Are you planning to travel through Australia on your way to another country? You might need to apply for a Transit Visa. Australia is a gorgeous country and a popular tourist destination that offers many business opportunities. However, it is an international hub connecting flights to other nations with many transiting passengers. If you are someone transiting through Australia, it is essential to understand whether you need a Transit Visa and its requirements. This guide will walk you through everything you need about Australia Transit Visa.

Who needs an Australia Transit Visa?

An Australian transit visa (Sub-class 771) is a type of Australian visa that allows its holder to enter the country for 72 hours. It is used by those who must catch a connecting flight from Australia within 72 hours of arriving at the airport. Before applying for a Transit Visa, it is essential to determine if you need one. Not all travellers passing through Australia require a Transit Visa. For Instance, someone applying for a Transit visa to Australia from Dubai must identify as an Emirati or an expatriate living in the UAE, whether they need to apply for a transit visa before arriving at the Australian airport to catch their connecting flight. A foreign resident in the UAE who wishes to transit through Australia needs to find out if they need to apply for a Transit visa for Australia as per their citizenship. The following citizens of countries can transit without a visa and travel through Australia to another country:

United Arab Emirates, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Andorra, Austria, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Belgium, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Norway, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Argentina, New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Federated States of Micronesia, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, UK and its associated countries, USA, Uruguay, Vatican City, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport or British National Overseas passport holders, Taiwanese passport holders issued by authorities of Taiwan.

Official passport holders of India are exempt; normal passport holders should apply for a Transit visa to Australia from India.

For a New Zealand citizen or a New Zealand passport holder, there is no need to apply for a Transit visa Australia from New Zealand.

Individuals holding a Maritime Crew visa and arriving in Australia via a flight to join a non-military ship can apply for this visa for the same.

Travellers with valid visas for Australia need not apply for a Transit visa.

Eligibility and Australia Transit Visa Requirements

Once you find out that you must apply for a Transit visa, you must also fulfill the following eligibility criteria. Make sure you cross off all these points before beginning your application process.

• You arrive in Australia by air.
• Your connecting flight is within 8 hours of arriving in Australia.
• You should have confirmed air tickets for a flight to another country, showing that you will be leaving Australia quickly.
• You should have a valid passport with six months validity at least.
• You will remain in the airport transit lounge and will not clear immigration.
• You should comply with the health requirements as advised by the Australian Government and should not threaten the Australian community’s health and safety.
• Meet the character requirements per section 501 of Australia’s Migration Act 1958.
• You have provided the biometric details at the nearest Biometric Collection Centre for your Transit visa.
• Have valid and reliable Travel and Health Insurance
• Have signed the Australian Value Statement
• Have no debt to repay the Australian Government in your previous visits.

Application Process

Once you have acknowledged the above eligibility criteria, go forth with the application for the visa as you would do in a normal visa application.

1. Gather the necessary documents that support your transit visa application. This should be accurate and clarify your eligibility to obtain the transit visa. All the documents submitted for verification should be in English. The documents must include:

• Recent colour photograph as per the size dimensions needed by the Australian visa guidelines.
• A valid, machine-readable, undamaged passport.
• Previous visas, visa for the 3rd country for which you are transiting through Australia
• National ID cards
• Confirmed connecting flight tickets
• Travel Insurance
• Other documents include proof of character eligibility, Australia’s value statement, Health and medical reports, Form 956A, and Form 956 if applicable.

2. Fill out the online visa form entirely and accurately. The visa form can be accessed at the Australia Government’s Department of Home Affairs website. Go to the official website and register for an IMMIA account.

3. Pay the visa fees once you have completed the application form and submitted your documents. You might also need to schedule an appointment with an Australian Biometric Collection Centre and provide your details.

4. After completing all the steps, you wait for approval of your visa. The processing time for transit visas can vary. Hence it is recommended to apply for Transit Visa in advance.

Conclusion

For a traveller, the visa application process is perhaps the most nerve-wracking in travel planning. However, if you know what exactly to do, what documents are required, and have clarity on the application process, then acquiring the visa is quite a breeze! The key to having a hassle-free visa experience is to start early, prepare the documents and pay close attention to the details in the application form. With proper planning and preparation, you will be on your way to a smooth transit through Australia in no time.