Visas and migration - Australian High Commission

Australian High Commission

Singapore

High Commission address: 25 Napier Rd, Singapore - Telephone: 6836 4100 - Fax: 6737 5481

Visas, Migration and Citizenship

Lodging an Application in Singapore

Since 25 March 2013, all applicants who were previously required to lodge their applications at the Australian High Commission should now lodge their visa applications and citizenship by descent applications at the Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) (details below).

Note that Electronic Travel Authorities (ETA) and all other online applications remain available online and are not handled by the AVAC. For ETA Frequently Asked Questions, see the FAQ link at the bottom of this page.:

Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC)
Equity Plaza, 20 Cecil Street #11-02/05
Singapore 049705
Ph: +65 66929871
Email: info.ausg@vfshelpline.com
Website: www.vfsglobal.com/australia/singapore

The opening of the AVAC in Singapore is consistent with the many Australian Visa Application Centres already operating globally. The AVAC provides more convenient access to Australian immigration services for clients through greater access to information, improved facilities, extended service hours and a more convenient location.

Applicants applying at the AVAC will also benefit from an online application tracking facility, and for a small additional fee, tracking by SMS notification.

Note that although applications are lodged at the AVAC, all applications will continue to be assessed and decided at the Australian High Commission. AVAC staff have no involvement in assessments or decisions.

While applications can still be lodged at the Australian High Commission by mail or by leaving completed applications in the drop box at the guard house (with credit card details), the High Commission is not able to offer the faster service standards or facilities provided by lodging applications through the AVAC.

Applicants who require interviews (eg. Partner Migration) will also benefit from the AVAC’s ability to pre-schedule interview appointments at the High Commission. This facility is not available for applications sent directly to the High Commission.

Expectations

WHAT AVAC and DIAC STAFF CAN DO FOR YOU
• Help guide you to where you can find the latest information for you to decide what visa best suits your purposes
• Guide you to the relevant checklist that relates to the visa/application you have chosen to apply for
• Explain the application process to you
• Run through the checklist with you at lodgement
• Assist you with other value-added services related to your application

WHAT STAFF CANNOT DO
• Tell you what visa you should be applying for
• Help you complete your application
• Tell you what answers to provide in your application
• Advise you of the likely outcome of your application

WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR STAFF
• Provide clear information about your objective in seeking a visa for Australia (eg. to work, study, tour, migrate)
• Read the relevant checklist before applying
• Provide complete applications in accordance with the relevant checklist
• Show respect and courtesy, as will our staff when speaking with you

Visa and Citizenship Information

Travellers of all nationalities, except citizens of Australia and New Zealand, will need to obtain a visa to travel to Australia. Some visas are able to be applied for online, while others need to be made at the AVAC in Singapore.

If you do not know what type of visa you may be seeking, a good starting point is the “Finding a Visa” link in the main Department of Immigration and Citizenship website. This site will guide you and lead you to detailed visa information, and includes a self-guided “Visa Wizard”.

If you have a reasonable idea of what type of visa suits your purposes, and you are planning on making an application in Singapore, you can access locally produced information about lodgement and application requirements in the AVAC website. The AVAC website includes information on all applications that can be lodged in Singapore, including:

• Visitor Visas (tourism and business)
• Transit Visas
• Medical Treatment Visas
• Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) Visas
• Temporary Work (Long Stay) Visas
• Student Visas
• Resident Return Visas
• Migration Visas (Partnet/Child/Other Family)
• Registration of Australian Citizenship by Descent

IMPORTANT NOTE

THE AVAC website INCLUDES ALL APPLICATION FORMS AND ALL CHECKLISTS FOR THE ABOVE APPLICATION TYPES. YOU SHOULD READ THE RELEVANT CHECKLIST FULLY - APPLICATIONS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE ALL THE INFORMATION DESCRIBED IN THE CHECKLIST WILL MOST LIKELY NOT BE FINALISED WITHIN THE PUBLICISED SERVICE STANDARD. IT IS THE APPLICANTS' RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE AT TIME OF LODGEMENT, AS PER THE CHECKLISTS.

Australian Citizenship

The only citizenship applications that can be lodged in Singapore (at the AVAC) are applications for Registration of Australian Citizenship by Descent.

All other types of citizenship application (for example, grant of citizenship, renunciation of citizenship, resumption of citizenship and evidence of citizenship) must be lodged in Australia. For details:

See: http://www.citizenship.gov.au

Application Forms and Fees

All visa applicants must submit the correct form and fee when applying for a visa or Australian citizenship. Forms and local fee information (in SGD) are available at the Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) and through their website. For a full list of official forms:

See: www.immi.gov.au/allforms

Methods of Payment

Full details of payments methods are included in the AVAC website. You should note that payment is by cash or bank draft - unfortunately credit card payments are not available for the moment.

