Visa - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

This page was designed to answer your frequently asked questions about Australian visas and your visa application processed by the Bangkok Immigration office in Thailand.

If you require additional information, please visit the Home Affairs website.

BEFORE APPLYING

1. What type of visa should I apply for?
2. How can I apply for a visa?
3. I am having technical difficulties lodging my application or adding attachments online
4. My date of birth is unknown, what do I enter on my application form?
5. Do I need to undergo a health assessment?
6. Do I need to provide biometrics?
7. Do I need to provide a police clearance?
8. I am a sponsor for a partner visa, why do I need a police check?

AFTER APPLYING

9. How do I check the status of my application? 
10. I lodged online but haven’t received a request to provide personal identifiers (biometrics) 
11. I need more time to provide personal identifiers (biometrics)
12. I attended my biometrics appointment – do I need to advise the Department? 
13. I attended my biometrics appointment but it is still showing as ‘required’ in ImmiAccount
14. I need to travel urgently – what can I do?
15. Can I have an extension to provide the information you have requested?
16. Have you received my documents?
17. I wish to withdraw support for a Visitor visa applicant
18. I wish to withdraw my sponsorship for a Partner visa applicant
19. I want to withdraw my application
20. Can I travel to Australia while my partner visa is being processed?

AFTER DECISION

21. My application was refused – what can I do?
22. How do I get a copy of my visa grant notification?
23. I want to check my visa conditions, entitlements, or length of stay
24. I hold a Visitor (subclass 600) (Business stream) visa, can I visit Australia as a tourist?
25. I want to request a refund
26. My visa was cancelled – where can I find information?

OTHER INFORMATION

27. How can I update my personal and/or passport details?
28. I sent my 929 form to [email protected] but have not received a response. Can I travel?
29. I hold an APEC Business Travel Card – where can I find information?
30. Can I claim a superannuation refund / cancel my Work and Holiday visa?

 

BEFORE APPLYING

1.  What type of visa should I apply for?

For information about different visa options, you can use the Visa Finder. 

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2.  How can I apply for a visa?

You should lodge your application online through ImmiAccount. 

Online lodgement offers benefits such as 24/7 accessibility, faster processing, electronic payment and the ability to check the status of your application.

If you are unable to lodge an application online, you can use the Assisted Online Form Filling service at the Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) operated by VFS Global in Thailand. You should make an appointment at VFS Global. The AVAC will charge a fee for this service.

There is no option to lodge by mail.

For more information about paper application lodgement procedures, fees charged, contact details, office locations and office hours, please visit VFS Global Australia in Thailand.

For general information on application lodgement, click here. 

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3. I am having technical difficulties lodging my application or adding attachments online

If you experience technical difficulties applying online, please visit ImmiAccount Technical Help.

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4. My date of birth is unknown, what do I enter on my application form?

If your actual or probable date of birth is unknown (for example, your passport lists your date of birth as ‘XX/XX/YYYY’), you should record the information as it appears in the machine readable zone in your passport (usually located at the bottom of the identity page).

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5. Do I need to undergo a health assessment?

This will depend on your personal circumstances and the visa that you have applied for. All permanent visa applicants and certain temporary visa applicants will be required to undergo health examinations as a part of the visa application process.

If you have received a request to undergo a health assessment please note:

• you must complete the examination within the requested timeframe
• you must pay any associated costs, and
• you must be examined by one of the Department’s approved panel physicians or clinics.

All necessary information to undertake the required assessment(s) is provided in our request and is also available via the Department’s website. The Department will not respond to further queries on how to action these requests.

If you have been requested to undertake a health examination there is no guarantee of a positive visa outcome. If you fail to meet the health requirement your visa may be refused, however this will depend on the visa subclass you have applied for. Some visa subclasses allow a health waiver to be exercised in certain circumstances.

For more information about the health requirement, including how to contact a panel physician near you, please click here. 

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6. Do I need to provide biometrics?

