If you are a frequent traveller, you will know that planning a trip to a country like Australia involves more than just booking flights and packing bags.
You need to sort your visa first, it is the primary step to take, without your visa, approved, your trip won’t take place.
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First, you get your tourist visa. To get your Australian tourist visa, you need to submit a complete application package and wait for a decision on your application.
If the decision is positive, you can visit Australia.
To help you go through the visa application process smoothly, we’ve compiled below, a list of all the documents you need to submit to get your Australian tourist visa.
What are the documents required for an Australian tourist visa?
To get an Australian tourist visa,
- you need a valid passport with at least six months of validity beyond your planned stay
- a completed visa application form
- your recent passport-sized photographs
- proof of travel arrangements such as flight itinerary and accommodation details
- evidence of your financial capacity to support your trip.
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Additionally, you also need health insurance to cover your stay, character documents like a police clearance certificate, and any additional documents based on your circumstances.
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You need a valid passport
You can’t travel without your passport, keep that in mind.
Your passport is your key travel document, so you must make sure that it meets Australian visa requirements:
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- Validity: Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay in Australia. If you want to stay for three months, then your passport must be valid for at least nine months.
- Blank Pages: In addition, make sure that your passport has at least two blank pages for visa stamps.
- Previous Visas: You also need to include copies of any previous Australian visas if applicable – this is not compulsory but it strengthens your application – it is a way to show the immigration officers that you are a familiar traveller and have been in the country before.
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You need the application form
Just like your passport, the bone of your application is the “application form”.
You’ll need to complete the appropriate visa application form for an Australian tourist visa.
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The form is the same for everyone except for little changes due to your country of origin.
If you want to fill out the form, you need to visit the official Australian Department of Home Affairs website to access the correct visa application form based on your nationality and visa type.
When filling out the form, make sure you provide accurate information and complete every necessary part of the form.
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Recent passport-sized photographs
In addition to your application form, you need to include your recent passport-sized photographs with your visa application.
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There are specifications for the photos like size and background color.
Passport-sized photograph specifications for Australian tourist visa
The photo should be recent, taken within the last six months.
It must be 35mm to 40mm wide and 45mm to 50mm high, with a plain background preferably in white.
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It should be of high quality, with uniform lighting, no shadows or reflections, and editing is not allowed.
What is the facial image for an Australian visa?
Your face must be centred, fully visible, and without any head or face accessories.
Maintain a neutral expression, keep your eyes open, and mouth closed, and stare directly at the camera.
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Additionally, ensure your hair is off your face, and avoid wearing sunglasses, tinted glasses, hats, or any other head accessories unless for religious reasons.
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Proof of travel arrangements
You also need to include evidence of your travel plans to and from Australia:
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- Flight Itinerary: You should provide a copy of your confirmed round-trip flight itinerary displaying your travel dates.
- Accommodation details: Include hotel reservations or a letter of invitation if you are staying with friends or family.
If you present a very detailed itinerary, it will strengthen your case before the visa officers who will determine your eligibility for a visa.
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Financial capacity proof
To get an Australian visa, you need to demonstrate that you can financially support your trip and stay in Australia:
You can do this if you:
- Bank statements: Submit recent bank statements showing sufficient funds to cover your expenses – the statement should show at least six months’ details.
- Income proof: Include pay stubs, employment letters, or business documents if you are self-employed.
- Sponsorship letter: If you are being sponsored, provide a letter from the sponsor along with their financial documents.
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Your sponsor should be able to fund your stay in the country and the proof of funds (which you will provide) should show prove this.
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Health insurance coverage
While not mandatory, having travel health insurance is highly recommended.
Include a copy of your insurance policy covering medical emergencies and repatriation during your stay in Australia.
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Character and background documents
You need to provide documents related to your character and background.
You can use:
- Police Clearance Certificate: Get a police certificate from your country of residence proving you have no criminal record.
- Form 80: You need to fill out this form, it gives the visa officers an idea of your character, including employment, education, and travel history.
If you have any event that puts you out as a role model, someone with a great character, you can include it.
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Additional documents (depending on circumstances)
Visa applications always come with additional documents and it depends on your circumstances.
You may need to submit additional documents like:
- Proof of employment: If you’re employed, kindly, provide a letter from your employer stating your position, salary, and approved leave dates.
- Travel history: You may also need to provide documents of your travel history, including previous visas and entry/exit stamps.
- Family Ties: If you have family members in Australia, provide relevant documents to demonstrate your relationship.
Once you’ve gathered all required documents:
- Submit your visa application online via the Australian Department of Home Affairs website or at an authorized visa application centre.
- Pay the applicable visa fees.
- Wait for the processing of your application.
- Once your application is processed, a decision will be made on your visa application.
Australian tourist visa requirements for a minor
If you are a minor (under the age of 18), you need the following documents as part of your application:
- Letter of consent from parents/legal guardians.
- Filled in and signed the permission form.
- Statutory declaration.
- Undertaking declaration (in cases when the minor applicant will be staying with an adult family member/friend in Australia).
Documents guidelines
Your documents should be in line with the following:
- Language requirement: All documents must be in English. If they are not, you must have them translated by a certified translator. Include both the original and translated versions.
- Accredited translators: If you’re in Australia, use translators accredited by the National Accreditation Authority of Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). If you are outside Australia, provide the translator’s full details.
- Document submission: You should only submit your original documents if specifically requested. Submit scanned, coloured copies of your documents, except for police clearances which can be originals.
For online visa applications, follow these specific document guidelines:
- Scan each document carefully, ensuring both sides are captured.
- Use colour scanning if the original is in colour.
- Attach files with extensions such as doc, docx, pdf, jpg, png, etc., up to 5MB in size.
- Multi-page documents must be in a single PDF file.
- Limit the number of uploaded documents (30 to 60 depending on the application).
- Keep image sizes within 500Kb, scanned on both sides.
- Avoid using compressed or encrypted files.
You need to adhere to these guidelines – it will streamline your visa application process and ensure that your documents meet the required standards for assessment.
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If you get a positive response on your application, you will be allowed to enter Australia.