What Are the Requirements for Australian Immigration in 2019?

Officially called the Commonwealth of Australia, Australia is the largest country in Oceania and the 6th largest in the world in terms of land area. With immigrants accounting for 29 percent of the country’s population, it is home to the 9th largest population of immigrants in the world. Australian English is the most popular language in this country. And there are more than 10,000 beaches in Australia, which you would find fascinating and captivating. The country is highly ranked in terms of health, quality of life, economic freedom, education, and other positive indices. In this post, we’ll be explaining the requirements for Australian immigration in 2019.

Australian Visa Types

Australian visas come under the conventional categories, which consists of the available types of Australian visa. The categories are 2: the short-term visas as well as the work visas. The visa types in the table below are classified under one of the 2 categories.

Let’s now discuss the 2 categories of Australian visa types:

Short-Term Visas

As you can deduce from the name, they are visa types issued for a short period of time, which is usually between 3–6 months. Short-term visas are typically issued to tourists, visitors, persons travelling for businesses, including those that are traveling through Australia. Such visas include the following:

• Visitors Visa: With this visa, you can gain entry into Australia for visits, business activities for a duration that is up to 3, 6 or 12 months. Please, bear in mind that you are not allowed to make use of this visa for work-related purposes because there is another visa that is suitable for work.
• eVisitor: eVisitor is a free visa that you would apply for if you’re an eligible passport holder of countries outside Australia, and wish to visit Australia for business, tourism, or to work.
• Electronic Travel Authority (ETA): ETA is the kind of visa issued for short-term visits for either tourism or business purposes. However, it is exclusively available to passport holders from select countries, location, or region. The majority of such visas are issued on the Internet between the Australian Department of Immigration as well as specialist service providers, travel agents, or airlines.
• Transit Visa

Work Visas

Work Visas are primarily issued for persons with a particular skill set that is high in demand in Australia, and the Government of the country or a major employer wants you to come over. You must take the following steps to be eligible for the visa:

• Submit an application for a skill select visa:  By submitting an “Expression of Interest” (EOI) via skill select, if you are a skilled worker or a businessperson who would like to migrate to Australia, you will be considered for a skilled visa. An EOI indicates your interest to be considered for a skilled visa and should not to be mistaken for an Australian visa application.
• Apply for temporary work (skilled) visa: When you submit an application for a temporary work visa, you have indicated an interest in travelling to Australia to work for an approved employer in a nominated occupation for up to a period of 10 years.

The above-mentioned Australian visa types are further subdivided into different categories and specifications. To learn more about other visa types as well as their requirements, check the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website.

Requirements to Apply for Australian Visa

To apply for Australian visas, you must first fulfil the Australian character requirements, where you would be required to provide evidence that you have no criminal record which has put you behind bars for at least a year. You might be asked to tender a police certificate to back this claim.

Other than these, listed below are key documents that will form part of the requirements for your Australia visa application:

• A Nigerian passport (either 32 or 64 pages) with at least 6 months of validity period remaining
• A 45 by 35mm colored passport sized with a white background and taken recently
• Photocopies of your ID card as well as passport
• Medical check report
• A duly filled visa application Form 157A (for only Australian student visa applicants
• Employment letter
• Itinerary
• Hotel reservation
• Bank statement
• Tax clearance
• Letter of Introduction
• Marriage certificate
• Children birth certificate (if any)
• Family pictures
• Proof of ownership

The majority of the documents, which are listed above, cut across all the various Australian visa types. You would need to supply additional documents depending on your visa type.

How to Apply for Australian Visa

Online Method

• Go to ImmiAccount.to sign up
• Fill the online application form supplying the necessary details
• Input your passport details
• Scan all required documents and attach them
• The next thing is, submitting your application
• Present your biometric data at VAC (visa application center)

Offline Method

• Download the Australian Visa Application form (Form 1419) and fill it
• Have all required documents handy to support your visa application
• Arrange an appointment at the visa application center
• Pay in cash for your Australian visa application
• Present your biometric data at VAC

To make the payment for your Australian visa, there are 2 ways you can use: You can either do this in cash at the visa application center or at the bank using your credit card via the ImmiAccount. After paying, you will then be issued a receipt. This will serve as the only proof for the transaction.

Where to Apply For Your Visa

These are the addresses and locations of Australia Visa Application Center in Nigeria: