My what-if packing finally paid off this week, when I had to apply for a Chinese tourist visa in Melbourne. A scheduled trip to Hong Kong in September was suddenly altered to include a side trip to Guangzhou, in the Guandong Province of China. While I can travel visa-free to Hong Kong, the Chinese government requires me to apply for a visa prior to crossing the border. Applying for a visa should be easy enough, as I already have most of the documents on hand, but with only 12 days in Manila, four of which are weekends, I am cutting it way too close if I’m going to wait to apply until I get home.

The Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Melbourne appointed an agency to receive and release all visa applications. The Chinese Visa Application Service Center is located at 570 St. Kilda Road, accessible via trams 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, and 67.

The standard requirement for the tourist visa are as follows:
Filled out tourist visa application form
Valid passport
One passport sized photo
Employment certificate (if employed)
Copy of flight/train itinerary to China
Copy of accommodation reservation

Since I’m not an Australian citizen, I also had to fill out and submit the Supplementary form, and give out the details of my Australian tourist visa. I was also asked to photocopy my Australia entry stamp, and provide a copy of my flight booking to Hong Kong, since I’ll be taking a train from Hung Hom railway station in Kowloon to Guangzhou.

What I liked about applying there was that they check all the forms and documents you submit, taking out what’s not needed, asking for clarification for certain answers, and telling you which documents you need to submit that you may have missed out. That’s why I was so glad that I had a photocopy of my DTI registration with me, because they asked me for a copy. They also have a copier, so should they require you to photocopy something, you can easily do it there for $0.20.

The downside of applying for the visa in Australia though, is that it costs much more than it does in the Philippines. Whereas the regular processing in Manila costs Php 1,400, in Australia it’s $50 (approximately Php 2,000). On top of that, the agency charges a $38.50 service fee, which brings your total to $88.50.

However, with the convenience of applying it here makes the additional costs worth it (a bit). The requirement for a Chinese tourist visa application in the Philippines also require you to present a bank certificate and statement showing that you have a Php 100,000 average daily balance in your bank for the past six months. Requesting this from my bank would eat up at least two days, leaving me with just 4-5 days to submit my visa and wait for the release. That leaves me with no wiggle room if ever there’s a problem with my application.

If I applied directly in Manila, I’d have to go to the embassy early in the morning, as applications are only accepted until 11am. I’ve read accounts from bloggers that they arrived at the embassy at 8:30am (the office opens at 9:00), and people were already lined up. Her queue number was called at 11am.

When I went to apply for my visa, I arrived at 2pm, and was called to the counter at 2:20pm. When I came to pick up my passport, the wait was only 10 minutes. No rush hour traffic and packed MRT to contend with. That makes the extra fee worth it, in my opinion.

[Update: September 15, 2014] Philippine passport holders can now apply for an Australian tourist visa online through the IMMI website. Application fee must be paid via credit card. You can still apply in person through VFS.

I am not a visa officer, nor am I migration agent. I am in no way affiliated with the Australian Embassy Manila nor with the Australian government. This post comes from my experience with preparing and submitting visa applications for family members and for myself. Also note that this entry pertains to my experience in applying for an Australian tourist visa in April 2013. This is geared towards applicants who holds a Philippine passport, though the preparation can be applied for other nationalities as well. The Australian immigration update their forms every 3 months. I will try to answer your questions the best way that I can, but bear in mind that I can’t answer all your questions. If you ask a question I’ve already answered in the post, I will ignore you.

After almost seven years, I finally have an update to my now epic How to Apply for an Australian Tourist Visa series. I have written two posts on the topic, both garnering over a thousand comments, with one getting over 4,500! I have stopped replying to comments, since I don’t think I’m not the best person to be talking about it, as my knowledge of the visa process is largely obsolete, so the visitors have taken upon themselves to answer each other’s questions, with successful applicants coming back to share their good news and help others. It has become a mini forum of sorts and I have to admit I’m happy it turned out that way. I found it to be a great help when I took another chance to apply for an Australian tourist visa once more.

