We know that every country is different. As a result so are the laws and policies when entering the county whether that be as a visitor, student, or other reasons.
Today we are looking at one of the most common questions we see online when it comes to visas;
Do you need a visa to come to Australia?
In short, the answer is yes. You certainly need a visa to enter Australia.
However, yes is only the short answer. The more complex pat of the question is, does one qualify for a visa to enter the country? That’s because, no matter what visa you may be applying for, a successful applicant needs to meet a certain criteria, including health, character, and purpose, meaning why do you want to come to Australia.
To get a better understanding of what a successful application looks like, let’s take a look at each criteria:
Health
The health criteria is the place where one would disclose any health issues they are experiencing such as an infectious disease. This would certainly impact the granting or denial of a visa. While that sounds harsh, it certainly is the criteria that Australia has in place.
Character
This criteria is also a crucial one. An applicant needs to meet what is known as the character test, noting anything such as criminal records.
The character test has a large impact on the approval or denial when it comes to granting a visa. There are certainly ways to deal with denied applications, but they require special submissions, and one would want to seek professional advice in order to get the best outcome. It is also important to note that if there’s a character issue, submitting the additional paperwork will impact the timeline of the process. It was not too long ago that a client of ours at Modern Migration needed some similar assistance when it came to their character criteria. The process took two and a half years for a decision to be made. As every visa and case is different, it’s hard to estimate how long an approval would take but we certainly note that at times it could take years.
The Purpose – why do you want to come to Australia
Every person applying for a visa to Australia will be applying for the one that best fits the reason behind their entry. This could be a student visa, a spouse visa or any one of the many other visa options. One needs to ensure they are applying for the correct visa so in the case of uncertainty of what visa you should be applying for, it is certainly recommended to contact an office that would be able to help.
So, in short, the answer is yes. You certainly need a visa to enter Australia and one must go through the right process to avoid any issues. If one does not have a visa, they will not be able to board the flight or boat from the location of their departure.
At Modern migration Australia we have had the honour of helping many applicants over the years when it comes to visa, citizenship and appeals. We understand that the process at times can be lengthy and somewhat confusing. As a result, we have several options when it comes to our services and consultations. That all starts from our discovery meeting when we first meet, either in person at our office or via zoom if you are in a different state or country.
For any questions or advice feel free to reach out to us at Modern Migration Australia and we would be honoured to help.
Lastly, as we know, COVID-19 has had a large impact on applications, flights, and entry laws when it comes to traveling. So, the first thing one needs to do is understand the current restrictions in place and how that may impact the travel and application plans.
Wishing you all the best with the visa application.