Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get my visa evidenced? / How do I get a label in my passport?
You do not need a visa label in your passport
From 1 September 2015, the Australian Government ceased issuing visa labels to holders of Australian visas. The Australian Government does not require visa holders to have a label in their passport to travel to, enter or remain in Australia.
Australian visas are issued and recorded electronically. Your visa is linked to your passport or ImmiCard through its unique identifying number.
When you receive your Australian visa you are issued with a visa grant notice (a letter) that explains the conditions of the visa including period of validity and entry requirements. You are advised to carry this visa grant notice for your own reference.
Australian visa holders can access their visa record through the department’s free Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service or the myVEVO mobile phone application.
You cannot use VEVO to check visa processing status or visa conditions for pending visa applications.
To learn more about VEVO click here: http://www.border.gov.au/vevo
To learn more about travelling without a visa label click here: http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Visa
I have my visa label in my old passport; can I travel with two passports?
The Australian Government does not require a person holding a valid Australian visa to have a label in their passport to travel to, enter or remain in Australia, however, if you have been issued with a new passport since your Australian visa was granted, you must notify the department of your change of passport details to ensure that your record is up-to-date.
If you do not provide us with the details of any new or additional passport you use to travel to Australia and you do not carry the old passport with you, you may experience significant delays at the airport and may be denied permission to board the plane.
If a valid visa of any kind is linked to an expired passport, it is possible to continue to use the visa until it expires, provided both the old and new passports are carried together when travelling to Australia.
To advise the department of a change in passport details use Form 929 Change of address and/or passport details . You can submit the completed form and a copy of your new passport to [email protected]
Please note that this advice does not apply to holders of ETAs. ETAs can no longer be used once a new passport has been issued. ETA holders will need to apply for a new ETA in their new passport.
How long must my passport be valid for?
It is not a mandatory requirement of the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) that a foreign national entering Australia has a passport valid for at least 6 months; it is only a recommendation. However, it is a requirement of DIBP that all non-Australian citizens wishing to enter Australia do have a valid passport and valid Australian visa on their date of entry to Australia.
Whilst DIBP does not enforce the 6-month passport validity rule, some airlines do, so you may wish to check with your airline before you book your flight.
Prospective marriage applicants who marry before a decision is made on your subclass 300 application:
If you marry before we make a decision on your subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa application, you will no longer be eligible for the 300 Prospective Marriage visa. You will need to upload the following information to ImmiAccount:
- evidence that your marriage is valid (registered marriage certificate issued by the relevant legal authority) and translation.
- a request in writing to be considered for a Partner visa (subclass 309) and Partner visa (subclass 100).
- a statement in writing telling us you want to withdraw your Prospective Marriage visa application. If you do not withdraw your application, it will be refused as you no longer meet the eligibility requirements for the visa.
Once this is received, we will process your application as a Partner (subclass 309) visa application
Request to review a decision to refuse a visa application.
The letter sent to you notifying you of the decision to refuse you the grant of a visa explained that no further assessment of the application can be made.
Information about whether there was any right of review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) was also provided with your decision notification letter. More information about lodging an application for merits review can be found on the AAT website: www.aat.gov.au
You should note that where the right to seek merits review exists there are strict time limits applicable and an application will not be accepted by the AAT after the expiry of this period.
If you are considering lodging a new visa application, it is important that you read and consider the reasons for your application refusal as it is unlikely that a different decision will be made on a subsequent application if the information provided by you is substantially the same as that provided previously.
Movement record requests
You should complete Form 1359 Request for international movement records and send a scanned copy of your passport bio data page to [email protected]