Visas and Migration
The Department of Home Affairs in the Australian High Commission Suva manages visa services for clients in:
American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Nauru, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna Islands.
Travel restrictions
Travel restrictions to Australia are currently in place. You cannot come to Australia unless you are in an exempt category or you have been granted an individual exemption to the current travel restrictions. Updates to Australia's immigration and border arrangements during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, including information about travel exemptions, can be found here: COVID-19 and the border
Seasonal Worker Program
The Australian Government’s Seasonal Worker Program assists employers in the agriculture and accommodation sectors to fill employment gaps unable to be met by the Australian workforce. It also contributes to the economic development of seasonal workers from nine participating Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.
To find out more about Seasonal Worker Program visas, visit: Seasonal Worker Program
We strongly discourage clients engaging with agents who claim to be able to assist with lodgement or processing of these visas. If you are approached by an agent in relation to these visas, please advise the Australian High Commission here: Contact us
Fiji citizens seeking to participate as a seasonal worker should contact the Fijian Ministry for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations: www.employment.gov.fj
Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme
The Australian Government’s Pacific Labour Scheme helps address workforce shortages in rural and regional Australia. Australian businesses are currently employing workers from Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu in low and semi-skilled roles.
To find out more about Pacific Labour Scheme visas, visit: Pacific Labour Scheme
Changes to Australian visa processing in Vanuatu
From 13 December 2021, the Department of Home Affairs will start collecting biometrics from people in Vanuatu who are applying for a visa to Australia. Biometrics are collected through a quick and easy process that captures a photograph of your face and a 10-digit electronic fingerprint scan (the fingerprint scan does not use any ink).
The Offshore Biometric Collection Program is an Australian Government initiative that is progressively introducing biometric collection for most applicants for an Australian visa applying outside of Australia. Starting in 2010, the Australian Government has now introduced biometric collection in 48 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific and the Americas.
Biometrics will be collected from visa applicants of any nationality who are in Vanuatu at the time of making a visa application to enter Australia, unless they are excluded or exempt from the Program.
Visa applicants in Vanuatu who lodge their applications from 13 December 2021 may receive a letter requiring them to attend the Australian Biometric Collection Centre (ABCC) located in Port Vila in person.
Applicants will need to book an appointment on the VFS website.
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Australian Biometric Collection Centre – Port Vila |
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Rossi Ocean Walk Mall, Lini Highway Port Vila, Vanuatu Hours of operation: Monday to Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
Changes to Visitor visa lodgement arrangements
All applicants outside Australia applying for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) in any stream must now lodge their application online via ImmiAcccount.
There are many benefits to applying online, including:
- Faster processing times
- Apply online at any convenient time
- Use mobile devices to apply
- Attach documents online
- Check application status, correct mistakes or update details online.
Information and guidance on applying online and ImmiAccount is available to assist applicants.
Reminder: Australia currently has strict border arrangements due to COVID-19 . Visitor visa applicants should reconsider their need to apply for a visa at this time. The Department will continue to prioritise Visitor visa applications for travellers who are exempt from current travel restrictions or who are travelling within the Safe Travel Zone.
Quick guide to common questions
We will not respond to enquiries where your question has been answered by the information and links below.
Explore visa options
Explore visa options that might suit your needs.
Submitting an application
You can lodge most applications online through ImmiAccount. This is the preferred and most efficient way to apply.
Technical help is available on our website: Technical help
Transiting Australia
To transit Australia you must hold a valid visa or be from an eligible country to Transit Without a Visa (TWOV). Citizens of the following countries in the Pacific region are eligible to TWOV if they meet the required TWOV criteria:
Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
If you are not eligible to TWOV you must apply for a visa to enter Australia. To transit Australia for up to 72 hours apply for a Transit visa (subclass 771).
If you need to stay longer, you are not transiting and you must apply for a different visa. See explore your visa options and Coming to Australia.
Visa processing times
We understand that your application is important to you. Current visa processing times can be found here: global visa processing times
Checking the status of an application
Document checklists can be found through VFS or online. These will help you to lodge a complete application. We recommend that you do not book travel until your visa application has been finalised. You can check the status of your application in ImmiAccount. We will not respond to enquiries on the status of visa applications that are within global visa processing times.
