INTRODUCTION
Australia is one of the most beautiful countrie in the world. It is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. If you wish to travel to Australia for the purpose of travel, business, medical treatment or visit close relatives living in Australia you need to obtain visa for that purpose. There are different types of visas depending on why you are traveling and how long you want to stay in Australia.
Travelers to Australia from the eligible countries can apply on line for the Visit Visa. This visa is called ETA (Electronic Travel Authority)
When you are on tourist visa to Australia, you will not be permitted to work unless you apply for a new visa in different category i.e. Business Visa or Partner Visa.
For getting tourist visa to Australia you should normally meet with the following criteria.
You must have genuine intention to visit Australia as Tourist, for recreating or visit your family and / or friend in Australia.
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You must an intention and initiative to return to your own country before your tourist visa is over. If you are from high risk country, you will need to show your commitments in your home country.
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You must have sufficient fund to cover cost for the duration of your stay in Australia including health cover and also fund for the return to your own country.
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You may be required to prove your character requirement of health requirement.
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You do not have an intention to work in Australia
Visitors traveling on this visa are usually not required to undergo a medical.
While you are on tourist visa you are not covered under Australia’s National health scheme, unless there is a reciprocal health care agreement between Australia and your country. It is therefore recommended that you take out health insurance for yourself and your family for the duration of your intended stay in Australia.
If the application for the tourist visa is made for the children under 18 years of age then you must include consent form signed by the non accompanying parent/s or legal guardian/s if the child is traveling alone or with only one parent or legal guardian.
If you are 70 years of age or over in order to satisfy financial requirement for the tourist visa you will be asked to provide evidence of health cover for your intended stay in Australia along with your application if you are 70 years of age or over
YOU CAN CHOOSE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.
Tourist Visa – Sub Class 676
This visa is for the people who want to visit Australia for holidays or recreation, visit family members and / or friends or for study term study for a period up to three months. This visa can be granted either for single or for multiple entries. Visitors traveling on this visa are usually not required to undergo a medical check up.
While granting visa the case officer may be granted with a “No Further Stay” condition. Under these circumstances you will not be granted any other visa. This condition may be waived under exceptional circumstances.
It should be noted that your visa is linked to your passport number mentioned in the application so it is required that you use same passport to travel to Australia. Your passport should valid during your stay and while applying for. If you obtain new passport, you are required to advise to the department details of the new passport before you travel to Australia, failing which you may be denied permission to board your air craft.
This visa covers any body who wants to come to Australia to receive medical treatment. Under this visa (sub class 675) you are generally allowed to stay in Australia for a period of 3 months for either elective or emergency medical treatment allows you stay in Australia for either elective or emergency medical treatment. However, under long stay medical treatment visa (sub class 676) you can be allowed to stay for a period of more than 3 months. Under this visa you are allowed to travel to Australia only once. Accompanying family members must also apply for this visa.
To be eligible you are to fulfill one of the following:
- you should make arrangements for medical treatment or for consultations in Australia and make prior arrangements to pay for it
- your condition should not pose a threat to public health in Australia
- your medical treatment or consultation should not disadvantage any Australian citizen or permanent resident;
- You must have sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay.
If you are granted visit visa to Australia for the Medical Treatment you will not be eligible for the Medicare or other Australian government health benefits. If you are granted this visa, you will not be eligible for Medicare or other Australian government health benefits. You must comply with your visa validity conditions while in Australia. Any breach of condition stipulated in visa may result in cancellation of your visa and you may have to leave Australia.
Sponsored Family Visitor Visa - Subclass 679
Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents can sponsor relatives or friends to come to Australia to visit family members in Australia to take holiday or visit their friend. – Sub Class 679. Sponsors may be able to guarantee your application for a stay of three months or less. Sponsors may also be asked at the discretion of the case officer to lodge a security bond and how money they may have to deposit in order to evidence the fact that they can support the person they are attempting to sponsor. The value of bond can range anywhere between A$ 5000 and A$ 15000 or more if necessary. Refunds are arranged once the visitor has left Australia having complied with all visa conditions.
If you are from a high risk country or have been refused a visitor visa previously and have relatives living in Australia, then you might consider applying for a sponsored visitor visa.
The sponsor provides a guarantee that the visitor sponsored by him/her would leave Australia before the visa expires. If you are granted visa under this sub class the sponsorship remains valid in its place till you leave Australia. If you decide not to leave Australia then sponsor remains valid until you the visa expires. The sponsorship can not be cancelled during the currency of visa.
A sponsor is only able to sponsor one person or, if a relative, one family unit at a time. A family unit normally includes the head of the family, spouse and dependent children. Other relatives may be included in the family unit if they can provide evidence that they are fully dependant on the head of the family.
This visa allows you to travel to Australia, usually to stay for a period of up to three (3) months. In certain circumstances the visa may be granted for a stay of up to 12 months. You are only allowed one entry to Australia for the validity of the visa and you will not be able to extend your stay.
