Visa Information

INTERNATIONAL DELEGATE VISA INFORMATION

Please note that all travellers to Australia must have a valid visa before boarding their plane. Travellers to Australia cannot apply for a visa on arrival, with the exception of New Zealand and Norfolk Island passport holders, who will be issued a visa on arrival in Australia.

All international event participants should review the following information carefully. There are currently 3 possible visa options for adult event participants and the appropriate visa to apply for will depend on their country of passport.

IMPORTANT: To assist with your VISA application, the Organising Committee has created a template for you to produce your letter of invitation. If you are a presenter, please click on “Presenter – Letter of Invitation” and if you are a delegate, please click on “Delegate – Letter of Invitation” below.

We strongly advise all participants to apply for a visa at least 6-8 weeks in advance of their intended date of travel.

VISA TYPES

1. eVisitor

Event participants with passports and a working email address (to communicate with the Department) from any of the following EU or European ETA-eligible countries or locations can apply for an eVisitor visa:

Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City.

You can apply online, free of charge, at: www.immi.gov.au

NB: in some cases, applicants applying for online visas are referred to an Australian visa office for additional processing.

These visas are label-free and provide a stay of up to 3 months in Australia within a 12 month period. eVisitor visa holders are permitted to attend an event (several) and to partake in general tourism activities.

2.Business (Short Validity) ETA (subclass 977)

Event participants with passports from any of the following ETA-eligible countries or locations can apply for a Business (Short Validity) Electronic Travel Authority (ETA):

Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei*, Canada*, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (SAR)*, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan*, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia*, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino*, Singapore*, South Korea*, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (resident and applying from Taipei)*, United Kingdom - British Citizen, USA, Vatican City.

All Passport holders from countries above can apply at participating airlines, travel agents, or an Australian visa office overseas: www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/index.htm The ETA can also be applied for through many travel agencies and they may choose to impose a fee to travellers, for this service.

Passport holders from countries marked with (*) can apply online at : www.eta.immi.gov.au A service charge of AUD$20 applies to online applications.

NB: in some cases, applicants applying for online visas are referred to an Australian visa office for additional processing.

These visas are label-free and provide a stay of up to 3 months in Australia within a 12 month period. ETA visa holders are permitted to attend an event (several) and to partake in general tourism activities.

3. Business (Short Stay) visa (subclass 456)

If you do not hold a passport from one of the above EU or ETA-eligible countries, you will need to apply for a Business (Short Stay) visa at the closest Australian visa office to their current place of residence.

You will require the following for your application:

Subclass 456 visa holders are permitted to attend an event (or several) and to partake in general tourism activities. Subclass 456 visa holders are also advised to note any visa conditions, as may be stipulated on their visa label.

VISA ASSISTANCE

To assist all subclass 456 visa applicants, the Conference office will supply The International Event Coordinator Network (IECN) of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) the personal details and registration payment confirmation of all registered delegates. The IECN will notify the relevant overseas posts and request facilitation of the applicants' visa processing, if possible.

All subclass 456 visa applicants for events should note that event registration does not guarantee visa grant. In order to be granted a visa to visit Australia, a subclass 456 visa applicant must demonstrate that they meet all the legislative requirements for visa grant, including meeting the health and character checks. Visa processing is stringent and subclass 456 visa applicants are advised, in the current global situation, to apply for a visa well in advance (6-8 weeks) of their intended date of travel.

RELEVANT WEBSITES

Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC): www.immi.gov.au

Available on DIAC's Internet website is a wealth of helpful information about Australian missions overseas, how to apply for visas and further information on visa applications, Customs clearance, Quarantine regulations, health issues, arrival and departure and more.

World Index: http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas.htm

The DIAC World Index provides a list of all Australian immigration offices outside of Australia by country and by city. The information is regularly updated and includes:

DIAC highly recommends that all intending visitors to Australia access the www.immi.gov.au/visitors internet site. The site contains an Australian Government Guide to Visiting Australia: