Visas are one of the most important documents you will need to have before traveling to Australia. A visa is a document that allows you to enter certain countries for a defined period of time!
Visas help officials determine if you belong in this country or not, as well as whether you should be allowed to stay longer than your permitted departure date. They also verify if you come from an approved source (for example, a residence or employment) in the country where you’ll be staying.
It is very important to make sure your visa is valid at all times while in Australia. If it expires, you could face serious trouble re-enterning the country!
Luckily, there are some ways to check how long it takes to process visas at the Australian Embassy or Consulate in your home country, as well as what status they give yours. This article will go into detail on both types of checks.
It is not recommended that you check Australia’s visa processing status online as there are several websites that offer this service.
The reason why it is not advised to check the visa process here on such sites is because these sites, even though they claim to have accurate information, are not verified by an independent source.
These companies also may be paid by visa agencies or embassies for updates so they will update the site according to what agency or consulate asks for one.
It is your responsibility as an international student or expatriate to keep track of your visa status in Australia. Yours includes making sure you have all your documents, that they are valid, and up-to-date.
You can check if your visa has been accepted by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) via their Visas Division’s Customer Service Center at www.visadpc.gov/index.html?page=VisitorVisaStatusChecker. This site allows you to enter your DIBP customer number and it will tell you whether your visa was approved or declined.
The DIBP also offers 24 hour toll free phone numbers for both foreign students and employers. These include 1-800-333-5215 (students) and 1-844-889-8909 (employers).
Online services that can check your visa status for you are the best way to go as they typically cost less money and work just like the old paper visa forms where someone would review it while you wait.
There are several good sites that do this, but none of them are free to use their services. Some even charge small fees per inquiry which is unnecessary because you will be informed of all relevant information about whether or not there was an issue with your current visa and when it could potentially expire.
By using an affordable paid service, you get the same level of quality care and detail. These types of websites have been around for years so you know what kind of customer service you are going to receive!
Some may also send an email confirmation stating that your visa has been received and then follow up with a call or text to make sure everything is okay. This saves you time waiting for phone calls and messages that never come.
The best way to check if your visa has been accepted or rejected is by using an app that checks VISA processing status for you. There are many different apps out there with varying levels of quality, so choose wisely!
Some will even notify you when it reaches the final stage where they send letters via postal mail, while some don’t. This can be helpful in giving yourself extra time to prepare for your next step.
There are also ones that cost money which may seem attractive at first but could prove costly later on as you have to pay whether your visa is approved or not. We recommend doing your research before buying one though as this article will talk about the top free tracking apps for visas.
It’s not uncommon for people to ask about visa processing times, but you should definitely not rely on what others say!
Visa agencies advertise very long processing times so that applicants feel pressured into applying while the application is still pending. Some even claim there are no deadlines at all, which is completely false!
There are always time limits for visas, whether they be for entry or exit from Australia or for extensions of stay. At the very least, you will know how much time is left before your visa expires!
It’s best to check official government sites instead because they don’t spend money advertising fake information. You also get the added bonus of knowing exactly where your documents go and who has access to them. This helps prevent fraudulent applications being completed with your personal info.
Official sources can usually tell you when your visa will be processed and how many days it will take.
It is your responsibility as an international traveler to keep up-to-date with all of your visas. This means not only checking that you have them, but also making sure that they are valid and work.
Visas can expire at any time so it’s important to check before traveling. In this case, you should always stay in touch with the embassy or consulate where you will be staying to make sure there has been no delay in processing their paperwork.
If there has, then you may need to start planning your trip again! Luckily for you though, we have some great tools that can help you check Australia visa status quickly and easily.
You can log onto Vistara.com and check whether your passport has expired, along with when it was due to run out. If it does, you will get notification and you can update your travel plans accordingly.
They will also let you know if anything changes with regards to your current visa situation. For example, if yours expires soon, they might tell you what countries are allowed to enter using your passport.
It is possible to check the current processing status of your visa application online. There are several sites that can do this, but not all of them work for every applicant.
Some services only offer an approximate date when you will receive a decision while some give more detailed information about the next step in the process.
We have chosen VisitVisa (costs $9 per visit) because they provide both. You can choose whether you want general information or specific information — we recommend the later as it gives much clearer detail than the former.
General information includes dates such as when your visa was received at their office and when it could be issued. This also includes any comments or notes about the application.
Specific details include what documents were submitted, if there were any delays and why, and who in the visa process contacted you.
Make sure that you have checked your passport recently! Visas can sometimes take several days, or even weeks to process so it is important to check this status frequently.
If your visa has been accepted but not stamped in your passport then there will be an additional process for it to go through before it can be used. This includes having proof of accommodation and transport as well as confirming your departure date from Australia.
While some countries are more difficult to navigate than others, we have listed some helpful resources here for you to refer to if your need help.
