FAQs

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below provide information you may need to know before applying for aaVisa.

1. Why can I access Visas online?
2. How do I apply?
3. Do you have a passport from an eligible country?
4. What Visa categories can I access from this site?
5. Do I need Visas for my children?
6. Do I need to arrange my travel before applying for my Visa?
7. I’ve arranged my Visa so what next?
8. What is the service charge?
9. Is the payment process secure?
10. Is my personal information safe?
11. What is HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTPS)?
12. What can I do if I make a mistake in my application?
13. What happens if my application is refused, unsuccessful or I already have a Visa?
14. Does my Visa allow me to travel to New Zealand?
15. I have a Visa eligible passport but I am in a country that is not a Visa eligible approved country, can I still apply?
16. I am planning on travelling to Australia in about 4 months - should I apply for a Visa now?
17. I am planning to visit Australia for more than three months, what should I do?
18. I am in Australia on another visa so can I apply for one of your Visas to have a holiday here?
19. Can I just have a One Way ticket for travel to Australia?
20. I have not received my Official Australian Government Visa Notification or I need a copy of it, what should I do?
21. My Visa was not on the system when I checked-in at my departure point to Australia?
22. I have a criminal record but can I still apply for a Visa?
23. Did you issue my Visa?
24. Can I apply for a Long Validity Business visa over the Internet?
25. Can I get answers to other general visa, tourism or immigration questions from this site?
26. Who is DIAC?

If you require further information on other general matters including completing your online application, systems and technical information, please refer to our Help? section. Further information is also provided in the online application.

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Why can I access Visas online?

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All travellers to Australia with an eligible passport can apply online through this site for tourist/visitor or short-term business Visas (also known as Electronic Travel Authority or eVisitor Visas).

When your Visa is approved we email you the official Australian Government approval that includes all the information and conditions for your visit.

Your Visa information is also stored on Australian Government and other authorities systems where it is retrieved online by staff at exit or entry points to Australia, they will confirm you have a Visa and provide you with the authority to board, travel and enter Australia.

You will not be allowed to depart from your exit point or enter Australia without a valid Visa.

The Australian Government allows select companies, including eVisas to Australia Pty Ltd, to provide Visa issuing services to make it easy for travellers to Australia to obtain Visas online. This is achieved through smart use of technology, including the Internet, to access Australian Government and other authorities systems to issue Visas cost effectively and efficiently.

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How do I apply?

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You should apply for your Visa at least 24 hours before departure.

Provided you meet the Australian Government’s simple criteria to obtain a Visa, answer all the questions honestly and correctly in our simple 5 to 10 minute application process and pay by credit card (a receipt of this transaction is immediately emailed to you), your official Australian Government Visa confirmation will be emailed by us to you instantly or within 24 hrs, depending on time zones.

Provided you have arranged your Visa through us, you also have free 24/7 access online to your Visa (e.g. you lose the original whilst travelling you can print this out again), available through our Check Visa Status facility.

The service we provide has been successfully issuing Visas on behalf of the Australian Government since 2004. As a licensed travel agent and member of major industry associations: Australian Tourism Export Council, Pacific Asia Travel Association, National Business Travel Association and the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse and engaging with Tourism Australia and Australian State and Territory Tourism Organisations you know you are dealing with a professional and reputable company.

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Do you have a passport from an eligible country?

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Only applicants with a valid passport from one of the following approved countries can apply through this site for a Visa:

*Holders of a British National Overseas (BNO) passport are not eligible to apply for a Visa through this site.

If you do not have a passport on this list, refer to www.immi.gov.au for options.

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What Visa categories can I access from this site?

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Tourist/Visitor Visa (subclass 976):

If you are travelling for tourism or to visit friends or relatives, you should apply for this Visa.

This Visa is valid for multiple visits within 12 months from date of issue (or when your passport expires, whichever is sooner) for a maximum length of stay for each visit of three months.

Restrictions:

• You must not work.

Short Validity Business Visa (subclass 977):

If you are travelling for business meetings, conventions and conferences, you should apply for this Visa.

This Visa is valid for multiple visits within 12 months from date of issue (or when your passport expires, whichever is sooner) for a maximum length of stay for each visit of three months.

Restrictions:

• Work is not allowed; except for a very short period to undertake work not able to be done by any Australian citizen or permanent resident
• Not for acting, musical performances or commercial film making; in these cases, apply for an Entertainment visa. Refer: Entertainment visa (subclass 420)
• Generally, people seeking paid employment in Australia should apply for the Temporary Business Entry Long Stay (subclass 457) visa, or other appropriate class of visa. Refer: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/index.htm

Common restrictions to both Visa types are:

• You cannot apply for a Visa while you are in Australia
• You must be of good health and have no criminal convictions
• You must not overstay your visit, that is, you must depart Australia before your authorised stay period expires. If you do not, Australian law requires you be detained and/or removed from Australia. Overstaying may also affect your ability to acquire a future visa to Australia. Where exceptional circumstances arise while you are in Australia that requires a longer stay then three months, you must obtain another visa from an Australian Visa Office before the end of the three month period.