You must have an eligible sponsor and you must have genuine reason to visit to Australia and have an intention to depart Australia at the end of the validity period of the visa. You will not be allowed to work or undertaking any business or taking medical treatment. If you are more than 70 years of age you must also provide evidence from your doctor that you are fit to travel and you have health insurance to cover your stay in Australia.
To enter Australia you must have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government or you have made an arrangement to repay the outstanding debts to the Australian Government.
The sponsor should guarantee that the applicant would abide by their visa conditions including departing Australia before their visas expire and take responsibility for all the financial obligations to the Australian Government. If visitor does not comply with all the conditions of their visa, the sponsor would not be allowed to sponsor another visitor for this visa for five years and lose their security bond if provided to the Australian Government.
SPONSORED BUSINESS VISITOR VISA – SUB CLASS 459
Under this visa a business person who is having sponsorship from Australia can make business visit to Australia. This visa is for a period of three months. This visa allowed you to attend conference, do negotiations or exploratory business visit to Australia. However, under this visa you are not allowed to do acting, musical performances or commercial film making. This visa may be single entry visa of multiple entry visa. The spouse or dependent children can also accompany you to Australia.
This visa allows business visitors to undertake business related activities in Australia. The business visitor can only work in very limited circumstances. The work must be urgent, very short term and highly specialized. The business visitor cannot undertake work that can be done by an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
This visa allows eligible sponsors to sponsor several business visitors at the same time. The sponsor has to guarantee the purpose of visit by the business visitor, period of stay of the business visitor and also that the business visitor will abide by their visa conditions once it is approved.
A business visitor and their family members cannot undertake a course of study that leads to a formal primary, secondary or higher education qualification. Other limited studies are allowed.
The case officer may ask to lodge security bond for a business visitor and their family members. The amount of security bond is determined on case to case basis and general between Aud$ 5000 to Aud $ 15000 per person. The security bond is returned after the business visitor departs Australia within the validity of their visa. If the business visitor fails to comply with any of the visa conditions, the bond may be forfeited.
A business visitor cannot extend this visa after they arrive in Australia. If they need to stay longer than three months for business reasons, they should apply for the Business (Long Stay) visa. The Business (Long Stay) visa is valid for between three months and four years.
To be eligible to sponsor a business visitor to Australia the sponsor must be an Australia Citizen or Permanent Resident or, an eligible New Zealand Citizen and must be age of more than 18 years or older and living in Australia.
Under certain circumstances a business visitor can also apply for the business short stay visa if he/she does not have a sponsor.
You are required to prove to the visa officer that you a business back ground or working in the work which is an actively operating in business. You may also be asked to provide evidence as to why they need to visit Australia on business, sufficient availability of fund to support you and your family members during your stay in Australia. Yu may also be asked to prove your health, character requirement and you are not indebted to the commonwealth of Australia.
This visa may be granted with a No Further Stay condition. This means family members will not be granted any other visa (except for a Protection visa) to extend their visit while they are in Australia.
Electronic Travel Authorities (ETAs) - Sub Class 976
This is called Electronic Travel Authorities (ETAs) is similar to tourist visas and are issued electronically. Under this visa you are not required to visit Australian Visa office for submission of the application. This visa to simplify travel for citizens of certain countries (ETA eligible countries). This visa has replaced traditional visa label and issued electronically and details of applicants are recorded on the Australian Government database. It is not possible to apply for an ETA from within Australia.
This visa is valid for a period of 12 months from the date is it is granted or until your passport expires (which ever is shorter) and allow you to take tour and stay or conduct your business in Australia for a period up to 3 months. They are also multiple entry short stay visa so that you can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you wish within the period of validity of visa.
Under ETA, you are not required to provide any information about your financial status. However, if you apply for this visa through DIMIA post, then you would be required to show to the visa officer that you have 1000 A$ per month of your intention to stay in Australia and also return journey air faire to your home country.
Study During Visit
If you are on tourist visa to Australia you can undergo short term study for a period up to three months if you desire. However, if you want to study for longer than three months then you should apply for the study visa to Australia.
Extension of Visitor Visa
If you need to stay longer than period of your visa you must apply for your extension before two weeks of the expiry of your visa. However, you will not be allowed to extend your visa if your purpose is to complete a course of study or start a new course, since you should complete your study course within 3 months after your arrival.
If you have a Medical Treatment visa you can apply for a further visa if the medical treatment must continue. Or you can also apply for a further visa for tourism, seeing friends or studying if your medical treatment has been completed. Tourist visa can be extended if you have complied all the conditions of your previous visa and not have ‘No further stay’ condition on your visa.
If an extension of visa is granted it will cease any visa or ETA currently held and entitlements attached to that visa or ETA. If you are refused extension of visa you must leave Australia before the expiry of your authorized stay period.
WORKING DURING TOURIST VISA
While you are on tourist you are not eligible to work in Australia. However under volunteer work tourism schemes you can work as a volunteer whilst on a Tourist Visa if :
- Main purpose of visiting Australia is tourism and voluntary work remains incidental to this visa.
- The work involved would not otherwise be undertaken by an Australian resident for wages.
- The work is genuinely voluntary and that no remuneration is received in return for the activities.
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