How to prepare a Australian e-Visitor Visa (subclass 651)
Do you hold an Australian e-Visitor Visa?
Do you want to visit Australia?
There are so many things you could come and see here. Maybe you have some business activities to attend to while visiting Australia?
Do you have family here you wish to come see? All of these require a type of tourist visa to enter Australia.
Would you like some help preparing for your Australian e-Visitor Visa application?
Why don’t we go over all the different streams and subclasses for the Australia visitor visa? Here is one below:
Australian e-Visitor Visa (subclass 651) Information
Features for this visit visa
It lets you visit Australia:
- for business visitor purposes
- or as a tourist for up to three months at a time, lasting for a 12-month period
This is a completely free visa to enter Australia.
What is required to get an Australian e-Visitor Visa?
You may be able to receive an eVisitor visa if you are currently:
- outside Australia
- and a passport holder of one of the countries listed below
You must be currently outside Australia when you lodge your application for an eVisitor visa. You will not need to visit an immigration office but please be aware that you will not be given a stamp or label in your passport.
However, you will receive confirmation for your Australian e-Visitor Visa.
This travel visa is stored electronically and is an authority for travel to enter into Australia.
The Australian e-Visitor Visa can be accessed by airlines, travel agents and Australian border agencies.
What does the Australian e-Visitor Visa let you do?
You can enter into Australia for a maximum of three months for each visit for the duration of the 12 months starting from the date the e-Visitor was granted to you.
Do you want to have a holiday or visit family and friends in Australia? It allows for that. How about studying in Australia for up to three months in certain circumstances? You may be able to do this as well.
You may engage in some business visitor activities while you enjoy Australia provided you:
- you do NOT work for or provide your services to, any business or organization
- you do NOT sell products or services to the public.
I bet your wondering what exactly business visitor activities include. What can you do?
You can make general business or employment enquiries. You may investigate, negotiate, sign or review a business contract while on this visa.
It would also include activities carried out as part of an official government-to-government visit or you can participate in conferences, trade fairs or seminars, as long as you are not being paid by the organisers for you participation.
What about volunteer work tourism schemes?
For the most part, an e-Visitor visa does not allow you to work while you are in Australia. There may be some exemptions to this rule if you wish to work as a volunteer.
If you can show that your main reason for visiting Australia is tourism and the voluntary work is secondary to tourism or accidental. You may be able to volunteer if the work is genuinely voluntary and you are not paid for it, except for meals, accommodation or out of pocket living expenses.
Can the work be done in return for wages by an Australian resident? If not, this may be a way to do volunteer work as well.
Information regarding your passport
Once granted, your e-Visitor will be linked to the passport number you used in your application, and you should use the same passport to travel to Australia.
If you have a new passport, as the other expired or was lost, you should advise Immigration of the new passport details prior to your travel to Australia. Otherwise, you WILL be delayed at the airport and may be denied permission to board your plane. You may be able to update your new passport details by using your ImmiAccount.
If you must get a new passport while you are in Australia, you will not need to apply for another e-Visitor, as long as the one you hold is still valid. If you leave Australia during the time your e-Visitor is still valid, you can travel on your new passport, however, you should keep your old passport with you, since this is the passport the e-Visitor is attached to.
Do you already hold an eVisitor or another type of visa?
If you already have an e-Visitor or hold a different type of visa and then apply, if the new e-Visitor is granted it can be valid as soon as it is approved and will replace your existing e-Visitor.
If you are the holder of a different type of visa, the Australian e-Visitor Visa may be less beneficial to you than your current visa. I would recommend you contact your nearest immigration office outside Australia, before you lodge an eVisitor application, to keep from losing the visa that would be most beneficial to you.
You will not have to pay any type of fee to Immigration to lodge or receive eVisitor.
