7 Reasons Australian Tourist Visa Refused or Rejected
Many factors can lead to your Australian Tourist Visa being refused, including:
- inconsistent information or documents,
- insufficient evidence,
- false or misleading information,
- refusal or overstay history, etc.
One or more reasons may cause the refusal, and they are usually connected. For example, your Tourist Visa was refused due to lack of evidence to return to your home country, and it might be linked to another reason, like insufficient documents or information provided.
And when having your Australian Tourist Visa being refused, you will have two options:
- Re-apply for the visa; or
- Review the decision to Administrative Appeals Tribunal
But first thing first, after having your Australian Tourist Visa refused you must understand the reasons behind it. I have listed the 7 common reasons that cause your Australian Tourist Visa to be refused. Dig into it to prevent the same mistakes!
7 Reasons Australian Tourist Visa being Refused
Based on my experience in handling Australian Tourist Visa, I can derive 7 reasons that may lead your Australian Tourist Visa being refused:
- Lack of evidence;
- You have history of visa refusal previously;
- Inconsistent document and information with your application;
- You are from High Risk Country;
- False and Misleading Documents;
- Failing to meet health requirements;
- Failing to meet character requirements.
All are explained in detail below.
Reason #1: Lack of evidence in the application
The lack of evidence in your visitor visa application is a common reason why an Australian tourist visa is refused. It may include lack evidence of incentives to return to your home country, lack evidence to meet financial requirements, etc.
Be noted that it is your obligation to meet all the requirements for an Australian tourist visa. For example, you must be able to support your planned holiday financially. Otherwise, you must have a sponsor for your stay in Australia, in which the sponsor must be able to help you financially.
Just mentioning your savings balance in your statement letter or in your Tourist Visa application is not enough. You must provide evidence of your financial status, like a bank statement, tax documents, payslips as your source of income, etc. In addition, you must ensure that the closing balance of your bank account meets the minimum financial requirements for Australian Tourist Visa.
Example of bank statement showing sufficient funds:
You must also be a genuine tourist, meaning you will return home after your trip. Being a genuine tourist also means you must have strong ties to your home country, for example you have a business to take care of, an employment to return to, a study to attend to, or a family member to look after.
And you must provide evidence to support your claims when applying for an Australian Tourist visa. If you do not show evidence, a visa refusal will surely come your way.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) needs to ensure that you are visiting for genuine purposes and not planning to arrive on a tourist visa to stay indefinitely or to work in Australia.
Example of proof of employment letter as incentives to return home:
Example of travel itinerary as evidence to return to home country:
If you wish to get assistance in providing the evidence and documents needed for a successful Tourist Visa application, please book a consultation here or call us at 1300 827 159.
Reason #2: You had a refusal history or did not comply with your previous visa conditions
It applies to all kinds of refusals, whether you were refused a Tourist Visa or other visas.
If you were refused a Tourist Visa before, you must work harder for the next application. You must address all concerns mentioned in your refusal letter and guarantee the Case Officer that you’re a genuine visitor and will obey all visa conditions.
Note that your immigration history to Australia is also one essential point that the DHA assesses. So, meeting the conditions of your Australian visa is significant, especially if you plan to revisit Australia.
The DHA will consider your past visa history when processing your application. Should you not comply with the conditions of your previous visa, the chance of refusal is very high.
Conditions of a visa can include the following:
- No Further Stay;
- Not Allowed To Work;
- Not Allowed To Study;
- Must leave before visa expiry
If the DHA finds that you ever violated any of these conditions, like overstaying your visa, you may face a 3-year re-entry ban, and the worst situation is any new visa you apply for will be refused.
If you have overstayed or did not comply with any visa conditions before, you can have a discussion with me by clicking here.
Reason #3: Inconsistent information or documents in your application
While we may think it is easy to apply ourselves and fill out a few application forms, ensuring no inconsistencies in your application is crucial.
What is the risk of an inconsistent tourist visa application, you may ask?
