Visa Information Page
INTERNATIONAL DELEGATE VISA INFORMATION
Please note that all travellers to Australia must have a valid
visa before boarding their plane. Travellers to Australia cannot apply for
a visa on arrival, with the exception of New Zealand and Norfolk Island
passport holders, who will be issued a visa on arrival in Australia.
All international Congress participants should review the following information
carefully. There are currently 3 possible visa options for adult Congress
participants and the appropriate visa to apply for will depend on their
country of passport
We strongly advise all participants to apply for a visa at least 6-8 weeks in advance of their intended date of travel.
VISA TYPES
1. eVisitor
Congress participants with passports and a working email address (to communicate
with the Department) from any of the following EU or European ETA-eligible
countries or locations can apply for an eVisitor visa:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City.
You can apply online, free of charge, at: www.immi.gov.au
NB: in some cases, applicants applying for online visas are referred
to an Australian visa office for additional processing.
These visas are label-free and provide a stay of up to 3 months in Australia
within a 12 month period. eVisitor visa holders are permitted to attend
an event (several) and to partake in general tourism activities.
2.Business (Short Validity) ETA (subclass 977)
Congress participants with passports from any of the following ETA-eligible
countries or locations can apply for a Business (Short Validity) Electronic
Travel Authority (ETA):
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei*, Canada*, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hong Kong (SAR)*, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan*, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Malaysia*, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San
Marino*, Singapore*, South Korea*, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (resident
and applying from Taipei)*, United Kingdom - British Citizen, USA, Vatican
City.
All Passport holders from countries above can apply at participating
airlines, travel agents, or an Australian visa office overseas:
www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/index.htm
The ETA can also be applied for through many travel agencies and they may
choose to impose a fee to travellers, for this service.
Passport holders from countries marked with (*) can apply online
at: www.eta.immi.gov.au
A service charge of AUD$20 applies to online applications.
NB: in some cases, applicants applying for online visas are referred
to an Australian visa office for additional processing.
These visas are label-free and provide a stay of up to 3 months in Australia
within a 12 month period. ETA visa holders are permitted to attend an event
(several) and to partake in general tourism activities.
3. Business (Short Stay) visa (subclass 456)
If you do not hold a passport from one of the above EU or ETA-eligible countries,
you will need to apply for a Business (Short Stay) visa at the closest Australian
visa office to their current place of residence.
You will require the following for your application:
- Download and fill out Form 456 Application for A Business (Short Stay) visa : http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/456.pdf
- Lodge the form at an Australian visa office overseas, please refer to the link for a list of offices http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/index.htm
- Include the relevant documentation with your application, please refer to the list of requirements: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/business/_pdf/456-checklist.pdf
- A visa application charge of AUD$105 will apply.
Subclass 456 visa holders are permitted to attend an event (or several) and to partake in general tourism activities. Subclass 456 visa holders are also advised to note any visa conditions, as may be stipulated on their visa label.
RELEVANT WEBSITES
Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC): www.immi.gov.au
Available on DIAC's Internet website is a wealth of helpful information about Australian missions overseas, how to apply for visas and further information on visa applications, Customs clearance, Quarantine regulations, health issues, arrival and departure and more.
World Index: http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas.htm
The DIAC World Index provides a list of all Australian immigration offices outside of Australia by country and by city. The information is regularly updated and includes:
- Information identifying the post where residents of each country should lodge applications for entry and where these applications are processed and decided.
- Street and postal addresses, telephone and facsimile numbers of each immigration office, the website name
and Internet e-mail address for each visa office where applicable, and client counter and telephone hours. - An outline of any special procedures or features relating to visa processing at each immigration office.
- NB: If you plan to print the World Index, please be advised it prints out to more than 93 A4-size pages.
DIAC highly recommends that all intending visitors to Australia access the www.immi.gov.au/visitors internet site. The site contains an Australian Government Guide to Visiting Australia:
- This site contains comprehensive information about Customs clearance and Quarantine and health issues, as well as visas. The information is regularly updated.
- It also provides general information about issues impacting on all visitors to Australia.
- The text is available in French, German, Indonesian and Spanish, as well as English.
- This site also contains links to other useful internet sites, e.g. the Department of Health and Ageing (for more information on health insurance for visitors to Australia), and Customs (ACS) and Quarantine (AQIS) services.
- The information at this site has been jointly provided by DIAC, DFAT, the Australian Customs Service and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.