Before I get to the visa application process, here’s some background about me and my circumstances: I am a Philippine passport holder, and have applied and received a visa from Australia before. I have a valid US Visa, with used tourist visas to Canada, Japan, and Myanmar. I also have more than 70 arrival and departure stamps from various countries, and that’s just in one passport. I am single and have my own company registered with the DTI. I have a bank account and a couple of credit cards, and I have two sisters who live in Australia, one of which is a temporary resident and the other a citizen. My intention to visit was for a short break from life in Manila, and to hopefully visit places I missed during my first two trips to the Australia.

Step 1: Download and read the necessary pages, documents, and forms.

This is very important, I can’t stress that enough. It won’t do to just ask questions without reading these web pages and documents first, because you’ll look like an idiot. Majority of your questions would likely be answered by the information written in these files. All these are available for download at the Australian Immigration website, immi.gov.au, and they are all free.

• Visitor Visas (Subclass 600) information page
• Application for a Visitor visa – Tourist stream (Form 1419)
• Visitor visa (Subclass 600) Application document checklist
• Charges and fees (Form 990i)
• Pricing Estimator

There is no need to print all of those pages or forms (unless you prefer to read them off the computer), but the one thing you should print is the visa application form. It’s a fillable form, wherein you can type in your answers on the form itself and print it afterwards. If you use Adobe Reader to open it, it will not save the changes to the form, so fill it out only when you are ready to print and submit. However, if you’re using Foxit PDF Reader, it can save the changes to the form, so you can fill it out and edit it later on before printing.

Step 2: Gather the required documents

Page 15 of Form 1419, Part M is actually an application check list. The column on the left lists all the required documents, while the column on the right lists the additional documents you may submit.

Here are the documents I submitted:

• Certified true copy of the identity page and pages with visa stamps of my valid passport
• Recent passport photo taken within the last six months
• Visa application charge in manager’s or cashier’s check

The Australian embassy do not affix visa labels anymore, so there’s no need to send your passport when you apply, unless you specify that you want a visa label. I would have done this, but the label costs AU$70.

Step 3: Gather your supporting documents

Here are the supporting documents I submitted. Remember that this vary depending on your circumstance. You’re not required to submit all of these, but it is advised that you submit as much supporting documents as you can to prove that you can fund your trip to Australia, and that you have a strong reason to come back to the Philippines.

• Birth certificate printed on security paper
• Certified true copy of my DTI Registration
• Certified true copy of my BIR Registration (Form 2303)
• Certified true copy of my Income Tax Return (From 1701)
• Certified true copy of the invitation letter from my sister
• Certified true copy of my sister’s pay slip
• Certified true copy of my sister’s passport bio page and employee ID
• NBI Clearance
• Bank statement
• Credit card statement
• Itinerary

The Australian immigration require that all photocopied documents you submit are certified true copies. You can do this by going to the Notary Public.

If you look at the form, it doesn’t list the birth certificate as part of the documents needed. I included it anyway, since I have an extra copy. Also, when I called to have my document picked up, they mentioned something about the NSO and I asked if I still need to get another since I already have a SECPA copy. They said I can include my copy instead of getting a new one.

Supplementary reading: How to apply for birth, death, and marriage documents in the Philippines – National Statistics Office (NSO)

The NBI clearance isn’t really required either, but I included it since I have it anyway. I got it because it was required in the previous form, 48R. A medical isn’t required, but you may be required to get one if you are applying for a 6-month visa, or if you’re over 75 years old. The medical is only done through accredited clinics. From what I understand, you have to submit your application and use the reference code the embassy will give you when you go for your medical.

I also included a cover letter [Download sample of intent letter] explaining the purpose of my trip and that I wish to get a multiple-entry visa, since I want to make a side trip to New Zealand. This isn’t really necessary, since the form now asks for your trip’s purpose. You are also asked to provide an itinerary of your trip, though you are not required nor advised to make any bookings until your visa is approved.

Step 4: Buy a manager’s check for the visa fee

The visa fee is AU$115, which is Php 5,100, based on the conversion rate at the time. Please double check the fees and the conversion rate, as this can change anytime. I bought my manager’s check from BDO, since I have an account there. Based on the comments in the previous blog posts, there are banks that would not let you buy a manager’s check if you don’t have an account with them. Best to call and inquire with the banks in your area if they’ll let you buy a manager’s check from them even if you don’t have an account.