Priority processing
We receive a large number of requests from clients who wish to expedite their visa application. We will only expedite visa applications in cases that involve compelling and compassionate circumstances, such as travel to a funeral or an unexpected medical issue. Only requests for priority processing that state why you require priority processing will be considered.
Providing biometrics
You will need to provide your biometrics at an Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) or an Australian Biometrics Collection Centre (ABCC) if you apply:
- for a visa that is part of the biometrics program
- from a country that is part of our biometrics program
See Meeting our biometrics requirements for more information.
Health and Medical examinations
We will tell you if you are required to undergo medical examinations. You must be examined by one of our approved panel physicians or clinics. See Meeting our health requirements for more information.
You can find a panel physician here by selecting your country of residence: Panel physician
Check visa details and conditions
You can check your grant notification letter or use our Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system to check your visa details and conditions. Visitor visas do not have any work rights.
Update passport details
You can tell us about changes to your passport details here. You can use VEVO to check if your passport has been updated. We do not respond once your passport has been updated.
Reviewing our decisions
The refusal notification sent to you provides details about the reasons your application was refused. The refusal notification will also give you details about whether your decision is reviewable with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).
Providing feedback
The Global Feedback Unit (GFU) is the central point for receiving, tracking and facilitating a response to client feedback. Complaints and suggestions help us to refine and improve our policies, processes and systems. Similarly, compliments help us recognise when we are meeting or exceeding community standards for service and performance. You can provide feedback here.
Visa scams
Please be aware of visa scams. Visitor visas, including business visitor visas, do not have any work rights. Visa scams and how to report them
Applying for Australian citizenship
You will find general information about applying for Australian citizenship, including citizenship by descent for your child if they were born overseas, here: Become an Australian citizen. If you wish to obtain evidence of your Australian citizenship then you will find information here: Evidence of citizenship and certificates
Polio vaccination certificates
Papua New Guinea is no longer listed on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative website as a polio outbreak country. As such, evidence of polio vaccination for clients who have resided in Papua New Guinea is no longer required.
Movement records
To get the specific dates for your movements in and out of Australia, request your international movement records by completing Form 1359 Request for international movement records (195KB PDF).
Departing Australia Superannuation Payment
Find out how to have your superannuation paid to you after you depart Australia here:
Leaving Australia - accessing your superannuation
Applying for a minor under 18 years old
Additional documents are required when applying for a minor under 18 years old.
Include proof of custody/legal guardianship:
- A birth certificate showing the names of both parents, and
- Both parent’s photo identification and signatures.
If the parents named on the birth certificate are not the legal guardians, then custody papers (including sole parental rights), adoption papers, court orders and/or parent’s death certificates will be required, including:
- Photo identification of the legal guardian/s.
If anyone with custody/legal guardianship or anyone with a legal right to decide where an applicant under 18 lives is not visiting Australia, they must complete:
- Include a document with the signature and photo of the person/s who completed the form or declaration, such as a passport or driver’s licence.
Welfare:
- If the applicant is not staying with their parents or legal guardians, please provide form 1257. The person they are staying with must sign the form.
Contact Us
If you have read this information and still need more information or help, you can contact the Visa Office at the Australian High Commission in Suva here: Contact us
Public Request for Information on AusTender
On 7 December 2021, the Department released a public Request for Information (RFI) on AusTender titled Service Delivery Partners: Delivering Administrative Services for the Department of Home Affairs (HOMEAFFAIRS/2083/RFI) .
The RFI seeks information on best practice service approaches and technologies to support and extend the Department’s overseas service delivery. It aims to identify opportunities that will enable the Department to meet increasing future demand for services.
Reopening our border during COVID-19 will see an increase in demand for departmental services along with evolving integrity threats and traveller expectations for more efficient, digitally enabled services. To meet these challenges the Department is examining opportunities to increase the involvement of Service Delivery Partners in the delivery of its overseas transactional and administrative services.
If you are a supplier of application support, biometric collection and/or verification services (as well as other services as described in the RFI), the Department is keen to hear from you. The RFI is not a procurement. Whilst the Department has not yet committed to any future procurement activity, next steps may include a procurement process commencing in 2022.
Submissions must be received prior to 2:00pm on 24-Jan-2022 (ACT Local Time).