Australia

Visa Australia

Océanie · Australie et Nouvelle-Zélande

In Australia, visas fall under the Department of Home Affairs. Its "Immigration and citizenship" portal still returned an HTTP 403 response on 2026-09-18, but the consular pages of the Australian diplomatic network could be read. They state that the application is filed online in ImmiAccount, cite several categories (eVisitor 651, ETA 601, visitor visa 600, student visa 500), biometrics, the translations required and the official tools for estimating fees and processing times.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 18 September 2026

At a glance

Authority: Department of Home Affairs — the Australian government's interior ministry
Submission channel: Online in ImmiAccount, presented by the Australian posts as the preferred and most efficient route; filing by post is not offered
Electronic visa: Yes: the consular pages cite the eVisitor (subclass 651) and the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601)
Biometrics: Facial photograph and ten-finger prints, by appointment at an approved center, depending on the country of filing
Contact: Global Service Centre of the Department of Home Affairs: +61 2 6196 0196, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time
Portal language: English

Do you need a visa?

Your nationality

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

Visitor visa (subclass 600): For tourism or business, with five streams: Tourist, Business Visitor, Sponsored Family, Approved Destination Status and Frequent Traveller. Work is not allowed under this visa. Online filing only. Official page (new tab)
eVisitor (subclass 651): Category cited by the Australian High Commission in London among the visitor visas. The detailed conditions are not stated on the page consulted. Official page (new tab)
Electronic Travel Authority — ETA (subclass 601): Electronic travel authority cited by the Australian High Commission in London. The detailed conditions are not stated on the page consulted. Official page (new tab)
Student visa (subclass 500): Category cited by the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby among the visas filed online in ImmiAccount. The detailed conditions are not stated on the page consulted. Official page (new tab)
Working Holiday Maker (WHM): Program cited by the Australian High Commission in London. The eligibility conditions are not detailed on the page consulted. Official page (new tab)
Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot (IECSEP): Scheme cited by the High Commission in London, with an "Early Careers" strand of twelve months for those aged 21 to 45 and an "Innovation" strand of three years with no age limit. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

Australian visas are processed by the Department of Home Affairs, not by the embassies. The High Commission in Pretoria states that it cannot handle visa enquiries: all applications are managed by the department.

Filing takes place online in ImmiAccount, where the application is lodged, fees are paid, circumstances are updated, documents are uploaded and progress is tracked. The post in Bangkok states that online filing is available at all times, allows electronic payment and tracking, and that filing by post is not offered.

To choose the category, the posts refer to the department's "visa finder" tool. For the visitor visa, each person lodges their own application; a group processing option exists in ImmiAccount for applications lodged together.

The department's portal (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) and the Australian Border Force site again returned an HTTP 403 response on 2026-09-18: their content could not be read directly. The information below comes from the official consular pages of the Australian diplomatic network.

Steps in the procedure

Choose the visa category suited to the purpose using the Department of Home Affairs "visa finder" tool.
Create an ImmiAccount or log in to an existing account, then complete and lodge the application online there.
Give a full residential address: a post office box is not accepted and the application may be declared invalid without a full address.
Upload the documents in ImmiAccount, attaching for any document not written in English a translation endorsed by an accredited translator.
Pay the fees electronically in ImmiAccount.
Provide biometric data when requested: facial photograph and ten-finger prints, by appointment at an approved collection center, within the stated time.
Undergo medical examinations with an approved doctor where the category requires it, within the time requested.
Track progress and read the messages in ImmiAccount until the department's decision.

Documents mentioned by the authority

Application lodged online in ImmiAccount; for the visitor visa, one individual application per person.
Full residential address or detailed description of the place of residence; a post office box is not accepted.
Passport data kept up to date in ImmiAccount.
English translation of any document written in another language, by an accredited translator, with their name, address, telephone number, qualifications and experience.
Original documents accompanying the translations.
Written consent of the parent or guardian for a minor applicant.
Biometric data: digital facial photograph and ten-finger prints.
Medical examinations with an approved doctor for all permanent visas and certain temporary visas.
DNA test only after a formal request from the department, with a NATA-accredited laboratory.

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Stated fees and processing times

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-18: fees vary by visa type. The Department of Home Affairs provides an online pricing estimator ("visa pricing estimator"). No figure is published on the consular pages read, and no price is reproduced here.

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-18: processing times are published on the department's global processing times page. The posts state that no individual update is given while the application sits within the announced times.

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-18: payment is made electronically in ImmiAccount. In Thailand, a paid service assisting with completion of the online form is offered by the provider VFS Global to people who cannot file online themselves.

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-18: the time allowed to attend biometric collection is fourteen days after the department's request, according to the High Commission in Pretoria.

After the decision

After the decision, the posts ask that ImmiAccount be used rather than contacting them directly: tracking, messages and updates to circumstances are centralized there.

The right to stay is checked with the VEVO service (Visa Entitlement Verification Online). The Bangkok post states that a copy of the grant notification is not needed to enter or leave Australia.

The visitor visa (subclass 600) does not allow work in Australia. The decision to grant, refuse or cancel a visa rests with the Department of Home Affairs.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for Australia to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa required to travel to Australia?

It depends on nationality and on the purpose of travel; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the Department of Home Affairs.

Where is the application filed?

Online, in ImmiAccount. The Australian posts present this account as the preferred and most efficient route: the application is lodged there, fees are paid, documents are uploaded and progress is tracked. Filing by post is not offered.

Is there an electronic visa?

The consular pages read cite the eVisitor (subclass 651) and the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) among the authorities issued electronically. Their conditions are not detailed on the pages consulted.

How much does an Australian visa cost?

Not stated on the portal consulted. Fees vary by visa type; the department publishes an online pricing estimator, but no amount could be read on the consular pages consulted on 2026-09-18.

Are fingerprints required?

Biometrics — facial photograph and ten-finger prints — are requested depending on the country of filing and the visa type. The appointment is booked online with an approved collection center; the High Commission in Pretoria mentions a fourteen-day time limit.

How does one prove that one holds a visa?

Through the VEVO service (Visa Entitlement Verification Online). The Bangkok post states that a copy of the grant notification is not needed to enter or leave Australia.

Official sources

Immigration and citizenship — Department of Home Affairs (new tab) Authority

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

Visas and citizenship (new tab) read on 18 September 2026
Visiting Australia (new tab) read on 18 September 2026
Visa - Frequently Asked Questions (new tab) read on 18 September 2026
Visas, Migration and Citizenship (new tab) read on 18 September 2026
Visas and citizenship (new tab) read on 18 September 2026
Find government payments and services | myGov (new tab) read on 17 September 2026

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

The registry portal (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) and the Australian Border Force site still return an HTTP 403 response: the full list of subclasses, the document lists by subclass and the pricing pages could not be read.
No visa fee amount could be recorded: the posts refer to the department's pricing estimator, without publishing a figure.
No quantified processing time could be recorded: the posts refer to the department's global processing times page.
The categories recorded (600, 601, 651, 500, WHM, IECSEP) are those cited by a few posts: they do not make up the full official list of Australian visas.
Biometric and medical examination obligations vary by country of filing and by subclass; the pages read give only national examples.
A reviewer must open the Department of Home Affairs portal manually before publication: Australia is a major destination and this file rests solely on consular pages.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

Describe your situation

Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.
Check at the source

Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.
Track what is left to do

Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.

Check my route Open my case