How to apply for an Australian Tourist Visa Online: A guide for Filipinos

Back in September, my sister in Australia told me over Viber that she’s considering asking our mother to spend New Year’s with them again in Melbourne, and asked me if I am willing to accompany our mother to Australia. Of course, I am!

I’ve heard from friends and read in the comments section of my previous visa application guides that Philippine passport holders can now apply for an Australian tourist visa online. Since I do not like the stress that Manila traffic brings, and I do like doing business online, this was very appealing to me.

Required Readings

Create an ImmiAccount

The first step in applying for an Australian tourist visa online is to create an ImmiAccount. To create an account, you will need a valid email address. Make sure that you type in your email address correctly, and that you use an email address you regularly check. The embassy will be communicating with you using this address, so make sure that you check this email address often.

Application Form

Once you have created an account, you can start an application. This is basically the online, fillable version of Form 1419, so there is no need for you to download the form, fill it out, and upload it.

You can start filling out the application form, even if you have not completed compiling your documents yet. Make sure that the information you put in the application form are the same as the information in the supporting documents that you are submitting.

If you have filled out the form, but are not ready to submit yet, click on the Save button. This saves your answers in their database, and once you log back in, you can see your application, check the entries, and make edits.

Once you are ready to submit your application and upload your supporting documents, click on Submit.




Application Fee

When you submit your application form, you will be prompted to pay the Australian tourist visa application fee. For online applications, the only way to pay is through credit cards. If you do not have a credit card, or access to a credit card, I read that you can use prepaid debit cards.

Your card will be charged AU$135 + credit card surcharge fee. Based on BPI’s foreign exchange rate at the time, I paid Php 4,547.26. If you are applying via courier or VFS, the fixed visa fee is Php 4,900, and you would still have to pay for the VFS fee, courier fee, and the fee for the manager’s check.

Supporting Documents

I made sure that all of my supporting documents are complete before I submitted my application and paid the fee. I created my ImmiAccount and filled out the form on September 20, but I didn’t submit until October 5.

As soon as my payment has cleared, I uploaded my scanned documents. The Australian Embassy sets a limit of 30 files for Visitor Visa online applications, and none of the files must be more than 5MB in size. To keep file sizes small, they recommend that you scan your documents at 96 dpi, and to not attach photos in Office document files, as this will increase the file size greatly.

SupportingDocuments

Since I know my documents will have more than 30 pages, I merged and grouped them together. Also, instead of submitting separate photo files, I created a collage on Photoshop and added captions. I saved them as Portable Document Files (optimized), and used a service like PDFMerge.com to merge the PDFs into one file.

Here are the documents that I submitted:

Passport Photo

They did not give any specifications for the photo file, so I just scanned my passport picture at 180 dpi and saved it as JPG.

Cover Letter

I wrote a letter addressed to the consul explaining the purpose of my trip, who will be sponsoring my trip, why I need a multiple entry visa, and the reason why I need to come back to the Philippines. I included the ways in which they can reach me, should they need to get in touch for an interview. I also mentioned that I will be traveling, and the dates when I will be out of the country.

The supporting documents I submitted corroborates the content of my cover letter, which means that I provided proof of the purpose of the trip, proof that my sponsor can afford to shoulder my trip, proof of my relationship with my sponsor, and proof of my activities and relationships in the Philippines.

Certified Identification Documents

This is a requirement of the embassy: a certified or notarized copy of my passport and birth certificate.

Letter of Invitation

In my previous applications, my sister would send me letters via mail, which I include with my documents. Since I am applying online, I told her to just email me, instead of writing a letter, which would have taken weeks.
Get $20 travel credit on Airbnb
In her email, she stated that she wants me to accompany our mother to Melbourne, and that she will provide our tickets, and that we have the option to stay at her house, or my other sister’s house. She also stated she wants us to have a short holiday in New Zealand.

Along with the email, I also included a scan of my mother’s passport and her visa grant letter (she has a 3-year multiple entry Australian tourist visa).

You can save the email as PDF by clicking on Print, and then selecting Save as PDF/Export as PDF in your browser or email client.

Sponsor Documents

Since my sister is my sponsor, I had her send me a copy of her passport bio page, as well as her last four payslips, as evidence that she has the capacity to shoulder the cost of our trip to Melbourne.

Business Registration

Since I am self-employed and have my own business, I included my business registration papers in lieu of a Certificate of Employment.

Income Tax Return

As evidence of my income, I attached my latest Income Tax Return, which was submitted to the BIR last April 2015.

