Australia Visitor Visa

A tourist visa allows someone to visit Australia for a holiday, cruise, or to visit family and friends and allow a stay of up to three, six, or twelve months in length. The tourist visa can also be used for short non-work purposes. Any valid passport holders outside of Australia are welcome to apply for a visa to visit.

You can only use this visa as a tourist, and it is not valid for business purposes or medical treatment. You must intend to visit Australia only, have enough money for the duration of your stay, and not perform any work while in Australia.

The following are some of the supporting documents you will need to have included with your visa application:

Form 1419 the Application for a Visitor Visa – Tourist Visitor Stream

Notarized copies of your current passport

Two recent passport-sized photographs ( 45 mm x 35 mm)

When visiting friends and family, including an invitation from them to visit Australia with evidence of the relationship with them as well as evidence of the inviter’s passport and Australian status

For tourism, you need to provide details of all bookings you have made including a complete itinerary with accommodations and activities listed

Copies of your bank statements showing you have a savings history

Taxation documents from the last three years

A letter from your employer – if employed – confirming your leave of absence

All required health and character documents

Evidence of any required medical exams

Remember, this may not be an extensive list and depending on your situation; you may be asked to furnish other documents to include with your application. Additionally, never send in any original documents unless they are specifically requested. Instead, make notarized copies of all the original documentation.

Certain nationalities are also eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), but India is one of the countries that have not been deemed eligible for this more streamlined process. Therefore, the visa processing time for 75% of applications is approximately 19 days with 90% of applications being processed within 27 days.

If you are from India and are applying for a Subclass 600 Visitors Visa at one of the AVACs in India and you meet the below criteria, then you may be eligible for the fast track priority service. Most of these fast track applications are processed within 48 hours of being received by the Australian High Commission.

To qualify for priority consideration:

You should have no adverse immigration or criminal history

Must submit to the healthcare examination

Only Indian nationals currently residing in India are eligible

If you are under 18, you must have parental consent

You must provide all necessary information on the visa application checklist

If you are in India and want to apply for an Australian Tourist Visa, you must first select a visa subclass that is appropriate for the reason for your visit. You can then download the application form associated with that visa subclass.

Most visa applications will require additional documents or supporting documentation. To avoid any delays in processing your application, it is important that you provide all the necessary documentation with your application. You can then begin to organize the payment for the visa fees.

Australia has some of the highest health standards in the world, and to maintain these standards, all visa applicants are required to meet the minimum health standards before they are granted a tourist visa.

The health requirements are in place to protect the Australian community from potential public health and safety risks. If you are applying for a temporary visa, you may be required to submit to the health standards; however, it does depend on a number of factors:

What visa are you applying for?

How long do you plan to stay in the country?

What are your plans while visiting Australia?

What country are you applying for the visa from?

Do you currently have any significant medical conditions?

Character requirements for Australian visas are discussed under Section 501 of the Migration Act of 1958. Anyone applying for a visa will have to meet these requirements before their application is approved. It is more likely that you will meet the requirements if you have no criminal record and are of good general behavior.

When applying, it is imperative that you declare all criminal convictions, you answer all the questions asked of you truthfully, and provide all the information as it is requested.

If you or a family member owe Australia any debts – even if the family member will not be traveling with you – the debt must be paid or a payment arrangement in place before you can apply for a visa. You must also have enough money with you to cover the entire duration of your trip.

You must be a genuine visitor and agree to only temporarily stay in Australia for a visit and obey any and all conditions that may be attached to your visa. You must also have health insurance that will cover the expense if anything were to happen during your visit.

All visitors to Australia are personally liable for their own healthcare costs and having health insurance already in place can help with this financial liability significantly.

If you find that your Australian Tourist Visa has been refused or rejected, it may be somewhat of a shock – especially if you have already planned your trip. There are very strict criteria that must be met for the Australian

Department of Immigration and Border Protection to approve an Australian visa.

If you are from a high-risk country and have applied for the wrong Australian visa, then it is possible that your visa will be denied because of your country of origin. You may also be refused a tourist visa if there are inconsistencies in your application. If this is the case, you will not be given the opportunity to appeal the refusal decision. Carefully review your tourist visa application and make sure to give truthful answers.

Additionally, if you didn’t provide all the necessary documentation needed for an Australian tourist visa, you may find that this is also grounds for the refusal or denial of your application. Certain criteria must be met for an Australian tourist visa, and you must also have evidence to back up any claims you make.

The department needs to know that you are visiting for genuine purposed and will not arrive on a tourist visa for an indefinite stay. Evidence proving your incentive to return home should be provided such as a letter proving employment, proof of family ties, and assets

If you are unsure about the process or what documents to include, you can consult with your migration agent to help determine if the evidence you are providing for your Australian Tourist visa is going to be enough for approval. Remember, it is also against the law to provide any false legal documents.

If you fail to meet the health and character requirements, you may also be denied. The department’s primary concern is highly contagious diseases like tuberculosis. Health clearance is required, or you may find that your visa is refused.

Your character is also a determining factor when you apply for a tourist visa. If you don’t meet these requirements, you will not be permitted to visit the country.

Australia is a beautiful country to visit and offers much in the way of sightseeing and activities. If you are looking for travel opportunities outside of India for your summer vacations, then you will find pleasant weather, a plethora of places to explore, and a lot of delectable food.

When applying for your Australian Tourist visa to discover some of these amazing places yourself, make sure to review your application very carefully and submit all the necessary documents to increase your chances of having your visa approved. Always be truthful and forthright with your history and any criminal offenses and follow all the steps required for eligibility and you can find yourself sprawled on the beautiful sandy beaches of Australia in no time at all.