Visa Requirement
Visitor Visa requirements for Australia
1. Who should apply for a Visitor Visa? If you wish to visit Australia for a holiday, sightseeing, or to visit family or friends you will need to apply for a Visitor Visa (Subclass 600 – Tourist stream). People intending informal study or training for less than 3 months, may also apply for a Visitor Visa. Paid work is not allowed on a visitor visa. The subclass 600 visitor visa has a number of other stream options including the Sponsored Family stream. Applications for this stream are lodged and processed in Australia.
2. What are the criteria for assessing a tourist stream visitor visa application? Applicants must satisfy four essential criteria:• they must genuinely intend to stay temporarily in Australia;• they must be seeking to visit Australia for purposes other than business or medical treatment;• they must have access to or have adequate means to support themselves; and• they must satisfy the relevant public interest criteria, including health and character.
3. What do we mean by a “applicant genuinely intends to stay temporarily in Australia”? “Genuinely”, in this context, means the client will comply with visa conditions, depart within the validity of their visa and not seek to make further applications onshore. Decision-makers therefore assess whether the applicant is attempting to obtain a visitor visa to:• remain in Australia for a longer period (for example, maintain ongoing residence in Australia on a series of visitor visas); or• for unlawful purposes (for example, to work illegally).The factors we assess when determing if the client meets this criterion include the following: – The personal circumstances of the applicant that would encourage them to return to their home country at the end of the proposed visit, such as:• ongoing employment;• the presence of immediate family members;• property or other significant assets; and• the applicant’s economic situation. – The applicant’s immigration history including issues such as:• previous travel to Australia and compliance with visa conditions;• previous visa applications to Australia; and• previous travel overseas. – The personal circumstances of the applicant in their home country that might encourage them to remain in Australia, such as;• personal ties to Australia;• military service commitments;• civil disruption; and• economic disruption. We would also take into account the conditions that might encourage the applicant to remain in Australia, the applicant’s credibility in terms of character and conduct, and whether the purpose and proposed duration of the applicant’s visit and their proposed activities in Australia are reasonable and consistent.
4. How can an applicant demonstrate they meet the “genuiness” criterion? Examples of documentation that may demonstrate an applicant’s ability to satisfy this criterion include, but are not limited to:• evidence of employment in home country and confirmation of holidays approved by employer;• evidence of enrolment at school or university;• evidence of financial situation, including bank statements and ownership of assets;• evidence of family relationships in Australia and/or India; and• evidence of other commitments in India such as membership of organisations, voluntary work etc.
5. How long can I stay in Australia? Visitor Visas can allow for single or multiple entry – and permit a three (3), six (6) or twelve (12) month stay in Australia on each occasion. Applicants are able to indicate their preferred number of entries into Australia and their desired stay period in their application however the decision-maker will determine which time period is appropriate, taking into account an applicant’s personal circumstances. A three month stay with a multiple entry facility and a validity period of one year meets the requirements of most visitors to Australia. Granting a longer stay may be considered in certain circumstances, for example: for the parents of Australian citizens/permanent residents who have applied for permanent migration to Australia, but have not yet been granted permanent residency. Visitor Visas are designed for people whose intention is to visit Australia for short periods. They cannot generally be used for staying in Australia longer than 12 months and cannot be used to establish ongoing residence in Australia.
6. I am a parent of an Australian citizen or permanent resident. What are the requirements if I want to apply for a longer visa? Parents of Australian permanent residents or Australian citizens may be eligible for the grant of one of the following: • Tourist visa of up to five years validity with a stay of up to 12 months on each entry where they are applying from outside Australia and are in the Parent (subclass 103) visa queue• Tourist visa of up to three years validity with 12 months stay on each entry where they are applying from outside Australia and are not in the Parent visa queue. These longer stay validity visas are not available to people who apply in Australia. In addition to meeting all other Tourist visa requirements, you will need to: • hold health insurance to cover any healthcare costs during your stay• not stay in Australia for more than 12 months in any 18 month period. (Like all tourists, parents granted Tourist visas are expected to maintain extended periods of absence between visits to Australia).
Where to Apply
Online using ImmiAccount The best option to apply is online! ImmiAccount must be used to lodge an application and submit supporting documents online. On-line lodgement is the most convenient and efficient way of lodging a visa application. Online lodgement is available for:
- Visitor Visas
- Student Visas
Please see: http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/immiaccount The department prefers to communicate electronically. If visa applicants do not agree to receiving correspondence via email there will be a delay in receiving communication, including the outcome of the application. To ensure the visa office can communicate with you electronically about your visa outcome and other matters, you must include an email address with your application and, when lodging online through ImmiAccount, leave the checkbox empty when responding to the question ‘The applicant does not agree to electronic communication’. Or, at an Australian Visa Application Centre – VFS Global VFS Global has been appointed by DIBP as a service delivery partner to collect visa and Australian Citizenship by Descent applications on behalf of the Visa Office in New Delhi. VFS Global have recently also extended their services to offer assistance with applying online. Contact VFS for further details. Please visit: https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/aus
After You Apply
Processing Times
- See: Processing Times
Return of Documents
- Where applications are lodged through a visa application centre, original documents will generally be returned at the counter and you will be requested to make copies that will be witnessed on the spot. Refer to the VFS website about return courier charges: http://www.vfsglobal.com/Australia/India/
Submitting additional documents for online applications
- To avoid delays, use the upload facility in ImmiAccount. Do not email documents or submit hardcopies.
Your Personal Information
- The Visa Office is bound by strict privacy legislation which protects the confidentiality of the information you provide to us. Additional information about the information we may collect and how your privacy is protected is available from http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/privacy.
Client Service
- The Client Service Charter sets out the standard of service you can expect from us and also advises on how you can help us to serve you better.
Processing Time
Current global visa and citizenship processing times are now available on the Department of Home Affairs website at: http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about/access-accountability/service-standards/global-visa-citizenship-processing-times To view, see the Visa Finder for the visa subclass or citizenship type relevant to your application. On the product page, two processing times will be displayed, indicating how long it is taking to finalise 75 and 90 per cent of all applications submitted globally. Processing times apply from the date your complete application is received by the DIBP processing office. Please note that the Department will only respond to enquiries after the published processing time has elapsed. Processing times are dependent on a number of different factors including: Whether you have provided all necessary supporting documents when you lodge an application
How well and how promptly you respond to requests for additional information- How long it takes to complete any required checks on information you have provided to support your application
- How long it takes to receive additional information from areas outside the department – particularly in relation to health, character and national security.
- How many places are available in the Migration Programme.
- A decision to grant or refuse your visa application may be made based on the information and documentation that you provide at the time of lodgement.
It is strongly recommended you apply well in advance of your intended travel date and that you do not make any travel arrangements until you have been granted your visa. If you included an email address on your visa application the Visa Processing Office will communicate with you through this email address. It is important to check your junk email regularly to ensure that emails from the Visa Processing Office have not accidently been sent to junk. For more information about the visa application process, please refer to http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/.