Acquiring an Australian Visa: Guidelines To Remember

A visa generally refers to a formal endorsement which is endowed by a certain government on a person’s passport, and this denotes that the individual’s passport has been thoroughly checked and found valid by the country he or she wishes to visit. This also allows the bearer to legally travel to his or her destination. An entry visa indicates that the bearer has gotten official permission to enter a country as a visitor, but this does not however guarantee outright admission. The other major purpose of a visa is to allow a government to limit, as well as control, the entry of aliens into a country. Generally, there are two types of visas commonly issued, and these are the passport entry visa and the immigrant entry visa. The passport entry visa allows for the person to visit the country on a specified duration, while the immigrant visa is given to those who want to settle permanently in that country. So how should one get an Australian Visa?

Based on information posted on the Australian Government’s official web site, most visa applications are approved or denied in 30 seconds, but there will be times when the standard application process takes a bit longer to undertake. For starters, the most common Australian visa issued is the Electronic Travel Authority or ETA. This is valid for 12 months from the date of issue, and allows for multiple visits to Australia with up to three months for each visit. Applications for these are usually quick, and the applicant will know the result in a short span of time. In getting an ETA however, you first need to check if you’re qualified for this. Foremost, only passport-holding individuals from selected nations like the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada are allowed to apply for an ETA. You could check out the complete list of eligible countries from the Australian Government web site.

If ever you belong to any of the countries approved for this visa, you may apply online. Once you’re on the official government web site, click on the "Apply for ETA" button, and thoroughly read as well as accept the information stated. An ETA application has a A$20 application fee levied, but you could use your credit card to pay for this too. Next, provide all personal information required. Once you complete all necessary forms and provide the pertinent information, start waiting for approval. According to Australian visa experts, most applications made online are approved or denied in 30 seconds. However, if you encounter any delays, you may re-check your status every 12 hours, to verify your ETA application status.

For those who wish to do business Down Under, special business visas are also offered. However, the length of stay for business travelers who get this type of visa will depend on the agreement that will be met upon after the person consults the Australian visa office. Business visa are usually valid for up to 5 years. There are also temporary visas for those who wish to go to Australia to do some special activities like sporting competitions, entertainment performances, or temporary short-stay company assignments. Those wishing to be granted temporary residence visas in this country however need to be sponsored by an Australian company or organization. Those who get temporary residence visas need to remember that the exact length of the stay indicated on the document needs to be strictly complied, and when the visa expires and you still need to stay quite longer, then you are advised to immediately consult with the country’s Department of Immigration and Multicultural affairs office. Failure to do so will incur the person a hefty fine, along with the imposition of other penalties.

Jo is a content writer for ‘Visas for Australia’ (http://www.visasforaustralia.co.uk), one of the world’s foremost visa consultant that deals with Australian tourist visas, Australian business visas and Australian working holiday visas. If you are going to travel and apply for an Australian visa or if you wish to go through the joy and ecstasy of residing in or fulfilling your fantasy of travel Down Under then you should check out Visas for Australia.