Most Recent Credit Card Statement

I also stated in my application that I will be using my credit card as a way to pay for goods and services while in the country.

Bank Statements

I submitted the Statement of Account for the previous 3-6 months. I did not request for a Bank Certificate anymore.

Family Photos

This was comprised of photos of me and my two sisters when we holidayed together in Tasmania during my previous visit, photos of me with my sisters’ families in Melbourne, photos of me with my family in the Philippines, and photos of me with my friend Khursten when I visited her in Sydney in 2013, and when we traveled to Japan together in 2014.




Travel Plans in 2016

To show that I have strong reasons to come back to the Philippines after my trip to Australia, I included the plane tickets that I have already booked. Since one of my travel plans include accompanying my mother and aunt to their hometown in Sorsogon in 2016, I included a photo collage from our trip last summer with extended family members.

One of my close friends is also getting married next year, so I included a scan of their wedding invitation, photos of me and my close friend during our trip to Japan together last year, and a photo of me together with my friend and her fiancé.

Current Passport Visas and Stamps

Since the application checklist includes evidence of previous travels, I scanned all the entry and exit stamps from my previous travels in my current passport.

Previous Passport Visas and Stamps

My last Australian tourist visa is under my old passport, so I included it as well. My old passport also has my other visas, which includes a used visa for Canada, China, and Schengen, as well as valid multiple entry visas for Japan and the United States. I also included the pages with entry and exit stamps from my trips between 2011 and 2013.

Acknowledgement

I submitted my application in the early morning of October 5. I received an acknowledgement immediately after. On October 6, the Immigration and Visa Office of the Australian Embassy Philippines sent me an email requiring me to fill out a short online questionnaire. The questionnaire is basically the Application Checklist. Luckily, I was still at home when the email came, so I was able to quickly respond to their request.

This is why it’s very important that you type your email address correctly, and why you should always check your email after submitting your application online.

Grant Notification

Almost immediately after I submitted my filled out questionnaire, I left the house to go to the airport. By the following day, I received an email again from the Immigration Office, this time saying that my visa has already been granted.

To summarize my timeline:
September 20 – Created ImmiAccount, started filling out application form
October 1 – Requested statement of account from banks, notarized documents
October 2 – Scanned documents and created PDF
October 5 – Submitted application, paid visa fee, attached supporting documents
October 6 – Submitted Immigration Manila’s online questionnaire
October 7 – Received Visa Grant Notice

I remember back in 2006, when I first applied for an Australian visitor visa, I also submitted around this time of the year, and was granted in just a matter of days — I received notification of my visa grant while on a trip as well! Maybe there’s something about October?

Do you need a sponsor or to have a family in Australia to visit? Absolutely not! Many applicants are just there to tour the country. If you are a tourist, or visiting for a specific purpose (e.g. watching the Australian Open), make sure to include documents pertaining to them (tickets, bookings, etc.) with your application.

This is based on my personal experience in applying for an Australian tourist visa online. I’ve already written down everything I know. Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments. I’ll do my best to answer your questions, but I can’t really answer if your situation is different from mine (e.g. no work, no bank statement, no previous travel, etc.) however, there’s bound to be someone who is in the same boat, who may be able to answer your question. The visa discussions in the comments of this blog can get quite lively.

Looking for more insights? Read the comments in my previous Australian visa posts
How to apply for an Australian Tourist Visa (2007)
Applying for an Australian tourist visa (2008)
How to apply for an Australian Tourist Visa (2013 Edition)

[EDIT October 22, 2015] Many in the comments both in this post and previous visa posts said that their application, even when lodged online took a month or more to get processed. I got really lucky with my application, and up until now, I don’t know why my application was granted so quickly. Is it because I said I was accompanying my 80-year old mother, because my sister is sponsoring me, because this is my third application, because I provided proof of my plans in 2016, or because I said I was going to watch the Australian Open?

Bear in mind that the Australian Embassy website that average processing time for a tourist visa is one month. To be safe, consider this as a minimum, rather than a maximum, and apply for a tourist visa as soon as you can, instead of waiting for the last minute and fretting over the long processing time as your flight date looms closer.


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Comments

1,348 responses to “How to apply for an Australian Tourist Visa Online: A guide for Filipinos”

  1. Koleen Avatar
    Koleen

    Hello! Anyone here who applied for Partner Visa while in Australia?

    1. christine Avatar
      christine

      i did! from tourist visa to partner visa subclass 820.

      1. Koleen Avatar
        Koleen

        Hi Christine! That’s exactly the road we want to take. We are getting married in 2 weeks. Just wondering if you would like to share some tips or how did it go for you sa processing?