All applicants in Thailand must complete biometrics (face photograph and fingerprint scan) collection for each application lodged, irrespective of their nationality, unless they are excluded or exempt from the program.

When you lodge your application online, you will be sent a request to provide personal identifiers (biometrics) via email. You should make an appointment to attend an Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) in person to provide your biometrics. Take a copy of that email and your passport to the appointment.

If you usethe Assisted Online Form Filling service at the AVAC, you will be asked to provide your biometrics at the same time.

For more information on Australia’s biometrics requirements, please click here.

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7. Do I need to provide a police clearance?

We may request you to obtain a police clearance.  If you receive a request, the type of checks required, and how to action them, will be included in the correspondence we send you.

For more information on the requirement to provide police clearances visit Character requirements for visas.

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8.  I am a sponsor for a partner visa, why do I need a police check?

We take the safety and security of visa applicants very seriously. To help keep visa applicants safe, if you are a sponsor of a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa applicant you will need to:

• provide Australian and/or foreign police checks when requested
• consent to us disclosing their convictions for relevant offences to the visa applicant(s).

If you do not provide this consent, the visa application will be refused. We could also refuse an application if you do not provide the police checks within a reasonable time. 

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AFTER APPLYING 

9.  How do I check the status of my application? 

Due to the volume of applications and enquiries we receive, we are not able to provide individual updates on the status of applications.

For current processing times, please click here.

Each application is unique and not all applications can be decided within the stated processing time.

If you lodged online, you can see if your application has been finalised on ImmiAccount.

If you lodged a paper application, you can use the Tracking service provided by VFS Global.

Do not make travel commitments or bookings before your visa application is finalised.  We cannot be held responsible if your application is not finalised in time for your pre-booked travel.  Making and paying for a travel booking cannot be accepted as reason to request urgent processing of the grant of a visa.
 

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10.  I lodged online but haven’t received a request to provide personal identifiers (biometrics)

When you lodge your application online, you will be sent a request to provide personal identifiers (biometrics) via email. If you have not received the email, please check your junk folder and add the homeaffairs.gov.au domain to your list of trusted and safe senders.

Alternatively, you can view a copy of any correspondence we send you in your ImmiAccount. 

To check messages:

1. log in to ImmiAccount
2. select your application
3. select 'View Details'
4. select ‘Messages’
5. select the correspondence link.

If there is no record of a Request to provide personal identifiers in your ImmiAccount, please contact us via the Australian Immigration Enquiry Form.

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11.  I need more time to provide personal identifiers (biometrics)

If you receive a request to provide personal identifiers (biometrics), you must do this in the timeframe requested, or your application may be refused.

Extensions are not generally provided and will only be granted in certain circumstances.

If you require more time, please submit a request to us via the Australian Immigration Enquiry Form. Please ensure your request contains supporting documentation or other information (for example, medical certificate or travel itinerary). You request will not be considered if you do not provide sufficient information.

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12.  I attended my biometrics appointment – do I need to advise the Department?

No, there is no need to advise us once you have attended your biometrics appointment.

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13.  I attended my biometrics appointment but it is still showing as ‘required’ in ImmiAccount

ImmiAccount will not show that your biometrics have been collected. You do not need to take any further action on this.

There is no need to advise us once you have attended your biometrics appointment.

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14.  I need to travel urgently – what can I do?

If your application is urgent due to compelling or compassionate reasons (for example, a close family member has become ill suddenly in Australia), please submit a Compelling and compassionate request for travel via the Australian Immigration Enquiry Form. Please ensure your request contains supporting documentation or other information (for example, medical certificate). Your application may not be able to be expedited if you do not provide relevant supporting evidence.

We do not consider urgent requests to travel to attend business meetings or where your flight is departing soon as genuine emergencies. We try to process all applications as quickly as we can, however we cannot be held responsible if you have pre-booked your travel and your application is not lodged early enough to allow the processing of your application. Some applications will also require us to undertake further assessments, which may take more time.

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15. Can I have an extension to provide the information you have requested?

