Essential Facts About the Australian Visitor's Visa
Posted on: 5 June 2019
If you are planning to visit a family member in Australia or go on a business trip, then you must organise for a visitor's visa in time. The permit allows foreigners looking to spend some time in Australia into the country. Unfortunately, most travellers do not know the significant issues surrounding the issuance and holding of a visitor's visa. Therefore, some visitors end up making naïve mistakes that consequently land them in problems with the immigration offices. Notably, such innocent instances can affect current and future travel plans. This article highlights essential facts about an Australian visitor's visa.
Valid for Up to 12 months -- When the immigration department issues a visitor visa, the agency is, to a greater degree, confident that the recipient will stay in the country within the stipulated time. Unfortunately, some foreign visitors apply for visitor visas and stay longer than their visas allow them. Some visitors even plan to stay for good once they get a temporary visa. Therefore, immigration attorneys advise visa applicants to observe the validity period of their visitor visas. For example, if the immigration department issues you with a three-month visitor visa, then you cannot stay in the country for more than three months. The same is true for a 6-month and a 12-month visitor visas. Besides, you can travel in and out of the country so long as the visitation period is still valid.
Process Period Is not Fixed -- When you apply for a visitor visa, you might see directions on your application that the processing will take approximately 20 days. However, this is usually the minimum number of days that it usually takes to process this type of visa. In most cases, visitor visa processing takes more than 20 days, and it can be attributed to various reasons. For instance, the immigration department might need additional documentation to complete your application, consequently delaying the application process. Therefore, while you do not have control over the application process, you can prevent possible delays by ensuring that you provide all the necessary documentation.
Only Voluntary Work Permitted Under Visitor Visa -- When visiting Australia on a visitor visa, you might receive a job offer, and this can be an exciting prospect, at least for most people. However, this is considered illegal because a visitor visa comes with the condition that you must not be involved in any work within the visa's validity period. Only a work permit allows you to work, but that is a different process altogether. That said, the immigration department might allow some form of voluntary work. Therefore, ensure that you confirm with immigration attorneys regarding voluntary work that is permitted under an Australian visitor's visa.
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