      2. christine Avatar
        christine

        i just got married last jan 19 here in australia then nag apply kami feb 15 sobrang biglaan kasi flight ko pabalik ng pinas feb 16 kasi mag expire visa ko feb 21 anyway, so same, online application kaso may mga additional question… tapos may four aspect na dapat iprove na genuine yung marriage: financial,emotional aspect, social, and nature of household. kasama sa application. di naman need na mahaba yung sagot. then after mo masubmit makaka receive ka ng another visa which is bridging visa A, this will allow you to stay in Au indefinitely, unlimited work right and study as well..however it will take effect once your tourist visa expired and you are not allowed to go outside australia unless mag apply ka ng bridging visa B..once mag effect yung visa A apply ka agad sa medicare para covered ka sa medical which is required din ipasa yung medicare as one of your requirements to show may health coverage kA…so ayun mag submit ka na ng requirement, hndi ko pa nasusubmit nbi clearance from philippines kasi sabi ng immigration wag muna daw kasi baka maexpire lang kasi minimum process time is 17-24 months for stage 1 (temporary visa) tapos di pa din yung medical .. as immig advice and yung police clearance here in austalia dapat 12months ka na nandito eh naka 7months palang ako…nung tumawag ako sa immig may maassign na officer sa application then iemail kapag need na mag pasa ng medical and police clearance. kung may question ka pa 0438965637 msg or call.

      3. Koleen Avatar
        Koleen

        Thank you Christine! I’ll send you a message via text.

  2. DAISY CATANDIJAN Avatar
    DAISY CATANDIJAN

    Hi guys. Question lang. Ok lang kaya mag resign nako sa work after ma grant ung visa ko if ever? Diba ko masisita sa immigration naten dito sa pinas pag unemployed nakong umalis? Thank you

    1. christine Avatar
      christine

      unemployed akong umalis nung first time ko pumunta ng Australia for 3mons, bumalik ako july 20,2018 after a month bumalik ulit ako ng Australia, wala naman question at all. 2nd country ko ang australia lumabas ng bansa.

      1. DAISY CATANDIJAN Avatar
        DAISY CATANDIJAN

        I see. Thanks sis. Kasi baka isipin na dina ko bbalik dito sa pinas. Lalo na kasi si bf ang ivvisit ko. Much better ba if round trip ticket meron ako. Would that help? Thank you.

      2. christine Avatar
        christine

        di na rin ako bumalik ng pinas. last pasok ko here in australia nov 20 2018 under tourist visa. well supposedly babalik ako last feb 16 may round trip ticket ako nun. kaso nag apply kami partner visa kasi kinasal ako.

      3. DAISY Avatar
        DAISY

        Hi sis. Question pls. I’ll be leaving tomorrow na for OZ,si bf ang nag invite at sponsor skn,marami ba ttanungin sakn kaya sa immigration dito sa pinas? Lalo na kaka resign ko lang kasi i want to stay there 3mos sana. Thanks sis

      4. christine Avatar
        christine

        first trip ko sa OZ april 25-july20 2018, wala na akong work naka labas naman ako ng bansa na walang tanong skin sa immig pero nag ready pa din ako like copy ng visa, mga pics namin together ng asawa ko yung copy ng invitation etc. just in case magtanong pero at the end walang tanong tanong, nung naka balik ako next flight ko was sept 11- october 18 2018 inabot ko lang pasport ko, then last flight nov 20-feb 16 2019, walang tNong palabas ng bansa pero di nko bumalik ng pinas kasi kinasal ako tapos nag apply kami partner visa onshore kaya di nko umuwi kasi may inissue na different visa allowing me to stay here in Oz indefinite. have a safe flight girl… wear jacket! sobrang lamig lalo na maulan.

      5. christine Avatar
        christine

        honestly nung first trip ko april 25-july 20,2018 wala nakong job.. wala naman tinanong skin sa immig. inabot ko lang yung passport. but ofcourse in the other hand ready ako may copy ako ng visa ko, pics namin together ng hubby ko since sponsor nya ko, etc pero di naman hinanap. the. next trip sept 11-oct 18,2018 wala din tanong tanong. then last na lumabas ako was nov 20,2018 wala din tanong skin. until now nandito pa din ako sa Oz on a different visa na kasi kinasal ako. have a safe trip and dont forget your jacket sobrang lamig lalot maulan.

  3. Emelia Avatar
    Emelia

    I must show my love for your kindness for persons who really need guidance on this subject.
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