Step 5: Lodge your application

Required reading: Where to Apply

You don’t have to go to the embassy to submit your application. There are two ways to submit: you can either call the embassy hotline and have them pick up your documents or submit them in person at the VIA Center.

I opted to go with the call center, since it was summer and don’t want to be away for too long from my electric fan. Calling the hotline costs Php 32 per minute, not including the charges from your network provider, if you are calling from a mobile phone. My phone call took about 10 minutes (which included a long wait for them to finish a spiel, and another wait for an operator to be available), and cost me Php 339.29. If you’re going this route, listen closely at the start of the spiel, because there is an option to skip that and go directly to request for a pick up.

The courier fee for Metro Manila is Php 320, paid directly to the messenger who will pick up your documents. This fee covers both pick up and delivery after your application as been processed.

VIA Center have offices in Makati and Cebu.

Step 6: Wait for your visa

Visa processing takes about ten days all the way to 30 days. I called to have my documents picked up on Tuesday, April 2, 2013. It was almost 5pm when I called, and was told that they have already reached the quota for pick up the follwing day. My documents were picked up on Thursday, April 4. I received a text from the embassy that my documents were received on Monday, April 8.

By the third week of April, I was wondering what’s happening to my application. Someone who commented on my previous post said her application was received around the same time and she already has her visa. I started worrying when someone who submitted a week after I did said she already got her visa grant. That’s when I also found out that the embassy conducts phone interviews.

Apparently, they don’t do this to all applicants, only for those they feel they need to clarify certain answers to the application form. Worry changed to distress when I missed not one, but FOUR calls from the embassy. The first call was to our house phone, and my sister gave them my mobile number since I was out of the house. The first call to my mobile came while I was struggling to get off a packed LRT, so I had to cancel it. The next two came when the phone was in silent mode because I was at an event. You can just imagine how frantic I was.

I ended up calling the number, but it was the consulate’s trunkline number. I was told to just call the visa information number (845 9200). Because I do not know how to follow instructions, I called the hotline instead, and was told to send them an e-mail, which can be found on the immigration website. I sent an e-mail using the contact form there, and did not receive any response.

On May 7, just a day shy of one month since they received my documents, I called the hotline again, after getting no response or call from the embassy. The operator took pity and gave me a number to contact, which is the consulate hotline. I wasn’t able to talk to anybody, but I did get an e-mail address. I sent another e-mail, which again did not receive any response.

I finally got a text on May 14 that my documents have been dispatched to the courier for delivery. It did not mention if my visa was granted or not. My documents came the following day, and I was so relieved that my application was granted. It wasn’t a multiple entry visa, as I was hoping for. The visa was granted on May 10, and since it was a long weekend, it wasn’t dispatched until after election day.

Unlike before, the embassy not just issue visa grant letters for tourists. You need to bring this when you leave Manila, as the local immigration would ask for your visa before they stamp you out of the country. Also, instead of having a one-year validity, my Australian tourist visa is only valid until November 2013.

Supplementary reading: Frequently Asked Question – Australian Embassy Manila

I hope you find this helpful. I would also suggest you check the previous entries, How to apply for an Australian visa and Applying for an Australian tourist visa, because the discussions over there are a great resource, as it have inputs from applicants with different circumstances.

You’re welcome to post your questions here, but please read the entire blog post and read all the documents I linked to before asking. Did you apply for an Australian tourist visa recently? How was your experience?

US Ambassador to the Philippines at the inauguration of NOX1. Photo by Jane Tenefrancia Uymatiao, used with permission.

The time in my confirmation says 7:15, but I was there an hour ahead, even if the instruction was to be there 30 minutes before my schedule. I walked away from the hoard and found a quiet spot facing the Manila Bay. Distracting myself from the unappealing aroma wafting from the water, my mind wandered back a month when I first learned that I need to apply for a US Visa.

