Australian Visas for Event Participants:
The following information is provided by the Australian Immigration Department. Please note that this is shown for guidance only and the Conference Organisers accept no responsibility in relation to visa applications.
Visa applications:
Under Australia's universal visa system, all visitors to Australia must have a valid visa to travel to and enter Australia (other than New Zealand passport holders who will normally be granted a Special Category visa on arrival, provided they meet health and character requirements; and permanent residents of Norfolk Island who may be granted a Permanent Resident of Norfolk Island visa on arrival). For more information, see the fact sheet
All visitors should apply for a visa at least two months prior to their intended date of departure, and four months prior for people with character or health concerns.
Please note, the Australian Government has introduced The Biometrics in Visa Processing Outside Australia Program (the program) that introduces the collection of biometrics into the overseas visa application process. Please click here for more details on the program including the countries and Visa Subclasses affected
There are many visa options available to people wishing to visit Australia. The appropriate visa option will depend, amongst other things, on the person's purpose for visiting Australia.
Visas for specific purposes:
Please see the information below for guidance on the visa options that may be most suitable for your event participants.
NB: These are the visa options available presently but the Department reserves the right to change regulations.
Note: For the purposes of attending the above event, the participants may wish to consider applying for one of the following visas, based on their role at the event.
Conference (any type of conference)
1. eVisitor visa, ETA or Visitor (Subclass 600) visa in the business visitor stream – should be used by conference participants, unless they are being paid by an organiser in Australia for their participation.
2. Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) (Subclass 400) visa – should be used by those who are being paid by an organisation in Australia for their participation in a conference
For further information on visa options for Business events, please see the attached fact sheet.
NB: IECN assistance will NOT guarantee a visa grant. Visa applicants must demonstrate that they meet all the legislative requirements for an Australian visa.
For additional background relating to:
· Visas for people to come to Australia for tourism or business purposes
· Visas for people to come to Australia to undertake short-term, highly specialised work or to participate in non-ongoing cultural or social activities at the invitation of an Australian organisation
Health and character requirements
All visa applicants will be required to meet certain character and health requirements as part of their visa application process. These requirements exist to uphold the safety and security of the Australian community. The following links provide further information on these requirements, see: health-requirements and character-requirements
Where to lodge paper-based visa applications:
The department has Australian Visa Offices located around the world that are responsible for specific countries, regions or economies. Click here to find the responsible Australian Visa Office for each location, including details on how to lodge a paper-based visa application:
Service Delivery Partners (SDPs) that operate Australian Visa Application Centres (AVACs) and Australian Biometric Collection Centres (ABCCs) are also located in various countries. These centres provide visa application lodgement or biometric collection services on behalf of the department. Please click here to view a map locator with details for each SDP. Please note that visa applicants who lodge their applications through an Australian Visa Application Centre may need to pay a fee to use this service. This service fee is separate from the visa application charge.
