FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This section provides answers to many of the frequently asked questions by clients about the visa application process.
1. Who needs a visa for Australia?
All persons, other than Australian citizens require a visa or authority to enter Australia. All Indian citizens require a visa to enter Australia.
2. How can I find out what kind of visa to apply for?
The category of visa you apply for depends on the purpose of your visit. You can use the Visa Wizard facility of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website www.immi.gov.au to assist you with determining which visa category to apply for and the requirements for that category of visa.
3. When should I apply for a visa?
Clients should lodge their applications as early as possible keeping in mind the average processing times and prior to their intended date of travel.
The average processing times of visa applications depend on the category of visa being applied for. The average processing times of visa application categories are provided at http://www.india.embassy.gov.au/ndli/vm_processing.html.
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4. Should I purchase my airline ticket before travelling?
You should not purchase non-refundable tickets or accommodation prior to the grant of a visa. Any such purchases are the sole responsibility of the visa applicant. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship recommends that you lodge your visa application well ahead of your proposed travel date and finalise travel arrangements after visa issue.
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5. What is the processing time for visa applications?
The processing time for visa applications depends on various factors. The average processing time of a visa application is provided at http://www.india.embassy.gov.au/ndli/vm_processing.html.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that an application is complete and accompanied by full and relevant information. An incomplete application form and/or the absence of required or relevant information may result in delays in processing or in the application being refused.
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6. What documents are required with a visa application?
The documents required with a visa application are specific to the visa category under which you wish to apply. Please visit the “Documents Required” section of this website for document checklists for various visa categories.
You may also visit the website of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship www.immi.gov.au for further information on document requirements.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that an application is complete and accompanied by relevant documents and information. An incomplete application form and/or the absence of required or relevant information and documents may result in delays in processing or in the application being refused.
Note: Additional documents, if submitted after lodgment of the visa application, will be charged a separate service charge by VFS.
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7. Do I need to submit original documents?
The requirement for original documents varies with the visa category. Applicants are requested to visit the link http://www.india.embassy.gov.au/ndli/Visas_and_Migration.html for category specific information in regards to the submission of original documents.
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8. How do I find out about the progress of my application?
If you have lodged a visa application through VFS, you can track the location of your passport on line at the “Track Your Passport” section of this website or you can contact the VFS Helpline. Kindly quote your passport number or VFS Reference Number for all status enquiries made on VFS Helpline.
Apart from the above means, you will also receive a SMS and Email alert at various stages, on the contact number and email address provided while lodgment, with the progress of visa application.
Stage I: Application is forwarded to Australian High Commission.
Stage II: Application is received by Australian High Commission.
Stage III: Application is either couriered or is available at the counter for collection. (Counter Option: Applicable for Delhi & Nepal applicants only)
Stage IV: Application is collected from Australia Visa application centre. (Applicable for Delhi & Nepal counter cases only)
VFS is unable to provide information on the status of application assessment or the decision taken on a client’s visa application.
Please note that Australian privacy legislation generally prevents the Australian High Commission from disclosing information about visa applications to anyone other than the applicant. This means that if someone contacts the High Commission to inquire on your behalf, the High Commission will not be able to provide them with any information unless you have provided written authorization.
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9. Who decides if I will get a visa?
The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship assesses and decides all visa applications.
The VFS Application Centre staff are not employees of the Australian Government and do not have the authority to assess or decide applications.
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10. What is the role of VFS?
VFS Global Services Pvt Ltd (VFS) is the Service Delivery Partner (SDP) for the Australian Government’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), in India and Nepal.
The role of VFS is to accept visa applications and to dispatch passports and documents back to clients, on behalf of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
VFS does not play any part in or influence the outcome of your visa application. If a VFS employee claims to be able to influence your visa application, you should inform the Australian High Commission, New Delhi immediately.
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11. Which visa applications can I lodge with VFS?
Australian visa applications may be lodged either offshore (in a country other than Australia) or in Australia, depending on their category.
A number of visas and other applications are processed in Australia in specialized processing centres, which are listed at
http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/australia/processing-centres/index.htm
VFS accepts applications for visa categories that can only be lodged in India or Nepal at their Australia Visa Application Centres.