Should any inconsistency be found in your application, not only will your visa be refused, but you will not be allowed to appeal the refusal decision.
It requires a full attention to detail in ensuring the consistency of information and documents in your Tourist Visa application, which is hard work to do.
ONEderland Consulting, as a registered migration agent ensures that your application is 100% accurate and consistent before submission, as your application will go through several checking stages, including by me, the Principal Migration Agent before submitting your application.
Example of refusal letter based false and/or insufficient documents:
Reason #4: You come from a high risk country and apply for the wrong visa
The DHA will assess your visa application based on your origin country. If you come from a high-risk country, there is a high chance that your application will be rejected.
A high-risk country doesn’t necessarily mean that your country is dangerous. High-risk countries are listed based on the history of how many of its citizens disobeyed the Australian visa laws and regulations. Let’s say your country is on the list, it implies that many citizens of your country have violated the Australian visa laws and regulations.
If you come from a high-risk country, this article will guide you: Visitor Visa Application From High-Risk Country
Also, it is essential to research the type of visitor visa you are eligible for by consulting with a migration agent, as several different types are available, including Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) and eVisitor (subclass 651), which are specifically made for the low-risk country.
If your origin country is in the high-risk country list, and you mistakenly lodged one of these visa subclasses, your application will be refused.
Reason #5: False or Bogus Document and Information
False or bogus document refers to one that looks to be authentic but isn’t. A document that is forged, was altered by an unauthorised person, or was acquired by making fraudulent or deceptive claims.
Supplying your visa application with false and bogus documents will direct you to a refusal. And there’s a worst possibility that you will also receive a 3-year ban, which means you’re not allowed to enter the country or will be granted any visas for at least 3 years.
The DHA might not directly refuse your Tourist Visa application, but you have to comment on false or misleading information that the Department of Home Affairs found. And there will be a deadline that you must obey.
If you can’t provide any comments or if your reasons could not be accepted, your Australian Tourist Visa will be refused. And any chance of future applications will run a very high risk of refusal due to a history of providing false and misleading information. As it’s against the law to provide false or bogus documents.
Example of invitation to comment on misleading or false information or documents:
Reason #6: Fail to meet health requirements
Australia is a country with very high health standards.
To be granted an Australian Tourist Visa, you must satisfy the DHA that you do not pose a health condition that will be a risk to the Australian Public and community. Your health condition is usually assessed by the Medical Officer of Commonwealth (MOC) through the medical examination.
Suppose the MOC found that your health condition will likely threaten the public health or cost significant health care or community service. In that case, the MOC will advise the DHA. Later, the MOC and DHA will send you an email requesting you to comment on the health examination result and whether you could cover the healthcare expenses.
But, don’t worry. General health conditions such as a bad heart or diabetes will not prevent you from visiting Australia. Although these are considered as health conditions that require “significant healthcare and community service cost” but these are not Public Threat.
Meanwhile, the 6 conditions most commonly identified as “threats to public health” are:
- Measles outbreak;
- Tuberculosis;
- HIV and Hepatitis;
- Yellow Fever;
- Polio; and
- Ebola Virus Diseases (EVD)
If you have any of these diseases or have been exposed, you will be permitted to visit Australia once you have completed the recommended treatment and successful re-testing.
Or if you have a health condition that concerns you, this article about health waiver will help you, or call us for immediate advice.
Reason #7: Fail to meet Character requirements
Despite visiting Australia for a short time, your character background is still essential to assess.
The DHA needs to be aware of any criminal convictions you may have ever had, not just in Australia but in any country you have resided or visited.
Australian migration laws require all applicants to meet the character test and satisfy the DHA that they are law-abiding citizens.
It is a matter of public interest and safety that those permitted to visit, stay, or live in Australia will not pose a danger or become a threat to the community.
Failure to meet the character test or to provide the truth about any convictions you may have had in the past will result in your Australian Visitor Visa refusal.
To prove your character background, you can provide a Police Certificate from your home country and any other countries where you have lived for 12 months or more.