If you do not meet the above criteria, contact www.immi.gov.au for other visa options.

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My children are included on their mother's passport. How do I arrange Visas for them?

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Each child, regardless of age, will need a Visa. You need to enter the passport details exactly as for the parent, replacing the name, date of birth, sex and country of birth with the child’s details as they appear in the passport.

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Do I need a ticket before applying for a Visa?

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It is not necessary to have a trip already booked or hold an airline or cruise ship ticket before being issued with a Visa.

In fact, the Australian Government recommends you arrange your Visa before booking any part of your trip to ensure approval has been granted to visit Australia.

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I've received my Visa so what is required when booking my travel, accommodation, tours, etc or when I’m travelling to and in Australia?

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Although your Visa is stored on Australian Government and other authorities systems where it is retrieved online for future use, when travelling you should also retain a printed copy of your official Australian Government Visa confirmation we email to you.

Provided you have arranged your Visa through us, you have free 24/7 access online to your Visa (e.g. you lose the original whilst travelling you can print this out again), this is available through our Check Visa Status facility. You will need to use the same password we emailed to you in the payment Transaction Confirmation (ensure you copy and paste this to avoid errors), together with the email address you used to apply for your Visa.

If you did not obtain your Visa from us you will need to contact whoever arranged your Visa and they can make the enquiry for you.

If your Internet travel advisor, travel agent, airline or cruise ship operator has not arranged or cannot arrange your Visa, you can apply for your Visa through this site but this should be done at least 24 hours before departure.

If you have a Visa, ensure you advise your Internet travel advisor, travel agent, airline or cruise ship operator when booking your tickets. And, don’t forget it's important to take your passport with you.

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What is the service charge?

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The service charge covers our costs for providing Visas through our online service that's convenient, fast, simple, secure and open 24/7.

You also have free access anytime to our Check Visa Status facility.

Provided you meet the Australian Government’s simple criteria to obtain your Visa, answer all the questions honestly and correctly in our simple 5 to 10 minute application process and pay by credit card (a receipt of this transaction is immediately emailed to you), your official Australian Government Visa confirmation will be emailed by us to you instantly or within 24 hrs, depending on time zones.

If there is a problem with your application we will work on your behalf with DIAC to resolve, if we cannot resolve, we will advise you what to do next.

Our service charge is applied to recover the costs of running the service. As successful and unsuccessful applications use the same system resources our charge is non-refundable.

If we do not provide your Visa within 48hrs you will not be charged provided you have answered all questions honestly. Other refunds will be given at the discretion of company management.

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How do I pay for the service and is the payment process secure?

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Payment is only by credit card, processed immediately through WorldPay using the latest security protocols. Acceptable cards are Visa, Visa Delta, Visa Electron, MasterCard, American Express, Switch, Solo and JCB. A receipt for this transaction is immediately emailed to you.

Your credit card details are encrypted the moment they are transmitted by you and also encrypted when being transmitted through to the banking network. If your browser does not support the level of encryption required by this site, you will not be able to apply for a Visa.

We will hold your credit card details only for the duration of the transaction. Once payment has been completed and the application for your Visa has been finalised, your credit card details are deleted from our systems.

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Is my personal information safe?

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This site strictly complies and operates under the Australian Privacy Act so we are required to declare the use of any information we collect. We will only use your personal information for the purpose of arranging your Visa with limited audit information being stored on our secure servers with relevant firewall protections in place.

The full data on your application and Visa status will only be permanently stored on secure servers operated for DIAC in Australia.

Your information will not be supplied or sold to any third parties and any misuse of your personal information carries heavy penalties.

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What is HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTPS)?

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To ensure the security and privacy of your information, our site uses the HTTPS secure protocol for all transmissions of personal data between your browser and our site. This means your browser must be able to support HTTPS. Our site will attempt to establish a secure session using 128 bit encryption. If your browser does not support this level of encryption, then the session will not be established and you will not be able to submit an application for your Visa.

Specifically, the site will work with the following browsers:

• Netscape Navigator 6.0 or later
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later
• Mozilla Firefox
• Safari

If your browser does not support HTTPS, you should update your browser, the most recent versions of commonly used browsers can be downloaded free of charge from the websites of the suppliers.

If you cannot connect to the 'Apply' or 'Check Visa Status' components of our system from a site behind a firewall, it may be preventing the establishment of a secure connection. Please speak to your webmaster or Internet Service Provider to resolve this.

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What can I do if I make a mistake in my application?

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You will have the opportunity to review all the details you have provided in your application on your screen and can change the details at any time until you confirm all your details are correct.

If you have made an error, it is important that you correct it before proceeding to the payment stage. Once you have submitted your application and paid by credit card it will immediately be debited for our service charge.

If you find out later that you have made an error, you will need to make a new application but this will incur another service fee charge.

Our service charge is applied to recover the costs of running the service. As successful and unsuccessful applications use the same system resources our charge is non-refundable.

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What happens if my application is refused, unsuccessful or I already have a Visa?

