Visa to Australia: How to apply for a visa for Australia?

If your dream is to go on an exchange program to learn a new language or obtain an international qualification, experience new cultures and work abroad, you need to know the types of visas and the rules for applying in your chosen destination!

Due to its natural beauty, quality of life and excellent education system, Australia has become one of the main destinations for people who dream of living abroad and getting new experiences in another country.

However, many people have doubts about the procedures for carrying out the exchange: what are the criteria for applying for a visa to the land of kangaroos? Requirements will vary depending on your country plans. In case you have these doubts, we prepared this article containing the main information. Check out, in this post, more details about the Australian visa and documents!

What are the visa options for Australia?

You are determined to travel to Australia, right? So first of all, it’s time to worry about your visa. Here, we detail the three main types of visas required by people traveling to the country: tourism, student and work and vacation visas. Find out more about these visas and start preparing your trip now.

Tourist visa

Tourist visas must be applied for by those traveling to Australia for leisure or for an exchange of up to 3 months, the maximum stay the visa allows for the traveler. So, this option is recommended for those who are going to take a tour, make brief visits to acquaintances, take a vacation, any other motivation that does not include work or business.

In addition, students who are going to enroll in a course of up to 12 weeks in the country can apply for this visa. However, if the student extends the term, he/she must contact the Immigration Department of the country and apply for a study visa. Among the requests to apply for a tourist visa we can mention:

• online form;
• copy of passport;
• proof of financial availability to stay in the country;
• in some cases a medical examination will be required;
• payment of the consular fee.

If the person is under the age of 18, a form 1229 signed by the parents and their photo ID, birth certificate will also be required. Furthermore, parents must issue an authorization containing their signatures. The student must also provide form 1257 signed by the parent over 21.

Student visa

If your exchange plan is to take a longer course and stay longer in Australia, you will need to apply for the student visa option. In addition to taking longer courses (whether in English, technical, undergraduate or postgraduate courses), this visa also allows you to work legally in the country for up to 40 fortnightly hours during the period of classes.

The validity of the student visa varies according to the duration of the chosen course. Normally, the Immigration Department grants an extra vacation period (around 4 weeks) to the student after completing their studies. During this period and during school breaks, you will be able to work without any time restrictions.

In addition to enrolling in the course in Australia, one of the main requirements for applying for a study visa is proof of financial resources. The Immigration Department asks you to prove that you have access to the equivalent of AU$1,653.00 per month in the country – in addition to the amount paid for the course and ticket. If you have the money in your savings account and have not yet purchased your round-trip ticket, the tip is: include in your expenses an amount between R$4,000.00 and R$5,000.00.

You can also rely on support from relatives to help with proof of financial resources. You can use as financial evidence: payslips, bank statements, savings vouchers or investment funds from the last 3 months, among other documents.

In addition to proof of income, the documents you must present when applying for a student visa include a letter of intent, identity document and some specific forms. See the complete list of documentation on the official website.

Work and vacation visa

Another highly sought-after Australian visa is the work and vacation visa (also known as Work Holiday Visa), which allows you to stay in the country for up to 1 year, traveling and working without time limitations (working a maximum of 6 months with the same employer). The visa also allows you to study up to 4 months in the country.

However, this visa is not available for the Brazilian passport. You can apply for the Work Holiday Visa if you have passports from the following countries or regions: Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and the UK.

Other visas

Tourist, student and work and vacation visas are the most common among travelers traveling to the land of kangaroos. However, there are other types of visas to legally enter Australia:

• business visa: ideal for those attending business meetings, seminars, congresses and workshops in Australia for up to 3 months;
• training and research visa: this is the type of documentation that only people who go to the country to carry out research in their areas of knowledge can require;
• temporary work visa: this is an option for those who will provide services, support and training for companies in Australia, or work at sporting and cultural events in the country, but it does not allow the person to receive any type of remuneration from a local company;
• transit visa: specific for those arriving in Australia for up to 72 hours and connecting flights to other countries;
• medical treatment visa: for anyone wishing to follow up with a healthcare professional in Australia.

How to apply for a visa for Australia?

You’ve already seen that there are several types of visas to get into Australia. But the question that remains is: what is the process of applying for a visa with the Australian Department of Home Affairs?

Currently, most visas for the country are applied for online through the immigration department’s system. There is no need for interviews and you can submit all scanned documents for application.

For the application of the student visa, in addition to the documents mentioned above, the presentation of the academic record (diplomas and certificates of courses taken), professional history (employment card, social contract, legal entity registration, curriculum) is also required. health exams (carried out by doctors accredited by the Embassy) and proof of the course you will take in the country.

It is also important to present evidence of linkages and return incentives for Brazil, as this is a temporary entry permit into the country. According to the analysis of the student’s profile and the documentation presented, Department of Home Affairs may request more information and additional documents, as well as a sworn translation. To help you understand this matter better, check out the step-by-step guide to the main procedures involved in applying for a visa!

1. Fill in the online form

The first step in applying for a visa to Australia is to complete an online application. Therefore, the entire process for applying for a visa must be carried out on the official website of the Department of Home Affairs Australia. If you want to start the process, just access the official website.

2. Pay the fee

After completing the form, you will need to pay the fee. Based on the currency of Australia, which is the Australian Dollar, the value of the visa is fixed at AUD$ 145. To carry out this procedure, simply inform the card number, as well as the name printed on the card, the expiry date and the security code.

3. Delivery of documents

After making the payment, you will need to go back to your account and confirm sending the visa application. In the form must appear the expression “in process” . Then log in to your account and check the documents you will need to attach. The classification of these documents is not fixed, each case is a case, being based on the information and data you provided in the form.

Even so, there are some documents that are very common in this process, among them are:

• birth certificate;
• bank documents that prove your income;
• passport;
• statement from the employer (stating the position and salary).

In the list of documents that will be sent, you will not need to have all the items on the list, but only those that are marked in red.

4. Visa processing

Finally, just wait for the visa to be processed, as the time for this process varies. Once your visa is approved, you will be notified with an email. Usually the system sets a deadline for the decision to be made. It is noteworthy that the visa is valid for a maximum of 1 year from the date of approval. Because of this, start the process only when you are convinced of the travel dates so that there are no problems regarding the period of stay in the country.

Count on support when applying for your visa

You saw that there are several types of visas to be able to visit, study or work in Australia, and the visa, despite requiring a certain effort to gather the necessary documentation, is the step that will effectively take your exchange from paper and bring you closer of everything you planned to live in the land of kangaroos.

Despite being online, it is very important to be very careful when applying for a visa. The inclusion of wrong or incomplete information can invalidate your application, delay the analysis of the application or, even worse, result in your visa being denied.

To avoid errors in the application and make this entire visa process even simpler, you can count on the support of a specialized exchange agency. In addition to helping with the organization of your course, she will assist you in applying for your visa, saving your life from bureaucracy and immigration paperwork. This advice will give you more peace of mind on this important stage of your trip. So worry less and hit the road!

So that was the main information you need to know about the Australian visa and the necessary documents. See how easy it is to get a visa to Australia? If you’ve already decided that you want to live a new experience in a new country, don’t spend more time and run after your visa to do exchange in one of the most attractive places and with an excellent quality of life.