The visa
General visa conditions
Persons, who are not Australian citizens, need a valid visa, in order to enter and spend some time in Australia.
Preparing the journey to Australia
With the exception of citizens of New Zealand, who travel with a passport of New Zealand, all foreigners must prove a visa, before they enter Australia. (citizens of New Zealand receive a visa with their arrival in Australia.)
Visas are available at all Australian visa offices, e.g. Australian embassy, High Comission and consulates. In some countries you receive a visa also in the travel agency and from some airlines. Please notice:
Airlines can refuse the admission to the airplane to you, if you do not have a valid passport or no valid visa.
It is recommended to provide the visa for an intended attendance before you purchase flighttickets, tickets for the olympic games or in advance of other financial obligations, which depend on the entry to Australia.
Visitors are subjected to the visa conditions, while they are in Australia; and Tourists may not work during their stay. Persons, who would like to work during their stay in Australia, must request a temporary residence visa at an Australian visa office. Persons, who violate the work prohibition, will be punished.
Different kinds of visas
- Electronic Travel Authority
- Tourist visa
- Business visa
- temporary residence permit
- Multiple travel visa
What kind of visa you need, depends on how long you would like to stay in Australia and what you would like to attempt during your stay.
Perhaps you would like to travel e.g. as a tourist or for business reasons Australia – or you would like to live for a while in Australia, in order to be active in sports, study or in order to work here.
The Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)ist an electronically stored permission for short journeys to Australia. It eliminates the necessity for a visa sticker or a stamp in the passport. An ETA is generally available with participating airlines and travel agencies for owners of a passport from 31 countries in Europe, Asia and North America. External provider are not charged fees for this service by the Australian government. ETA’s are available for touristic and business purposes. An ETA tourist visa is free, but for business ETA’s with longer validity period you will be charged a fee by credit card. ETA Online Adresse:www.immi.gov.au/eta/index.html
Tourist visa are normally valid for 12 months. During this time you can make as many visits as you like, and you can stay up to three months pro attendance in Australia. It is possible to receive a tourist visa, which allows you to stay more than three months per attendance in Australia. Another possibility is a validity period of more than 12 months. Please note that for this kind of visa a fee will be charged.
Business visa are for persons, who would like to stop for a short period of time on business in Australia. The length of the stay, the number of the different business trips and the validity period of the visa should be discussed with an employee of the Australian visa office. In some cases visa can be valid for a period of up to five years (or the validity period of the passport – depending on which document is longer valid) and unlimited numbers of business trips of a length of up to three months. For all business visa a fee is charged.
Temporary residence visa are for persons, who intend to stay for special activities temporarily in Australia. Persons, who are active in different areas, e.g. work, study, amateur and professional sport, maintenance or other cultural activities can use this visa. Sometimes these persons must be nominated by an Australian organization or by the future employer.
If you make several journeys to Australia, you can request a Multiple travel visa with long-term validity multiple entry visa.
Temporary residence visa are available for the following situations:
- sport – for outstanding amateur or professional sportsmen, who participate in official matches or training programs.
- Media and film personnel or correspondents and other media personnel, who are shifted from different foreign press agencies to Australia, as well as photographers and film and television teams, who shoot documentary films or advertisement for the foreign market.
- Maintenance/culture – for persons in a broad pallet of maintenance and cultural activity areas and meetings. The necessity to protect the occupation of Australians in this work sector is considered and considered during a visa distribution.
- Study – for persons, who would like to participate full time in recognized courses of studies.
- Working holiday – for young people from England, Ireland, Japan, Holland, Canada, Malta and Korea, who would like to travel in Australia and have as well the possibility of working there in order to finance their stay (Australia met reciprocal agreements with these countries. Thus also young Australians can make working holidays in these countries); and employment for employers, in order to adjust key personnel and bridgeshort term technical personnel scarceness.
Visa fees
For information about visa fees please contact an Australian visa office or visit the online address: www.immi.gov.au
Visa validity period
Do not overdraw your visa!
If your visa runs off, you should leave Australia or discuss with an office of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.
Heavy punishments apply to persons, who have a visa run off.
(Source:immi.gov.au)