scanned colour copy if uploaded to ImmiAccount or sent by email. All other documents, such as identity documents, birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates and other supporting documents for your visa application can be copies. Please do not provide original documents unless specifically asked to do so by the Department.

Original documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by an English translation. The English translations must be appropriately endorsed translations. In Australia, translators must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters. Their accreditation details must be recorded on the translation.

Translations provided by non-accredited translators outside Australia should be endorsed by the translator with their full name, address, telephone number, and details of their qualifications and experience in the language being translated.

Visa Entitlement Verification Online, also known as VEVO, is a secure and free web-based service available anywhere, whether inside or outside Australia, any time. VEVO allows you to check your visa details online and provides information about your visa conditions and entitlements.

It details:

• the visa class and subclass
• the visa grant and expiry dates
• the visa grant number
• must enter Australia before date
• the names of any dependants listed on the visa
• the number of entries allowed
• the period of stay
• all conditions applicable to your visa in plain English.

If you have been granted a visa go to https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/already-have-a-visa/check-visa-details-and-conditions and select ‘Check your own visa details with VEVO’. When you have read and accepted the terms and conditions, a login screen will be displayed.

Step 1

Enter one of the following:

• The transaction reference number (TRN – which was issued to you if you applied for your visa online)
• Visa grant number (which you can find on your visa grant notification)
• Visa evidence number (which you can find on your existing visa label)

Step 2

To finish logging in, you must provide all of the following in the second part of the login process:

• Date of birth
• The passport number you used in your visa application
• Country of passport

With your permission, employers, labour hire companies, roads and traffic authorities, education institutions, banks and organisations can check your visa entitlements online. Other government agencies, for example Medicare and Centrelink, can also check your visa entitlements. Organisations do not need to sight a visa label; they can check your visa status and entitlements online.

Using VEVO is a secure and effective method to confirm the current entitlements of your visa.

For more information, please visit: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/already-have-a-visa/check-visa-details-and-conditions

You can check the progress of your application through ImmiAccount, available on this link: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/applying-online-or-on-paper/online

If processing of your application is within advertised services standards (see: How long will it take to process my application?) then the Department will not provide you with further information on its progress.

If your query is not answered by the information above, you can visit the department’s website for detailed information on visa and citizenship products, available here: www.homeaffairs.gov.au/.

Alternatively, you can contact the GlobalService Centre by phone . Details on our operating hours, languages offered and how to contact us is available here: Global Service Centre.