I had just walked back to our table at the Camsur Watersports Complex after taking pictures of wakeboarders showing off practicing. The first thing I did was to check my iPod if there are new e-mails. There were several, but one particularly stand out: an invitation to visit Guam. As excited as I was about this opportunity, I knew that a US visa is required for the tiny US territory, and that’s one thing I don’t have, and frankly, something I never thought I’d ever apply for. I quickly fired off a reply, explaining my predicament, and they assured me that they will assist me in getting a visa. A meeting was set with the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) a day after my return to Manila, and in the meantime, I filled out the online application form.

I had to snort at my (now) apparent stupidity, printing each page of the questionnaire, not knowing that I can view and print it in its entirety at the end. It took me more the alloted 20 minutes to complete and print each page, giving the Internet shop owner in Bulusan a headache with my crazy request to print and scan each page. After it was all over, I was toting a 26-page pile of documents that I now use as scratch paper. Filling out the form made it somewhat real: that I’m really applying for a US tourist visa.

They gave us pointers during the meeting. Be confident, don’t fidget. Don’t be afraid because there’s nothing you should be afraid of, specially if you’re not planning on doing anything illegal. I pestered them and friends who has been through this before and got the same advice. With the advice comes their assurance: you’ve been to plenty of places already. That shows you come back to the Philippines every time you travel.

Outdoor waiting area. Photo by Jane Tenefrancia Uymatiao, used with permission.

I look at my watch and saw that it was already 6:45am. I stood up and made my way back to the embassy’s entrance. I lined up with the rest of the applicants for a non-immigrant visa, wondering just how am I going to appear confident and nonchalant when I feel the opposite inside. I sneaked a peek at the documents that the applicants ahead of me are toting and I was startled to see a document that I do not have. I timidly ask what that paper was and was told it’s the confirmation page for the appointment. All I had with me is the other confirmation page and the bank slip as proof of the payment.

When the GVB said they’ll offer assistance to my visa application, I wasn’t exactly sure how they will assist me. Never did I imagine that they will pay for the visa application fee, set the interview appointment and provide the formal letter if invitation from Guam, as well as a guarantee letter.

The line slowly moved and I quickly realized the difference in the lines. One on the left is for non-immigrant visa application, the middle one for immigrant visas, while the right most and the longest are for seafarers. US citizens can just walk right up to the entrance and enter. Security, was as expected, tight. Electronic gadgets are not allowed inside. No mobile phones, no mp3 players, no iPods, no laptops, not even USB thumb drives and bottles of water. Once through the security, we wait at the outdoor holding area.

Inside NOX1. Photo by Jane Tenefrancia Uymatiao, used with permission.

I got the e-mail shortly after Easter. My interview was set for 7:15am on May 3. My heart suddenly started beating fast. Now it’s real. I knew I had to go for an interview, but now that the date has been set, it completely sunk in that I am doing it. I have to face what I’ve always been too happy to avoid. The first thing I did was to message the accountant… is she finished with my business registration? I need the documents for the embassy ASAP.

We were given a number as we entered the embassy. I watched the board with fascination, wondering why 2286 was being called the same time 2304 was flashing on the screen. Now I understand why a friend told me she was too preoccupied watching the numbers to read the book she read. Jasper Fforde likewise spent the entire day inside my bag.

The business registration papers were waiting for me when I got home from making the rounds at my banks, picking up the bank certifications I requested for. I heaved a huge sigh of relief and set about arranging my supporting documents in my clear plastic envelope. I checked and double checked each item in the checklist I was provided with, hoping that the consul won’t ask for documents that I do not carry.

At last we were called. I realized that the numbers on the board were for those already being processed inside the new NOX1 building. For those waiting outside, you need to listen to the staff calling out numbers by batches. After another round of security checks, we were finally inside the US Embassy’s newest consular services facility.

Right after I got news about my visa appointment, Yogajane published the photos she took during the NOX1 inauguration. My eyes glazed as I took in each detail, wondering how I’d feel once inside that shiny new building.