If you receive a request from the Department to provide more information or undertake additional assessments, you must do this in the timeframe requested, or your application may be refused.

• If you lodged your visa using ImmiAccount, upload your extension request and any supporting documentation to ImmiAccount.
• If you lodged a paper application, submit a request and any supporting documentation via the Australian Immigration Enquiry Form.

Extensions are not generally provided and will only be granted in certain circumstances.

The Department recognises that it can take longer than the provided 28 days to obtain documentation from external agencies in relation to character requirements. You must provide evidence (such as an application receipt for a police certificate) that you are obtaining the requested documentation before an extension of time will be considered. When you have provided this evidence, you can consider an extension of the time has been approved, unless you are advised otherwise.

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16. Have you received my documents?

Due to the large volume of correspondence received, we are unable to acknowledge receipt of documents.

• If you have applied or have uploaded documents through ImmiAccount you can login to ImmiAccount to see the current status of your application. Do not send documentation by email or through the post, unless requested to do so, as this will cause delays in processing your online application.
• If you sent your documents to the email address provided in the request we sent you, you will receive an auto-response, which acts as confirmation that we have received your correspondence.

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17. I wish to withdraw support for a Visitor visa applicant

If you wish to withdraw support for a Visitor visa applicant, contact us via the Australian Immigration Enquiry Form. Your request will be forwarded to the appropriate area for consideration. We cannot discuss the progress or outcome of the application and will not respond to your request.

You may also wish to refer your enquiry to Border Watch.

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18. I wish to withdraw my sponsorship for a Partner visa applicant

If you wish to withdraw sponsorship for a Partner visa applicant, contact us via the Australian Immigration Enquiry Form. Your sponsorship withdrawal will be recorded in our systems. We will not respond to your request.

Importantly, please note:

• Australian privacy laws prevent us from providing you with further information in relation to your former partner’s visa application.
• Withdrawal of support for the partner visa applicant does not lead to the automatic refusal of that person’s visa application or their automatic removal from Australia. Under migration legislation the applicant may have other grounds for remaining in Australia. Following withdrawal of sponsorship, the applicant is notified of the withdrawal and invited to provide us with information supporting any claim to remain in Australia notwithstanding that withdrawal. As a former sponsor you will not be advised of the outcome of the partner visa application.

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19. I want to withdraw my application

For information on withdrawing an application that has not yet been decided, please click here.

If your application is in ImmiAccount, please attach the completed Form 1446 to your application.

If you lodged a paper application, please submit the completed Form 1446 to us via the Australian Immigration Enquiry Form.

Important: If you withdraw your application:

• you are not eligible for a refund of the visa application charge simply because the application has been withdrawn;
• you cannot ask for this to be reversed; and
• you have no access to have this reviewed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

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20. Can I travel to Australia while my Partner visa is being processed?

If you wish to visit Australia while your Partner visa is being processed, you can apply for a Visitor visa.  You will need to meet all the criteria, including demonstrating you have incentive(s) to depart Australia at the end of your intended stay.  

The Visitor visa is designed to allow temporary travel to Australia for tourism purposes or to visit family and friends. It cannot be used for long-term stays or residence. To be eligible for a further Visitor visa in the future, you must maintain extended periods outside of Australia.  

You may be eligible to apply for other visas. For information about different visa options, you can use the Visa Finder. 

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AFTER DECISION

21. My application was refused – what can I do?

If your visa application has been refused, no further action can be taken by the Department.  Except in very limited legal circumstances, the Department cannot change the decision; it is not possible for you or a family member to attend the Embassy to discuss.  The reasons for refusal are outlined in the decision letter.  This letter will also contain information on whether merits review is available at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) website.

It is open to you to lodge a new application if you wish, however, unless there is new information or your circumstances have changed, the decision may still be the same, so you should carefully consider before deciding to apply again.

The Embassy will not respond to complaints or requests to reassess all or part of your application.

To lodge a complaint, provide feedback or a compliment please visit Compliments, complaints and suggestions.

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22. How do I get a copy of my visa grant notification?