Example of translated national police clearance for character requirement:
What to Do to Avoid Australian Tourist Visa being Refused
You can do several things to prevent your Australian Tourist Visa application being refused, from the simple one, like ensuring your eligibility, to the complex one, like ensuring all information and documents are sufficient and consistent.
Some advice from me to avoid your Australian Tourist Visa being refused is:
- Ensure your eligibility before lodging your Australian Tourist Visa, and ensure you lodge the correct one. If it’s challenging to do by yourself, always look for professional assistance from a Registered Migration Agent;
- Double-check your application before lodging your Australian Tourist Visa. It is to avoid inconsistencies in your information or document;
- Provide as much evidence as possible to support all of your claims, including your ties to your home country, your financial capability, your travel plan in Australia, etc.
- Complete all requested information or documents within the timeline;
- Regularly check your online application so you won’t miss any deadlines or requests.
What Should You Do After Your Australian Tourist Visa Got Refused?
Once your Australian Tourist Visa gets refused, you can either re-apply for an Australian Tourist Visa or submit a review application to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).
If you decide to reapply for the Australian Tourist Visa after the refusal, you must ensure you can address all concerns and reasons behind it. If you can’t address any of those concerns or reasons, expect your Tourist Visa to be refused (again).
And about lodging a review application to the AAT, you can do it only if the refusal letter says you have the review right. And you must believe and have evidence that the decision was made incorrectly.
The AAT review can take a long time to process, which is around 11 to 14 months, depending on the case category. And as of January 2024, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal review application fee is AUD 3,374.
It’s quite cost and time consuming to lodge a review decision to the AAT. So, ensure that you 100% believe that the decision was made incorrectly and that you have strong evidence to tackle down all reasons behind your Australian Tourist Visa being refused.
I understand it isn’t easy to decide on one of these options, so I am here to give you the best assistance. Don’t risk your Australian Tourist visa application! Get in touch with me and my team to get the best solution.
The Migration Game Is Always Changing; We Are Always Prepared. No More Australian Visitor Visa being Refused, We Assist You To Get Your Visa Granted
It is also important to remember that Migration laws are constantly changing. That is why it’s best to consult with a registered migration agent, like ONEderland Consulting, as we are registered under Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA).
We are an experienced migration agent with immense knowledge of the complexity of the Australian Migration Law. We are in an excellent position to assist you and ensure you are not at risk of having your visa refused.
We can ensure you have the best chance of approval when applying for an Australian tourist visa.
We are based in Perth; but even if you don’t live in Perth, such as in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, or Adelaide, we can still assist with your Visa Refusal process.
Book an appointment with us now with 100% refund guarantee if you’re not satisfied with our service. We have a 98% success rate and experts in complex cases. We will assist you with your Australian Tourist Visa refused case. Call us or click below:
If you engage ONE derland Consulting to prepare your Visa application, we will assist you from the beginning to the end and make the process as easy as it should be and perform the following:
- We will provide a tailored document checklist to help you gather all required documentation.
- We will provide you with templates for letters, statements and affidavits.
- We will liaise with the Department of Home Affairs and Administrative Appeals Tribunal on your and your partner’s
- behalf, ensuring any information requests and deadlines are met on time, and we will provide a compelling submission along with the application, explaining compelling reasons to grant you an Australian Tourist Visa.
- We will also ensure the application is 100% bulletproof before submitting it.
ONEderland Consulting has more than 10 years of experience handling various cases of partner visas, whether for partner visa applications or partner visa refusal appeals. We are recognised as one of the highest-rated partner visa experts in Perth, with a 98% success rate. Read our 4.9* score customer reviews.
Take the first step and get in touch with us. Our team members are professional and honest and speak various languages, such as Mandarin/ Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, Arabic, Japanese, and Thai. Contact us through email at [email protected] or via phone at 1300 827 159. Alternatively, you may book your consultation online, and it is backed by our 100% Money Back Guarantee Program.