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If you apply and the system determines you already have a current Visa with a longer period of stay than the Visa you are applying for, or your current visa has work rights or residency rights, you will not be granted a new Visa.

Our service charge is applied to recover the costs of running the service. As successful and unsuccessful applications use the same system resources our charge is non-refundable.

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Does my Visa allow me to travel to New Zealand?

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The Visas we provide have a multiple entry facility; you can enter Australia as many times as necessary within the validity of your Visa. Provided you have a valid visa for New Zealand (or are exempt), you can travel to New Zealand from Australia and then return as long as your Visa remains valid.

However, your Visa for Australia cannot be used to enter New Zealand. You will need to arrange a separate visa. Refer http://www.immigration.govt.nz/.

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I have a Visa eligible passport but I am in a country that is not a Visa eligible passport approved country, can I still apply?

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From the Australian Government perspective there is no problem. Provided you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply from anywhere in the world. You should check with local authorities to ensure they do not require a visa label or official stamp in your passport to prove that you have authority to depart to enter Australia.

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I'm planning on travelling to Australia in about 4 months - should I apply for a Visa now?

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This depends on your personal circumstances and preferences. Your Visa is valid for multiple visits within 12 months from the date of issue (or when your passport expires, whichever is sooner) for a maximum length of stay for each visit of three months.

You can apply for your Visa at any time and, provided you arrive in Australia within your Visa validity period with the same passport you used to apply for your Visa, you may apply for the Visa in advance. However, you should be aware that you will need to apply for a new Visa if your passport expires and you are issued with a new passport.

But, don't leave it until the last minute, please remember to arrange your Visa at least 24 hours before departure.

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I am planning to visit Australia for more than three months, what should I do?

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I am in Australia on another visa so can I apply for one of your Visas to have a holiday here?

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No. You can only apply for one of our Visas when you are outside of Australia. For more information contact your nearest DIAC Regional Office.

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Can I just have a One Way ticket for travel to Australia?

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Because Australia is a distant land, airlines and cruise ship operators require every traveller to have an ongoing ticket so that they do not get stranded in Australia and overstay their Visa.

Although DIAC does not require a visitor to have an ongoing ticket, they usually need evidence you have sufficient funds to continue on your journey, so it is much easier to have an ongoing ticket to avoid any problems to enter Australia.

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I have not received my Official Australian Government Visa Notification or I need a copy of it, what shall I do?

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Please check your other inboxes for the original Official Visa Notification email we sent to you, including junk mail and anti-virus inboxes. Otherwise, your server and firewall settings could be preventing us from sending to your email address (e.g. orange.net, rr.com, uaa.alaska.edu, hsbc.ca, clear.net.nz, us.army.mil, tm.net.my, planet.nl, msn.com, etc). If so, you will need to advise us of an alternative email address. This is not desirable, so it’s important you initially provide us with an email address that you know will go back to you.

Provided you have arranged your Visa through us, you have free 24/7 access online to your Visa (e.g. you lose the original whilst travelling you can print this out again), this is available through our Check Visa Status facility. You will need to use the same password we emailed to you in the payment Transaction Confirmation (ensure you copy and paste this to avoid errors), together with the email address you used to apply for your Visa.

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My Visa was not on the system when I checked-in from my departure point to Australia?

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If a Visa is issued in under 24 hours before departure, there are some minor occasions when it does not register on the check-in reservation systems so they have no record of your Visa.

This delay can occur due to the time it may take Government authorities to upload your Visa information into the check-in reservations systems.

This is why you should travel with a printed copy of your official Australian Government Visa confirmation we email to you. If you do not have a copy, you have free 24/7 access online to your Visa, this is available through our Check Visa Status facility.

Remember, you should arrange your Visa at least 24 hours before you arrive at your departure point to Australia so it has time to be recorded into the check-in reservation systems.

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I have a criminal record but can I still apply for a Visa?

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No, refer to www.immi.gov.au for other options.

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Did you issue my Visa?

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If we are unable to find a record of your Visa it’s unlikely it was issued through us.

If you did obtain your Visa through us please forward the 5 digit Application ID/Merchant reference number we originally provided to you when confirming your Visa to info@evisastoaustralia.com so we can follow up your enquiry.

If you have a reference number 5637699 or similar it's likely you have used another service provider for your Visa so you will need to contact whoever arranged it for you.

The alternative is to reapply through us to either confirm the existence of your current Visa or we will issue you with a new Visa but another service charge will apply.

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Can I apply for a Long Validity Business visa over the Internet?

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If you require a Long Validity Business visa, refer to www.immi.gov.au

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Can I get answers to other general visa, tourism or immigration questions from this site?

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If it is not one of our Visas you require, you will need another visa, refer to www.immi.gov.au

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Who is DIAC?

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The Department of Immigration And Citizenship (DIAC) is the government department in Australia responsible for managing entry of people to Australia, the successful settlement of migrants and refugees enabling them to participate equitably in society, and promotion of the benefits of citizenship and cultural diversity.

Part of this responsibility is processing and deciding applications for visas for travel to Australia. A more detailed description of DIAC's roles and structure can be found on the DIAC website.

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