You may be eligible to receive an Australian e-Visitor Visa if you:
- plan on visiting Australia on a temporary basis only and for tourism or business visitor purposes
- are currently outside Australia
- are holding an eVisitor-eligible passport
- are completely free of tuberculosis upon your arrival to Australia
- have not been found guilty of an offence or multiple offences, and the total sentence is more than 12 months (whether or not the sentence has been served).
Are you eligible for an Australian e-Visitor Visa visa?
You must be a citizen of one of the below countries and have been issued a passport:
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You will not eligible to apply for the eVisitor if your current and only passport is a British National Overseas, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen, British Protected Person or a British Subject passport.
Have you been convicted of any crimes?
If you have had one or more criminal convictions from any country, for which the sentence or sentences, whether served or not, equal to 12 months or more you will not be allowed to enter Australia while holding an eVisitor.
If you have had any criminal conviction from any country, you may want to a apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600), rather than an eVisitor.
How about health requirements?
You need to meet certain health requirements for the visa. You may not be allowed to enter Australia if you have active tuberculosis.
Will I need health insurance?
You will be completely responsible for all your health costs while you are in Australia.
Australia’s national health scheme (Medicare) will not cover you, unless your country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia.
Do you have any outstanding debt to the Australian Government?
You must have an arrangement to repay any of your outstanding debts to the Australian Government, or no debt at all, before this visa can be granted.
Will I need to do biometrics?
You may be requested to provide biometrics (a scientific form of identification) as part of your application provide.
How do I Include family in my application?
You will a need a separate eVisitor for every family member travelling with you to Australia. This includes those who are younger than 18 years of age and are included on your passport.
We recommend applying for your eVisitor at least two weeks prior to your planned date of travel.
How do you apply online?
You can apply online using the application for an eVisitor form. You will need to complete the application form for every person going with you to Australia, including any children.
Please note: that Immigration should send you an email within 12 hours of lodging your application, to let you know they have received your information. If you do not, you can login to your ImmiAccount to check the status of the application.
If you have an ImmiAccount, you can track and manage your application using this feature. Most eVisitor applications are granted quite quickly, but some can take longer to process.
If your application is approved, you will receive a notification of the grant in your email. It would be a good idea to keep a copy with you when you travel to Australia, as it provides, your eVisitor grant number, the date your eVisitor starts being valid and the eVisitor conditions.
There will be no record or label located in your passport. When you check in on the airplane to fly to Australia, the staff on board will electronically confirm your passport and eVisitor details.
If your application is denied, you will receive an email about the decision from Immigration. You cannot extend an eVisitor, if you wish to extend your stay after coming into Australia, you should apply for another visa prior to the eVisitor expiry date.
You may be eligible for another visa to be granted if you:
- have fully followed all the listed conditions on your eVisitor
- have met all the requirements of the visa that you have applied for.
If you receive another visa, it will replace your current eVisitor and its entitlements.
If there hasn’t been a decision made on your visitor visa application prior to your eVisitor expiring, you may be granted a Bridging visa until your visa application has been ruled upon by Immigration.
If your visa application is denied, you will need to leave Australia prior to your eVisitor or your Bridging visa expiration date.
So what next?
You already know the requirements of Australian e-visitor visa subclass 651.
Now, should you just straight preparing the documents for your Australian e-visitor visa application?
Let us tell you that the most common reasons for Australian e-visitor visa refusal is either misinformation or lack of knowledge related to the complexities of Australian visa application process.
Thus Australian immigration authority advising visa applicant to using migration agent help to help them with their Australian e-visitor visa application.
Registered migration agent is experienced and able to navigate through the complexities of Australian visa process.
ONE derland Consulting, lead by a registered migration agent – Indah Melindasari has 6 years of extensive experience successfully handling various Australian visa application and refusal case.
Going through appointment with Mrs. Indah will gain you professional insight and well crafted and actionable migration plan with minimal risk for refusal.
We would like to work together with you so you can have a successful Australian e-visitor visa application.
To find further information on your options and eligibility for an Australian e-visitor visa, please contact our office on (+61) 089477-5831 or email: [email protected]