We were told to line up and I blindly followed the people ahead of me. Seeing that our line was too long, a staffer pulled the guy ahead of me and told me to follow them to another window. Before I knew it, we were standing in line window 15 and we heard the consul asking the guy ahead of us for the purpose of his travel. Is this it? It’s interview time already? I’m not ready for this! It seems it was a preliminary check, verifying the information in our application form and confirming that it was us who actually filled out the form.

“What did they ask you?” I asked my friend Kaoko.
“Just the things that are in the application form. Then they asked about my job and what I do.”
“That’s it? Did you put your documents in a clear book?”
She replied, “my documents are just in an envelope, but I realized then that using a clearbook would have been more efficient since you can easily find specific papers. Not that it mattered to me anyway, since the consul didn’t ask for any document.”

Consul windows. Photo by Jane Tenefrancia Uymatiao, used with permission.

After leaving the window unscathed, I realized that there really *is* nothing to be scared of. I faced what I’ve been worrying about head on and I felt that I can take whatever else that is coming my way. My butt hardly touched the seat before my number flashed again and I rushed off to Window 12. There was a burly guy with a warm and friendly voice who was taking finger prints. Despite my newfound confidence, I floundered and stared stupidly when he asked me to state my name and birth date. He was patient as I fumbled with the contraption that scans my fingerprint, assuring me that behind those (I assume) bullet-proof glass are humans that are only doing what they’re trained to do. And that they don’t bite.

“The consul I got assigned to was friendly,” Kaoko relates. “He even chatted with the kids of the couple ahead of me in line.”
“Really? Hmmm,” I muttered. “I hope I get him as well. Is he cute?”

I ended up sitting with two other girls who were ahead of me in line at the entrance to the embassy. We chatted about the purpose of our trips and shared horror stories about friends who got denied, even with extensive travel histories. One by one we were called and soon I was on my feet, standing in front of Window 5.

“What’s the purpose of your visit,” the consul asked.
“I was invited by the Guam Visitors Bureau to attend a festival towards the end of the month.”
“Why did they invite you?”
“I’m a travel blogger,” I replied. Upon her blank stare, I continued despite warnings not to talk too much. “They are inviting media outfits from all over the world for the festival. I’m one of the delegates from the Philippines.”
The consul flips through my passport and sees my Myanmar visa. I stifled my groan; I knew I will be asked about Myanmar. “What did you do in Myanmar,” she finally asked.
“I went around the country to Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan.”
“Why?”
“Myanmar is part of my bucket list of places to go before I turned 30.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I have my own business. I write content for websites, design and create blogs.”
“Okay. Your visa is approved,” the consul finally say.
“…” I stare at her, not knowing what to say.
When she saw my eyes flick to my passport, she continued, “we’ll send the passport via courier.”
“Oh wow, thank you!” Screw being formal, I need to express my joy!

Seriously, I think bad passport and visa photos are the norm around here.

It wasn’t until last week that I heard news about my visa. Actually, the day after the interview, I got a call from the embassy that I need to submit a new picture, as the picture I submitted doesn’t meet the guidelines. I had to send it via courier at no additional cost. I felt naked without my passport and kept wondering when it will be returned. An excited call from Niel woke me from my reverie one afternoon. My passport was delivered to their office bearing a new stamp: a 10 year multiple entry visa! Seriously Just Wandering, what would my life be without you?

[UPDATE] The U.S. Embassy Manila often hold a Visa Hour, where their consuls answer visa-related question. Here are two that might answer your questions:
The Visa Hour: Summer Travel Edition (Part 1 of 2)
The Visa Hour: Summer Travel Edition (Part 2 of 2)
There’s also the VISAtisfied Voyager, their official visa blog.

Great hotel deals in San Francisco via Agoda

In May 2010, it was announced that visa on arrival (VOA) will be available at the Yangon and Mandalay airports. This meant that foreigners visiting Myanmar no longer have to apply for a visa prior to departure. However, in September 2010, the VOA was suspended, due to the (then) upcoming November elections. There’s no news yet whether the suspension has been lifted, but if you have plans on visiting Myanmar, it’s best that you apply for a tourist visa beforehand.

Is there such a thing as a decent passport or visa picture?

