All about Australian visa
Getting a visa to Australia is not easy. On the other hand, it is no more difficult than in Britain or the USA. With the right package of documents, a guarantee of financial solvency and a little patience – you are on your way to the land of dreams. We have compiled a detailed manual with all the information you need from start to finish. Take it and do it!
The Australian visa, along with the British and American visas, is considered one of the most difficult to obtain. But in general, if you collect all the documents and show your ability to pay and intention to return home, everything is not so terrible.
In general, the process of applying for an Australian visa looks like this: collect documents, register in an online service for application, fill out an application form, upload documents, pay a visa fee of 145 AUD (which is about € 90), submit biometrics (for citizens of Russia and Kazakhstan) and print out the received visa.
On 15 March 2019, the Visa Section of the Australian Embassy in Moscow ceased to operate. Applications from citizens permanently residing in Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are processed at the Australian Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia. Australian visa applications for Ukrainian citizens are processed by the Australian High Commission in London.
How to apply for a visa
The visitor tourist visa (subclass 600) is for tourism, visiting family and friends and studying in Australia for up to three months. Please note that a business visitor visa (the same subclass 600) and a tourist visitor visa exist. You need it if you are going to a conference or a short business visit, even if you plan to travel simultaneously.
To obtain a tourist visa to Australia, Belarusians, Russians, and Ukrainians must apply online through ImmiAccount (in English). To get started with the service, you need to register here. Then log in to your ImmiAccount and complete the visa application (questionnaire). During the penultimate step, the service will ask you to upload documents and pay the visa fee.
Be prepared because the application form is long and will take much time. You’re unlikely to get all the documents you need the first time, either. The good news is that in ImmiAccount, you can continue filling out your saved application from anywhere and uploading the scans you need.
Visitor/tourist visa applications should be submitted at least six weeks before your intended trip, especially during the Catholic Christmas and New Year season.
Since November 2018, citizens of Russia and Kazakhstan have needed to submit biometric data to obtain an Australian visa. Within 14 days of you applying for a visa, you will receive a letter instructing you to hand in your biometrics in person at one of six Australian Biometrics Collection Centres in Moscow, St Petersburg, Vladivostok, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don and Almaty. If you are in another country, email [email protected] to take your biometrics to a centre near you.
Important: Australia no longer sticks a tourist visa in your passport. It is recorded in a database and is available to the customs officer. You will receive an email notification of the decision. It will state the terms and conditions of your visa. Please print out the file and take it with you on your trip.
What documents need to be collected
- Completed application form.
- Form 956 is for someone (such as an immigration agent or travel sponsor) applying for you, and Form 956a is for another person who will also be getting the information from (the consulate). You must sign the completed form and scan it with your signature.
- A copy (if submitted online – scan) of the first page of the passport with personal data and a copy of all passport pages with visas and stamps. When submitting online, a copy of your passport must be uploaded as a single .pdf document.
- Copy of visa pages from previous passports (if available).
- Copy of all pages of the internal passport (for Ukrainians mandatory), copy of the driving licence or another ID card (if required).
- One fresh photo 45 mm x 35 mm (electronically).
- CV (CV) filled out on a particular form in English, indicating work and study history since 18 (no omissions!).
- If your passport details (first name and surname) have changed, a certified copy of the document.
- Proof of solvency, namely a bank statement (caches and credit cards are unsuitable). Take the bank statement immediately in English.
- Certificate of employment clearly shows your intention to return (exact dates of leave, info about keeping your job for you). Or business registration documents (if you have a business) that confirm the property’s presence.
- An invitation from a relative or friend in Australia if you are visiting. If a relative or friend is sponsoring your visit in some form, attach their bank statements and a sponsorship letter (in English).
- For school and university students: a letter from your school or university confirming your student status and approved period of absence.
- A travel itinerary of your trip to Australia.
