FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
I want to migrate to Australia as a skilled migrant? Do I have the the skills Australia needs?
SkillSelect is now live
SkillSelect is an online service where skilled workers interested in migrating to Australia can record their details through an Expression of Interest (EOI).
An EOI is not the same as a visa application. It is an indication that you would like to apply for a skilled visa.
There is no fee to submit an EOI.
By using SkillSelect you could be found and nominated for a skilled visa by Australian employers or state and territory governments, or you could be invited by the Australian Government to lodge a visa application.
SkillSelect will shorten the time taken to process visa applications and improve the employment prospects of skilled migrants.
More information about SkillSelect is available at www.border.gov.au
I need to undertake a medical examination. How do I do this?
Health Requirements And Medical Examinations
Detailed information regarding health requirements for visa applicants is explained thoroughly on the Immigration website
See: www.border.gov.au/allforms/health-requirements/
Medical examinations conducted overseas are generally only acceptable if conducted by 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 Embassy approved Panel Doctors.
See: http://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Pane/Pane/Useful-resources/panel-doctors-directory
When do I visit a Panel doctor?
You should not have your visa medical examination until you have been formally requested to do so by the office processing your visa application.
Do I visit both a Panel doctor and a radiologist?
In most cases, you should attend a Panel doctor first and, if an x-ray is required, the Panel doctor will refer you to a Panel radiologist. In some cases, however, you will be advised by the department that only a radiological examination is required for your visa application. In these instances, the department will supply you with a list of Panel radiologists.
Referrals
In some countries, you may need a referral from a doctor to make an appointment with a radiologist.
Note: If you are advised that only a radiological examination is required for your visa application, you do not need to attend a Panel doctor to obtain a referral.
How do I obtain a police certificate in order to meet the Character requirements for my visa?
CHARACTER REQUIREMENTS
To meet our character requirement, you may be required to provide penal clearances from countries you have resided in for 12 months or more during the last ten years cumulatively.
For further information on where to obtain these clearances
See: http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Char
My sponsor arrived as an Illegal Maritime Arrival. What does this mean for the processing of my visa?
On 19 December 2013 the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection issued new processing priorities within the Family stream of the migration programme.
Family stream visa applications sponsored by permanent visa holders who arrived in Australia as illegal maritime arrivals (IMAs) will now be given the lowest processing priority. This means their applications will not be processed for several years.
For full information please visit:
http://www.border.gov.au/Lega/Lega/Form/Immi-FAQs/how-does-the-new-processing-priority-work
Do I need a visa label in my passport to travel to Australia?
No, Australian visas are recorded electronically.
You do not need a visa label in your passport to travel to, enter or stay in Australia.
While most countries accept travellers without an Australian visa label in their passport, it is your responsibility to check with the relevant government authorities regarding specific exit or transit requirements. The Australian Government cannot advise on other countries’ requirements.
Some foreign governments recommend that you carry your visa grant notification letter and travel itinerary when you travel.
How do I check my visa conditions before I travel?
Your electronic visa details are linked to the passport information you gave us in your application. To login to VEVO, you will need your passport and personal information, plus one of the following:
• a Transaction Reference Number (TRN) – we give you a TRN if you applied for your visa online
• a visa grant number – you can find this on your visa grant notification letter
• if you have an existing visa label in your passport, you can use the visa evidence number from the label.
For more information see:
Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)
How will my visa be checked at the airport?
Airlines that fly to Australia must provide details of all passengers to Australia’s immigration and customs authorities ahead of their arrival in Australia.
When you check-in for your flight to Australia, airline staff will use your passport details to check if you have a valid visa to travel to Australia before allowing you to board the aircraft. This typically only takes seconds to complete. This is completed electronically and there is no need for a visa label in your passport.
For more information see: http://www.border.gov.au/Lega/Lega/Form/Immi-FAQs/visa-label-evidence-sticker
What if I still need a visa label?
It is Australian Government policy to charge for visa labels. You can only request and pay for a visa label if you have a current Australian visa. The cost for a visa label is called the Visa Evidence Charge.
Refer to Fees and charges for visas for the current Visa Evidence Charge.
To request a visa label you must have a current passport and use Form 1045 Visa label request and payment form.
For further details please check: http://www.border.gov.au/Lega/Lega/Form/Immi-FAQs/visa-label-evidence-sticker
What do I do if I am residing in Syria? Do I need to make special arrangements to travel once my visa is granted?
Generally the Syrian Government requires all clients departing Syria to have an exit permit or a visa label in their passports. Syrian clients will be provided with a Facilitation Letter outlining the details of their Visa Grant Notice. Please take the Facilitation letter with you when you travel to Australia as you may be required to show this document on check-in and at any transit stops en route to Australia.
Many clients have been able to travel to Australia with these two documents, without a visa label. You have a choice whether you travel to Australia using these two documents or you would like an Australian visa label in your passport.
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection is on YouTube. For video clips about various topics
See: www.youtube.com/user/ImmiTV