Unlike the Australian tourist visa application, the Myanmar visa does not require as much documents. Along with your filled up application form, you need to submit the following:

• Valid passport
• Photocopy of valid passport
• 2 passport size photos
• CD with scanned copy of passport photo
• Signed waiver that you will not publish anything against the Myanmar government.

I’m not joking about the last one. The government is wary of people working in the media (journalists, photographers, writers, etc.), so if that’s your line of work, state a different job in your application form. They don’t ask who your employer is anyway.

You have to personally apply for the visa. The Myanmar embassy in the Philippines is located at the 8th floor of the Gervasia Corporate Center, along Amorsolo Street (on Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/HbvO). The building is right across Makati Cinema Square. Look for the Benchmark Corporate Center and Fabricare signs. Visa application and pick up is from 8am to 2pm. Not a lot of people travel to Myanmar, so there’s a high chance you’re the only one applying for a visa when you visit the embassy.

If you’re going to have your photo taken before applying for a visa, it’s best to do it at the Kodak studio inside Makati Cinema Square. They already know the requirements of the embassy; you can have you photo taken and have the CD copy for only Php 78. If you already have photos on hand, scan it at 100%, 300dpi, then save as JPG and burn unto a CD.

The visa application fee is US$25 or Php 1,100. This is cheaper than the visa on arrival, which costs $30. Visa processing takes 3 – 5 working days. The Myanmar tourist visa is valid for 3 months and for up to 28 days upon arrival in the country.

Myanmar Embassy
8th floor of the Gervasia Corporate Center
Amorsolo Street, Makati City
Phone: (02) 893-1944, (02) 812-3644
Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/HbvO

[Update: September 15, 2014] Philippine passport holders can now apply for an Australian tourist visa online through the IMMI website. Application fee must be paid via credit card. You can still apply in person through VFS.

I am not a visa officer, nor am I migration agent. I am in no way affiliated with the Australian Embassy Manila nor with the Australian government. This post comes from my experience with preparing and submitting visa applications for family members and for myself. Also note that this entry pertains to my experience in applying for an Australian tourist visa in October 2006. The Australian immigration update their forms every 3 months. I will try to answer your questions the best way that I can, but bear in mind that a lot has changed since 2006. If you ask a question I’ve already answered in the post, I will ignore you.

I’ve been getting quite a lot of inquiries about how to apply for an Australian visa so after a year of this post being in the draft, I’m finally writing it (with hopes of finishing it within 2 hours).

1. Download and read the necessary forms and documents for your visa class.

Everything you need to know about Australian visas are in the official Australian Immigration website at www.immi.gov.au. If you’re just going to visit Australia as a tourist, you fall under Tourist Visa (Subclass 676). The corresponding documents for this visa subclass are:

• Infosheet 20
• Form 48R
• Application document checklist

All files are in PDF format and would require Adobe Reader to open.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship of Australia regularly review and update their visa-related documents and requirements. It’s important that you have the latest edition for your reference, as well as the forms you will fill in.

[UPDATE April 5, 2013] Please note that as of March 23, 2013, the visa subclass for Australian tourist visa is subclass 600 and the application form is now form 1419.

2. Collect the documents needed and make copies of each.

The documents needed for every tourist visa application are listed in the forms. Once you have completed the documents, start filling in the forms. When filling out the form, carefully read the instructions and questions.

The Australian visa application requires you to pay a visa application fee of AU$100. There is an online conversion tool in the immigration website that shows the rate in your currency. The fee must be paid with a manager’s or cashier’s check issued by your bank for the Australian Embassy. Once you have completed your documents, filled in the form and acquired the manager’s check, make copies of everything. Seperate the originals and the copies.

3. Call the Australian Embassy hotline.

The hotline numbers to call for visa application pick up in the Philippines are as follows:

For PLDT/Smart/Touchcard Subscribers 1 (909) 362 – 2779
For Globe/Innove/Touchmobile Subscribers 1 (900) 362 – 2779
For Bayantel Subscribers 1 (903) 362 – 2779

Source: Visitor Information and Application Australia

This is considered a long-distance call, so brace yourself for the ginormous phone bill (Php 32 per minute). The hotline is available Mondays to Fridays, 6am – 8pm, and Saturdays, 8am to 6pm. If you are just calling to inquire about the visa application process, you can call the free hotline at (02) 845-9200.