Some of the common visa categories that can be lodged in India and Nepal, through VFS include:
Visitor visas, student visas, spouse migration visas, child migration visas, temporary business short stay visas and certain business long stay visas.
Categories that are not accepted by VFS in India and Nepal include Applications for Australian Citizenship, Humanitarian and Refugee visas, Skilled Migration visas, Parent Migration visas, Sponsored Visitor visas, Entertainment visas, Working Holiday Visas and Temporary Business Long Stay Visas, where the sponsoring business is in Australia.
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12. Where can I apply for an application for Australian Citizenship in India and Nepal?
Applications for Australian Citizenship may be lodged at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi. VFS does not accept applications for Australian Citizenship. For further information on citizenship applications, please refer to www.india.embassy.gov.au/ndli/vm_lodge.html and www.citizenship.gov.au.
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13. Can I submit my passport to receive a visa label through VFS if my visa application was processed and approved in Australia?
Yes. If you have lodged an application for a visa in Australia and you have been advised in writing by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Office in Australia that your visa has been granted, you can submit your passport to our office to receive a visa label.
Before you submit a passport for stamping of a visa label, please ensure that you have a blank page in your passport and the passport itself is not damaged.
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14. Can VFS assist me in filling my Visa Application Form?
VFS employees are not permitted to assist clients in completing their visa application forms or to endorse any information contained in an application.
Please also note that VFS employees are not privy to the reasons for visa refusal and therefore are unable to discuss the reasons for visa refusal. Applicants seeking information about the reasons for visa refusal are advised the contact the Australian High Commission New Delhi by e-mail to immigration.india@dfat.gov.au.
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15. Where are VFS Australia Visa Application Centres located?
Clients can lodge visa applications at any of the VFS Australia Visa Application Centres in India and Nepal. For the complete address of the Application Centres, nearest to you, visit the “Where to Apply” section of this website.
Clients can also send their applications through Post/Courier to the New Delhi VFS Australia Visa Application Centre. Please note that postal or couriered applications are accepted only by the VFS Australia Visa Application Centre at New Delhi. None of the other Visa Application Centres accept postal applications. For further details visit the “Postal Application” section of this website.
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16. Do I need an appointment to lodge my application with VFS?
Individual clients do not require a prior appointment to lodge their application at VFS Australia Visa Application Centres.
However, the submission timings for Travel Agents are restricted. For details on Travel agent timings, visit the “Where to Apply” section of this website.
Travel Agents are requested to make a prior appointment through phone or e-mail with VFS, to submit group applications of more than 20 people, to avoid delays in processing. VFS contact details are provided in the “Contact Us” section of this website.
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17. Do I need to use a migration agent to lodge my application?
You are not required to use a migration agent.
However, if you intend to use a migration agent you are strongly advised to use a registered migration agent. A list of registered migration agents is available from the Migration Agents Registration Authority website. You can authorise a migration agent to act on your behalf by completing and lodging Form 956 - Appointment of Migration Agent, which can be downloaded free of charge from the DIAC website.
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18. What is required for a valid visa application?
To make a valid visa application, clients must:
- Submit the correct visa application form;
- Pay the correct visa application fee, as applicable (Visa Fees and VFS Service Charges)
Clients should also provide all required documents and relevant information, together with the application (refer to Question 6 for document checklists). Incomplete applications may take longer to process and may result in visa refusal.
Clients should ensure that visa application forms should be of the latest acceptable design date. Visa Application forms can be downloaded from www.immi.gov.au/allforms/application-forms/ or can be collected from any VFS Centre.
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19. How do I pay?
Clients are required to pay a Visa Application Charge (Visa fee), and a VFS service charge.
Visa Fee
The visa fee is only payable in INR (Indian Rupees) by demand draft favouring the "Australian High Commission", payable at New Delhi. Alternate payment options are available at VFS centres (only in India) for payment of visa fees through cash, at a service charge of Rs. 56 (inclusive of service tax) per application.
Clients can also get their visa fee paid on their behalf, in Australia at a DIAC Office. For information regarding payment in Australia, please visit http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i/how-to-pay.htm.
VFS Service Charge
For applications submitted in India, VFS service fees can either be paid in cash or by demand draft, favouring “VFS Global services Pvt Ltd”, payable at the city where the application is submitted.