Health Requirements and Medical Examinations

Detailed information regarding health requirements for visa applicants is explained thoroughly on the main website:

See: www.immi.gov.au/allforms/health-requirements

Medical examinations conducted overseas are only acceptable if conducted by approved panel doctors. A panel doctor is a doctor or a radiologist who has been appointed by the Australian Government to perform medical examinations on visa applicants who have applied from outside Australia. For a list of Australian approved Panel Doctors.

See: http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/panel-doctors

Not all applications require a medical examination. You should not have a visa medical examination until you have been formally requested to do so by the Australian High Commission or other office processing your application.

Character Requirement

In some cases, you may be required to provide penal clearances to meet our character requirement from countries in which you have resided for 12 months or more during the last ten years. For further information on how and where to obtain these clearances

See: www.immi.gov.au/allforms/character-requirements

Label-Free Travel

All visa grants are recorded electronically, and a visa label is not required to be placed in your passport. For more information on label-free travel, see What if I want a visa label in my passport? in the Frequently Asked questions link below.

Check Your Own Visa Status and Entitlement Online - VEVO

The Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system is a free online service that gives holders of Australian visas, employers and other registered organisations easy and quick access to visa entitlements and status information, 24 hours a day.

Holders of current and valid Australian visas can use VEVO to see their visa entitlements. Organisations including employers, migration agents, education providers and government agencies can use VEVO to see a visa holder’s entitlement and status information. Organisation users need to provide a reason and a valid Australian Business Number to register for VEVO. They also need to obtain the permission of the visa holder before they conduct an entitlement or status check through VEVO.

A number of improvements have recently been made to VEVO to make the system easier to use and more secure for clients:

• VEVO Email, a tool that lets visa holders send a copy of their visa entitlements to third parties directly from VEVO itself. This means the email goes to the third party from the department, helping to reassure the receiver that the entitlements are verified by the us.
• PDF Export, allowing holders of Australian visas to save and/or print a copy of their entitlements for their records or to provide as evidence.
• New Client Location functionality, which will display a visa holders current location (i.e. onshore or offshore) on a VEVO. This is important as some Australian visa entitlement s change if the visa holder has entered Australia.

For VEVO User Tip Sheets, click here and here.

New Post Study Work Arrangements

New post-study work arrangements for certain international students came into effect from 23 March 2013 and are available through a new stream of the existing Temporary Skilled – Graduate visa (subclass 485). For full details:

See: www.immi.gov.au/students/_pdf/2011-post-study-work.pdf
See also: www.immi.gov.au/students/knight/_pdf/temp-graduate-485-visa.pdf

Skilled Migration and SkillSelect

On 1 July 2012 there were important changes introduced to our skilled migration program. Central to these changes was the launch of SkillSelect, an online service that allows intending migrants to submit an expression of interest (EOI) for skilled migrant visa subclasses without having to lodge or pay for an application in advance.

An EOI is not the same as a visa application. It is an indication that you would like to be considered for skilled migration to Australia. By using SkillSelect, you could be nominated for a skilled visa by an Australian employer or a state or territory government, or you could be invited by the Australian government to lodge a visa application. SkillSelect streamlines the visa application process and improves the employment prospects of skilled migrants.

For more information about SkillSelect go to www.skillselect.gov.au

Updating New Passport Details, Requesting a Copy of Travel Records, and Requesting Visa Cancellation

Please see these topics under the Frequently Asked Questions link below.

Client Service

'People Our Business' - we are continually striving to improve our client services. Feedback and suggestions are welcome. Details of our Client Service Charter, which also outlines service standards for visa processing, can be accessed on-line

See: Client Services Charter
See: Client Feedback (Compliments and Complaints)

Fraudulent Documents

The Australian High Commission regularly undertakes verification of supporting information and documents lodged in support of visa and citizenship applications including but not limited to financial statements, evidence of employment, educational qualifications and identity documents. Applicants who provide fraudulent documents (including genuine documents obtained fraudulently) or false information may have their visa applications refused or visas cancelled.

Protect Yourself Against Scams

For information to help protect yourself against Migration Fraud including email and internet scams please read the following information.

See: www.immi.gov.au/migration-fraud

Migration Agents

Before engaging a migration agent, we recommend you read the following information and watch the linked video clip.

See: Information about migration agents operating outside Australia
See: You Tube -Don't get caught out
See also: www.mara.gov.au

Frequently Asked Questions

See: Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Us

If you have already checked the AVAC website for information and lodgement procedures, and cannot locate the information you need, you may contact the Immigration Section at the Australian High Commission. The preferred method of contact is by email, so that staff can research your circumstances and provide you a full response as necessary: immigration.singapore@dfat.gov.au