Also, to confirm ties to your home country and incentives to return, attach (if available) the following:
- copies of birth certificates of immediate family members in your home country;
- a copy of a child certificate (under 18 years of age);
- a copy of the marriage certificate;
- a certificate from the place of study and financial documents of the sponsors of the trip (for students);
- proof of real estate or car ownership in your home country.
For applicants under 18 years of age, also submit:
- notarised copy of birth certificate;
- a personal data page (with photo and signature) of the passport of the parent who is not travelling;
- completed form 1229 from the parent who is not travelling;
- If the minor is travelling unaccompanied, a completed Form 1229 from both parents or notarised written permission to travel to Australia from both parents and the personal data pages of both parent’s passports.
Important:
Copies of documents relating to minor children’s travel (birth certificates, travel consent, parents’ marriage/divorce/death certificates) must be notarized. Copies of other documents may not be notarized.
All documents not in English must be translated into English.
A checklist of all required documents is available on the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (Department of Home Affairs) website. A list of required documents will also be available in your ImmiAccount.
What else do you need to know about documents?
Try to include as much information about yourself as possible, especially information that ties you to your home country (your reasons for returning home). Fill out all sections of the form and attach all scans. The Department has the right to request additional documents. However, note that a visa decision can only be made based on the ones you sent.
Scan scans should be collected in one PDF file if the document has more than one page.
Carefully check the translation data – an error or typo can cost you your trip.
Pay special attention to your work certificate. You need a certificate stating that you are on leave for the period (from… to…) when you are going to Australia and that you will be retained in the same job with the same position and salary (i.e. you have a place to return to after your leave). The certificate must show your job title and salary.
For a sole proprietorship, you need documents confirming registration and profit. In general, the application principle is the same as that of Schengen.
Insurance is needed only for those who are over 75 years old. But still, it is better to buy it and attach it to the documents. In case of force majeure, the prices for medical services in Australia will not please you. And so it will be one more document confirming your serious approach to the trip.
You won’t have to go for an interview. However, you may get a call from the Department or Embassy to clarify or verify information.
Necessary: You don’t need a flight ticket or book accommodation to get an Australian visa. The Department explicitly states that booking a flight ticket or taking any other travel-related action is not advisable before obtaining a visa. Purchasing tickets does not speed up the processing time of the application and does not guarantee a favourable decision. Moreover, the officer may consider it as pressure.
How long to wait for a visa?
Applying for a tourist visa at least six weeks before your intended trip is advisable. September-January is the month of the highest activity of visa applications from Europe and Russia. Considering that you will face difficulties filling in the form and collecting documents, do not procrastinate until the last minute. You can start filling out the application form and collecting and translating documents in parallel.
The decision on the visa is usually made in 3-4 weeks. If you decide to s, send your documents by regular mail, the visa will take longer. You will be notified of the decision by email. The status of your online application will be displayed in your ImmiAccount. You can check the status and conditions of your visa using the VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) system.
How much money do I need?
As usual, the more, the better. You should expect to show at least 100 AUD (about € 60) per day, excluding accommodation (twice as much is better). You should have enough money for rent unless you’re staying with relatives or friends. You should have a decent reserve on your card, even if you don’t plan to spend it. The funds should be in a current account, not a deposit.
They won’t refuse me?
First, you must convince the visa officer that you do not intend to stay in Australia and that your ties to your home country are strong enough. You probably don’t need to be reminded that the information you submit must be accurate. Don’t make up non-existent relatives, partners, jobs, studies, etc. Getting caught in a lie is a direct route to rejection. If you get a call, answer the questions calmly. What you say should match what is written on your application form.
Useful links
- homeaffairs.gov.au – Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (Department of HomeAffairs)
- homeaffairs.gov.au – search for the correct visa category by country, the purpose of travel, and so on on the department’s website.
- russia.embassy.gov.au – information for Belarusians and Russians about different visa types on the Australian Embassy in Moscow website.
- ukraine.embassy.gov.au – Australian Embassy in Kyiv website (in English)
- homeaffairs.gov.au – forms you may need when applying for a visa (ctrl+F will help you search for them – enter the form number in the search bar that appears).