For applications submitted in Kathmandu, the VFS service charge will be acceptable only in NPR (Nepalese Rupees) through Demand draft in favour of “VF Services Mauritius Pte Ltd” payable at Kathmandu, Nepal.
For postal applications please send the VFS service fees in favour of "VFS Global services Pvt Ltd" payable at New Delhi, India.
No other mode of payment is acceptable at VFS Australia Visa Application Centres.
To find out about visa fee and VFS service charge amounts, please visit the “Visa Fees” section of this website
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20. Can I pay Visa Fees in Nepalese currency if I am lodging my application in Nepal?
No. The Visa fee is only payable in INR (Indian Rupees) by demand draft favouring the "Australian High Commission", payable at New Delhi. Clients who lodge visa applications at the VFS Australia Visa Application Centre in Kathmandu must pay via this mode.
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21. Can I pay the Visa fee in Australian Dollars (AUD) at VFS?
No. The Visa fee can only be paid in INR (Indian Rupees) at VFS Visa Application Centres, if you are paying in India or Nepal.
However, clients can get their Visa fee paid in Australian Dollars, on their behalf, at DIAC Offices in Australia. For information regarding the payment in Australia, we request you to kindly visit http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i/how-to-pay.htm.
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22. Am I required to undergo a medical examination or chest X-Ray?
All applicants for a visa to Australia must meet the health requirement. Whether you are required to undergo a medical examination and/or chest x-ray depends on your age, how long you intend to stay in Australia and your intended activity in Australia.
Kindly refer to Information Sheet 1163i to find out whether or not you are required to undergo a medical examination or chest x-ray.
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23. Where can I get my medical examination or chest X-Ray done?
The medical examination must be undertaken by a Panel Doctor nominated by the Australian High Commission. Please visit the Panel Doctor section of this website to find out the contact details of panel doctors in India and Nepal.
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24. Can I undertake medical examinations before lodging the application?
No. If a medical and/or x-ray examination is required, the New Delhi visa office will notify you after your visa application is lodged. You will then need to make arrangements to attend an approved immigration panel doctor of your choice.
Further information about medicals and panel doctors is at
http://www.india.embassy.gov.au/ndli/ehealth.html.
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25. How will my passport be returned to me?
Passports can either be couriered to clients or collected from the VFS counter.
Counter Collection
The counter collection facility is only available for applications lodged at Delhi and Kathmandu.
For applications lodged at the Kathmandu Visa Application Centre, clients only have the option to collect their passports from the counter as the courier service is not available for these applications.
Clients collecting their passports at the counter need to show ID proof to VFS staff at the time of collection of documents and passports.
Representatives, agents, or consultants collecting documents and passports at the counter, need to provide an authority letter from the applicant clearly stating the name of the person & agency authorizing them to collect documents and passports on their behalf.
Courier Service
Nepal: Passports lodged at the Kathmandu Visa Application Centre can only be retrieved from the Visa Application Centre. No courier service is available for return of passports in Nepal.
India: passports can be couriered through Blue Dart Express Ltd, to the address provided by the client at the time of application lodgment. If the client has an authorized recipient (through form 956); the passport will be couriered to the address provided by the authorized recipient.
Note: Passports cannot be returned by speed/registered post or couriered to a Post Office box.
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26. What is ETA?
An ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) is equivalent to a visa, but there is no stamp or label in the passport and there is no need for the client to visit an Australian diplomatic office to submit an application. Only citizens of certain countries are eligible to apply for an ETA. Indian or Nepalese citizens are not eligible for an ETA.
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27. How can I apply for an ETA?
Eligible clients can apply for an ETA directly online through the website www.eta.immi.gov.au. Online ETA application status can also be checked by clicking on the “Check your ETA” link of this website.
Eligible clients can also apply through a travel agent, airline, specialist service provider or an Australian visa office outside Australia.
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28. Am I eligible to apply for an ETA online?
You are only eligible to apply for an ETA while you are outside Australia. To apply through this site, you must also hold one of the following listed online ETA-eligible passports.
Eligible passports to apply for an ETA online:
- Brunei
- Canada
- Hong Kong SAR
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- United States of America
Holders of UK British National (Overseas) (GBN) passports are not eligible to apply for ETAs through this site.