Schedule for a visa pick up. The agent will ask you questions about your application, so better have your documents with you for reference. After the question and answer portion, the agent will then give you instructions regarding the pick-up and return of your documents. You are encouraged to be there when the FedEx guy picks up the documents. By the way, the courier fee is not included in the Australian visa application fee, so be ready to fork out around Php 300 for Mr. FedEx. This fee covers both the pick up and return delivery.

UPDATE (July 5, 2011): The process has changed since this post’s writing. Here’s the new process for submitting your application, according to the VIA website:

1. Phone-in / Book for a roundtrip Courier Service.
This service is a phone-in option that includes the pick up of the completed Application Form and supporting documents from the applicant’s given address and delivery after processing at the Embassy. This service is available nationwide and involves a flat rate; roundtrip courier fee.

2. Walk-in / Direct Lodgment at the VIA Centre
This is a walk-in option where an applicant or an authorized representative can directly submit the completed Application Form and supporting documents at the Embassy’s Visa Information and Application (VIA) Centre. This option involves a lodgment service & handling fee which includes the one-way delivery by courier after processing.

Source: VIA.ph

4. Start the agonizing wait for denial or approval.

Visa processing can take from three days to one month. The shortest visa processing we had was three days, I think, and the longest was one month. That one month was due to the high influx of visa applications, as my sister applied on the last week of November. Apparently, a lot of Filipinos are applying for visas during this time (probably hoping to spend Christmas in Australia with their families).

So there you have it! I hope this is helpful in someways. If you have any questions, just post them in the comments area, and I’ll try to answer as best as I can

[Update: September 15, 2014] Philippine passport holders can now apply for an Australian tourist visa online through the IMMI website. Application fee must be paid via credit card. You can still apply in person through VFS.

[UPDATE May 19, 2013: I have an updated Australian tourist visa application guide.

I am not a visa officer, nor am I migration agent. I am in no way affiliated with the Australian Embassy Manila nor with the Australian government. This post comes from my experience with preparing and submitting visa applications for family members and for myself. Also note that this entry pertains to my experience in applying for an Australian tourist visa in October 2006. The Australian immigration update their forms every 3 months. I will try to answer your questions the best way that I can, but bear in mind that a lot has changed since 2006. If you ask a question I’ve already answered in the post, I will ignore you.

One of the questions people ask me when I tell them I’ve been to Australia is if it’s easy to get a tourist visa. Almost everybody in Manila have heard of stories of how hard it is to obtain a US tourist visa: compiling documents like birth certificate, bank statements, even land titles O_O, paying a high application fee, waiting in line for hours for an interview. Is it as hard to get a tourist visa for Australia as it is for the US?

Actually, it’s not whether it’s harder on not, but it really boils down to how complete your documents are. I believe all embassies would be very meticulous about all the applications they receive, and it is really important to send them all the required documents.

Be it the Australian embassy, the US embassy or the Chinese embassy, they all want to know the same thing: that you are who you say you are, that you have the means to fund your trip in their country, and that you will be returning to your home country.

Proof of identity
This of course, is your passport and your birth certificate.

Proof of sufficient funds
Bank statements, credit card documents stating your credit limit, payslip

Proof that you’re not going to be an illegal immigrant
Certificate of employment if you’re already working or certificate of enrollment if you’re still studying

If you’re thinking of visiting Australia anytime soon, head on to the Australian Immigration website to learn more about the Australian tourist visa, as well as download the necessary forms. Here are some helpful links to get you started:
Tourist Visa (Subclass 676)
Tourist Visa Charges
Visa application checklist (PDF file)
Application form 48R (PDF file)

[UPDATE April 5, 2013] Please note that as of March 23, 2013, the visa subclass for Australian tourist visa is subclass 600 and the application form is now form 1419.

Coming up next: How I went about applying for my Australian tourist visa