If you lodged your visa application online the notification was sent to your authorised email address. If you did not provide an email address in your application the notification was sent to your authorised postal address. You can also view any notifications that we have sent to you in your ImmiAccount.

If you lodged a paper application via VFS Global, your notification was sent via the method you requested on your application form. If you have not received your notification, please direct your enquiry to VFS Global. Visit VFS Global for more information.  

The Department will not provide another copy, but the information is available via Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO).

You do not require a copy of your grant notification to enter or exit Australia. The required visa information is linked automatically to the passport declared in your application.

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23.  I want to check my visa conditions, entitlements, or length of stay

You can check your visa status with Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO). VEVO is a free online service that gives visa holders, employers and other registered organisations access to visa entitlements and status information 24 hours a day.

Alternatively, for a fast and convenient way to view and email your visa details and conditions, download myVEVO for free from your app store.

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24.  I hold a Visitor (subclass 600) (Business stream) visa, can I visit Australia as a tourist?  

Australia allows APEC Business Travel Card holders and Visitor (subclass 600) (Business stream) visa holders to travel to Australia for non-business purposes, such as to have a holiday or visit family and friends.

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25.  I want to request a refund

Refunds can only be paid in limited circumstances.

Before requesting a refund, review the information here. If, after reviewing the information, you believe you may be eligible for a refund, complete a Form 1424 – Refund Request and submit it to us, along with relevant supporting documents, via the Australian Immigration Enquiry Form.

We will not respond to incomplete refund requests. 

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26. My visa was cancelled – where can I find information?

Visa holders outside of Australia may be subject to cancellation without notice under Section 128 of the Migration Act.

As a result of the cancellation you no longer have a valid visa to travel to Australia and you may be restricted from being granted another visa.

If your visa has been cancelled, notification of the decision including the reasons for cancelling your visa have been sent to you at your nominated address for correspondence. There is no right of merits review by a Tribunal for this decision because the decision was made while you were outside the Australian migration zone.

You have the opportunity to comment, in writing, on the ground(s) for cancellation identified in the decision notification letter, and give reasons why your visa should not have been cancelled. Refer to your notification letter for instructions and further information on the request for revocation process. The Department will not review or comment on the decision without a formal request for revocation. It is not possible for you or a family member to attend the Embassy to discuss the cancellation of the visa.

For further information on cancellations, please click here.

For further information on re-entry bans (exclusion periods), please click here.

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OTHER INFORMATION

27. How can I update my personal and/or passport details?

If your passport or contact information changes during the processing of your application or during the life of any visa you may hold, it is important that you advise us of these changes ASAP. Failure to update the Department of any changes may result in you having issues when trying to use your visa or may prevent you from receiving important information from the Department.

Before decision

• If you lodged online, update your information through your ImmiAccount on the 'Update us' tab.
• If you lodged a paper application, please submit a Form 929 to us via the Australian Immigration Enquiry Form.

After decision

• If you lodged online, update your information through your ImmiAccount on the 'Update us' tab. Do not submit any changes to our office as your request will not be actioned.
• If you lodged a paper application, please submit a Form 929 to [email protected]. Do not submit any changes to our office as your request will not be actioned.

Please visit Changes in your Situation for further information.

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28. I submitted a Form 929 but have not received a response. Can I travel?

If you already hold a visa and submitted a Form 929 to [email protected], there is no need to do anything further. Do not send follow up enquiries for previously submitted forms as this further delays processing of requests.

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29. I hold an APEC Business Travel Card – where can I find information?

If you hold an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) valid for travel to Australia you are able to enter and leave Australia without lodging a separate visa application.

We are not able to respond to queries regarding ABTCs. For further information, refer to:

• APEC Business Travel Card
• Home Affairs – APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)

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30. Can I claim a superannuation refund / cancel my Work and Holiday visa?

If you want to cancel your Work and Holiday visa to claim superannuation, refer to Leaving Australia.

The Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) is coordinated by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). For further information refer to the ATO.

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