Visitor Visa Australia – Questions and Answers

Is a Tourist visa same as a Visitor visa?

In effect, yes. It all depends on the type of Travel or Holiday visa you are applying for. There are multiple types of Visitor visa: Tourist stream, Business Visitor visa Australia, Frequent Traveller stream, Sponsored Family stream, ETA an eVisitor visas. Each one is for a different purpose and some are restricted as to who can apply for them.

What are the requirements for a Visitor visa?

I get asked this question more than any other. There are many requirements even for a Visitor visa. Requirements in part are related to eligibility. For example, for a Visitor visa, you have to want to come to Australia for a holiday or tourism or to visit friends or family (and you are also allowed to do short periods of study). So you would need to show that you are intending to do these things – for example, by showing that you have an invitation from family or friends to visit them, or that you have a job in your home country so therefore you can only spend a short period of time in Australia.

There are also requirements like character and health. If you have a criminal record then you must declare it, and depending on how serious it is may effect whether you will be given your Visitor visa or not. If you are sick or have some medical condition you must also declare this and it can result in your been asked to have a visa medical examination or more.

How do I apply for a Visitor visa?

To apply for a Visitor visa first make sure you are eligible for the visa. Then to make an Australian Visitor visa application you will need to either do a paper application or an online application. You may be able to make an application through the Australian Embassy or Consulate in your country. To apply for even a Visitor visa Australia can be complex so if you decide to get professional help with your application then your Migration Agent will usually take care of most or all of the aspects of the application for you and guide you through the entire process.

Is an Interview required for Australian Visitor visa?

No, you don’t usually need to attend an Interview when you apply fora Visitor visa Australia. Sometimes they will phone you unannounced and do a short Interview at that time, and a formal Interview may even be required if there are serious concerns or issues about an application.

Is return ticket required for Visitor visa to Australia?

When you apply for Visitor visa Australia there is no official requirement to have a return ticket. However, if a visa is granted, in some jurisdictions you will not be permitted to depart without a forwarding ticket. Also when you enter Australia, officers at the border need to be satisfied that you are intending to and have the means to depart Australia before their visa expires before they will be allowed to enter Australia. Therefore, it is always safer to have a return or forwarding ticket before planning to enter Australia on a Visitor visa.

How long is the Processing time for a Visitor visa?

The Australia Visitor visa processing time can vary depending on where and when you apply. Generally speaking, it can take anywhere from 1-5 weeks to process an Australian Visitor visa application. The Australia Visitor visa processing time is usually shortest when you submit a complete application with all of the required information and supporting documents.

How long is a Visitor visa good for?

A Visitor visa can be valid for different periods of time from a few weeks to up to a year. Normally the times periods given on a Visitor visa will be 3, 6 or 12 months. In some cases an up to 3 year validity period can be given. When you make an Australian Visitor visa application you would normally request the period of time that you want to stay in Australia – and that may be for only a few weeks or so, or for a much longer period, and then the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) will make a final decision as to how much time they will give you.

How much bank balance is required for an Australian Visitor visa?

Many people ask me this question. The answer is that there is no definite required set amount of money required to show for a Visitor visa. It all depends on your individual circumstances like how long you want to stay in Australia. DOHA usually look at your circumstances as a whole like if you have a job or assets or financial support from someone else, and therefore a bank balance is only one financial consideration among many.

Can I extend my Visitor visa in Australia?

Yes, itcan be possible to extend your Visitor visa in Australia.However we need to be clear here – despite what is commonly thought, there is no such thing as an ‘extension’ of an Australian Visitor visa. If you want to extend your time in Australia you need to apply for another visa. And whether you can do that all depends on the conditions of your current visa. Sometimes a condition is placed on a Visitor visa which blocks the holder of the visa from applying for another visa while they are still in Australia. This is done deliberately to force the person to leave Australia.However, if there is no such condition then you are free to apply for a new visa and extend your time in Australia.

How Australian Visa Advice (AVA) can help: Please note that Australia is very possibly the strictest country in the world when it comes to Immigration and visa. Even a Visitor visa can be difficult to both apply for and obtain, and a very high percentage of self-prepared applications are refused.Considering this, you might want to look at getting professional help from our team at Australian Visa Advice (AVA). We can guide you through every step of the Visitor visa application – from documents to requirements, and all the other essential details. We have a very high success rate and many of our applications are granted in under the normal processing times. We have helped Americans, Canadians, British, French, Filipino’s Thai’s, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Mexicans, Colombians, and Africans of many nationalities to obtain a visa to Australia. So contact us today!

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