How to apply for a visa to travel to Australia

What you need to know to apply for a visa to Australia for tourism or business trip, what to pay attention to more likely to get approval, and what to do in case of failure - a specialist in Australian immigration law divides helpful information.

Natalya Dyachenko

A graduate of the Australian immigration law, MARA registered agent. MARN number: 1460820.

Australia, despite its distance from other continents, is a popular enough country among tourists from all over the world: about 5 million people annually visit it.

To visit Australia all tourists, without exception, require a visa. On September 1, 2015 all visa in Australia Electronic and nothing is pasted passport. check the availability of visas at the airport through online access to the database of the Department of Immigration passport number.

There are several subclasses of tourist visas. So, for the citizens of some countries (European Union, USA, Canada), there are two subclasses of visas with simplified procedures for receiving.

For the citizens of the CIS and other countries, there is only one subclass visa - subclass 600. In such a visa, there are three subspecies:

• visa guest or travel;
• visa for a business trip;
• Visitor visa sponsored by a relative.

Visa guest or tourist, It designed for tourist purposes of study (no more than 3 months), as well as visiting friends and relatives living in Australia. This is the most common subtype of this visa.

An application for a visa must be submitted online through the service Immiaccount.

To obtain a visa you need to explain where and with what resources you will be living in Australia. If you plan to live with a relative or friend, ask him to write a letter of invitation.

Business visa designed for short visits, business-related, for example, for a trip to the negotiations. The statement served the same way as in the case of a visitor's visa.

Guest-sponsored visa can sponsor only relatives who are citizens or residents of Australia, not living here at least 2 years with a permanent visa: parent, child, spouse or de facto partner, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece.

The groom, the bride, parents of the spouse can not sponsor this visa.

The first and third subspecies visa is often confused with each other, so as in the conventional design of a visitor's visa can be invited by a relative. However, there are fundamental differences: under the sponsorship for the third subspecies of this visa is meant not simply a letter, and legal, commitments and guarantees made by the relative. Also, the Immigration Department may request the relative amount of bail from 5 000 to 15 000 Australian dollars as a guarantee that the applicant will leave Australia in accordance with the terms of the visa.

Statements on visas sponsored by a relative, can also be made online or mailed to the office of the Immigration Department in Sydney or Brisbane. We consider these statements are always in Australia (Queensland and New South Wales).

Of course, the sponsorship has more weight than an invitation. Accordingly, the probability of obtaining a visa above.

Now let's talk about the most important aspect of the design guest and tourist visas - their approval. Unfortunately, the recent increase in the denial of guest and tourist visas for citizens of the CIS.

So I want to share information about what draws the attention of the Immigration Department when considering visas of this subclass.

The first officer of the Department is trying to determine how likely it is that the applicant will return back to the country of permanent residence. The officer compares the relation of the applicant in Australia and in the country of residence.

1. Relatives. Do you have family in the applicant's country of residence. If you have relatives in Australia, it turns out, the country in which family ties stronger. For example, the spouse (s) and children in the country of residence will be a guarantee that you will return. A large number of relatives in Australia can play as an argument in your favor.
2. Job. Permanent high-paying job in the country of residence would be a big plus. Lack of work will be minus when considering your application.
3. Financial position. The availability of money in a bank account is a positive fact. The higher the amount, the better. The lack of own resources can be seen as a motivation to work illegally in Australia and is a disadvantage to the applicant.
4. Real estate and other assets. Availability of real estate and other assets have a positive impact on the application and the applicant is seen as an additional motivation to return to the country of residence.
5. Previous trips. It should provide evidence of any trips abroadEspecially in countries with high living standards, such as the EU, US, UK, Canada.
6. The situation in the country of residence. If the permanent residence of the applicant the unfavorable situation in the country - a natural disaster, crisis, military conflict - it will have a negative effect on the decision.
7. Contradictory information or false statement. In compiling the application, please note that the Immigration Department stores all the information that you have ever passed or reported in an interview with his representatives. Any information that is contrary to this you earlier, as well as uncover any lies will have a serious negative impact on the application.

During consideration of the application of the Immigration Department officer will first look at the documents that provided the applicant with his application.

Also, the officer can double-check the information. For example, a call to the employer of the applicant indicated in the statement, and ask whether such a person is working in this company.

During consideration of the application may call an officer to the applicant and to conduct a telephone interview.

In this case, the main thing - keep calm and answer all the questions in accordance with what you have specified in the application and supporting documents. If everything in your statement is true, you do not have to worry about.

Unfortunately, even if everything is done correctly, there is always the probability of obtaining a visa waiver. Rejection comes by e-mail in the form of letters. Usually, the officer shall give reasons for refusal.

The refusal of a visa does not prevent you to apply for a visa to Australia in the future.

For applicants who have applied for a tourist, a visitor's visa or a visa for a business trip, the only option in case of failure - to apply again. Of course, to apply several times with the same set of circumstances and documents - this is not the best strategy. It is necessary to analyze the causes of failure and try to eliminate them.

For applicants, sponsored family members from Australia, it may be possible review of the decision at the Migration tribunal Australia. If such a possibility, it is usually stated in the text of the refusal.