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29. Am I eligible to apply for an ETA through a travel agent, airline, specialist service provider or an Australian visa office outside Australia
Below is a list of eligible citizen passports who can apply through a travel agent, airline, specialist service provider or an Australian visa office outside Australia.
| Andorra |
Malaysia |
| Austria |
Malta |
| Belgium |
Monaco |
Brunei |
The Netherlands |
| Canada |
Norway |
| Denmark |
Portugal |
| Finland |
Republic of San Marino |
| France |
Singapore |
| Germany |
South Korea |
| Greece |
Spain |
| Hong Kong (SAR)* |
Sweden |
| Iceland |
Switzerland |
| Ireland |
Taiwan** |
| Italy |
United Kingdom - British Citizen |
| Japan |
United Kingdom - British National (Overseas) |
| Liechtenstein |
United States of America |
| Luxembourg |
Vatican City |
* A Hong Kong Document of Identity (HKDI) cannot be used to apply for an ETA. Residents of Hong Kong require a citizen passport to apply for this visa.
** Holders of Taiwan passports can only be processed for an ETA if residing and applying in Taiwan. Applications can be lodged with an approved ETA Travel Agent in Taiwan or Australian Visa Services office in Taipei.
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30. What types of ETA can be applied for online?
You can apply for a Visitor/Tourist ETA (if travelling for tourism or to visit friends or relatives) and for Short Validity Business ETA (if travelling for business purposes). The ETA is valid for 12 months with stays of up to 3 months on each visit, and can be used for single or multiple entry travel.
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31. How much does the ETA service cost?
All applications processed through www.eta.immi.gov.au are subject to a Service Charge of AUS$ 20.00. Payment is by credit card only and the cards accepted by this site are American Express, Diners Club, JCB, Master card and Visa.
The service charge is payable upon submission of validated application data and clicking the 'Submit' button.
Payment of the charge does not guarantee that the application will be successful. The Service Charge is applied to recover the cost of running this service. The charge is non-refundable.
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32. Can I submit my Passport for ETA at VFS?
Yes, you can submit your passport for ETA at VFS Visa Application Centre. There is no Visa fee for an ETA lodged with VFS; however, there is a VFS Service Charge for the processing of an ETA Application.
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33. What is eVisitor?
An eVisitor is an electronically stored authority for visits to Australia for tourism or business purposes for up to three months. eVisitor facility is available to passport holders from the European Union and a number of other European countries, who are outside Australia.
eVisitor holders can enter Australia multiple times over a twelve month period, from the date of grant of visa, for a stay of up to three months on each occasion.
An eVisitor can only be applied for online and applicants must be located outside of Australia to be granted an eVisitor. The application for eVisitor can be lodged at http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/evisitor.htm.
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34. Am I eligible for eVisitor?
To be eligible to apply for an eVisitor, you must:
- be outside Australia
- hold an eVisitor eligible passport
Clients with passports of the following countries are eligible to apply for an eVisitor.
| Andorra |
Lithuania |
| Austria |
Luxembourg |
| Belgium |
Malta |
Bulgaria |
Monaco |
| Cyprus |
The Netherlands |
| Czech Republic |
Norway |
| Denmark |
Poland |
| Estonia |
Portugal |
| Finland |
Romania |
| France |
Republic of San Marino |
| Germany |
Slovak Republic |
| Greece |
Slovenia |
| Hungary |
Spain |
| Iceland |
Sweden |
| Ireland |
Switzerland |
| Italy |
United Kingdom - British Citizen |
| Latvia |
Vatican City |
| Liechtenstein |
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Notes:
Holders of British National Overseas (BNO), British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen, British Protected Person and British Subject passports are not eligible to apply for an eVisitor.
Australian citizens who hold dual or multiple nationalities are not eligible to apply for an eVisitor and should use an Australian passport to enter or leave Australia, even if they use a foreign passport overseas.
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35. How much does the eVisitor cost?
An eVisitor application is free of charge. There is no fee required to lodge an eVisitor application or after an eVisitor application is finalized.
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36. I have got a new Passport but have a valid Australian visa on my old passport. Can I travel?
Yes, you can travel with a valid Australian visa on your old passport by carrying both the old and new passport together.
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