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Visas and Migration
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) in Manila accepts applications and makes decisions on most temporary and permanent migration visas. This website contains information on the main visas and citizenship applied for from the Philippines.
For detailed information about visas and citizenship services please see the DIAC website. See: www.immi.gov.au
Application forms for all types of visas can also be downloaded from the DIAC website. See:http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/application-forms/index.htm
Important Announcement from the Visa and Immigration Section
Newsflash – New Visa Application Charges effective 01 July 2010
The Migration Regulations and Immigration (Education) Regulations have been amended to give effect to adjust certain other fees and Visa Application Charges (VACs) by the Consumer Price Index or Contributory Parent Visa Composite Index. The amended fees and VACs are to take effect on 01 July 2010.
Also, the Foreign Currency Exchanges (FCEs) instrument has been signed off the Chief Finance Officer. The Acceptable Currencies (ACs) and FCEs are also updated biannually, on 01 January and 01 July each year, and is for use at overseas posts to calculate the cost of VACs, Citizenship fees, and charges arising from the migration regulations.
Attached is Manila Information Sheet No. 03 indicating the Visa Application Charges (VACs) and fees effective 01 July 2010.
Manila Information Sheet No 3 – Visa Application Charges
For more information about VACs and fees, please visit http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i/vac.htm or download the attached PDF (VAC Flyer).
Extension of Visa Label-Free Arrangements to other visa applicants in the Philippines
Effective 27 April 2010, certain applicants for Visitor (Temporary) visas Subclass 676 and Business (Short stay) visas Subclass 456 who are granted visas by this office will no longer have a visa label evidenced on their passports.
Also, all applicants for a Transit visa Subclass 771 who are granted visas will no longer have a label evidenced on their passports. Previously, the visa label-free arrangement applies only to Filipino seafarers applying for a Transit visa. Please refer to the related news item on Visa Label-Free Arrangements for Filipino Seafarers for further information.
An insert will provided in your passport if you are granted a visa under the label-free arrangement. The insert provides information regarding the conditions of your visa granted, such as the validity period, number of entries allowed, and the maximum period of stay in Australia for each visit. Any other condition of your visa is also included in the insert. It is important to note that the inserts are provided only to notify you of the decision to grant you a visa and the conditions of your visa. You will not be required to show the insert upon check-in or at the immigration counters.
The absence of a visa label in a passenger’s passport will pose no difficulty for either passengers flying directly to Australia or those transiting to Australia via a third country.
Clients will continue to be able to check the status of their visas through the Visa Entitlements Verification Online (VEVO) facility which is accessible on the DIAC website (www.immi.gov.au). However, this facility and the support phone number is accessible only when you're in Australia.
Amendments to Student visa assessment level requirements.
Effective 27 March 2010, the Migration Regulations 1994 are amended to specify that Student visa applicants seeking to package two or more courses will be assessed against the highest assessment level which applies to any of the courses in their package (with the exemption of ELICOS courses in a package)
For more details about changes to the Regulations regarding Student visas, please visit our website: www.immi.gov.au/legislation/amendments/2010/100327/lc27032010-09.htm
Visa Label-Free Arrangements for Filipino Seafarers
Effective 15 March 2010, Filipino seafarers travelling to Australia on Transit Visas to join their ships will no longer have Australian visa labels affixed to their passports.
The introduction of label-free visas for Filipinos travelling to Australia does not represent a change to the visa processing arrangements. It simply means that when a visa is granted, a label will not be affixed in the passport. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) already processes and finalises a number of visa types without a visa label for many clients around the world. The absence of a visa label in a passenger’s passport will pose no difficulty for either passengers flying directly to Australia or those transiting to Australia via a third country.
Visa details will be maintained in the DIAC computer systems as is currently the case. Clients will be provided with notification of their visa grant and will also be able to check the status of their visas through the Visa Entitlements Verification Online (VEVO) facility which is accessible on the DIAC website (www.immi.gov.au) when you're in Australia.
Partner Visa and Child Visa Applicants
The Australian Government considers the safety of children paramount and is strengthening policies around the sponsorship of minors for visas. In particular it wishes to ensure that children migrating to Australia are protected from high risk situations, such as when a sponsor has convictions or outstanding charges for offences of a sexual or violent nature, and it is likely that a child will be residing with that sponsor. Consequently the Australian Government has introduced a requirement that when an applicant under the age of 18 is included in an application for a Child or Partner category visa, the sponsor is to provide a National Police Clearance (NPC). The information contained in the NPC will assist the Department to determine whether there is any compelling reason to believe that the grant of the visa would not be in the best interest of the visa applicant.
From Wednesday 16th September 2009, all sponsors involved in the sponsorship of Partner Visa or Child Visa applicants with migrating children under the age of 18 are to provide a National Police Clearance (NPC) with the application. Details on how to obtain this clearance is available from the AFP website at: http://www.afp.gov.au/business/national_police_checks or you can call the AFP on (02) 6202 3333.
When completing the NPC application form, please use Code 33 at question 1 on the form and include details of any, and all, names you have been known by. If an AFP certificate is provided based on incorrect information, the department may request another certificate. Please note that fingerprints are not required for the NPC.
Please provide this clearance with the application to assist in prompt processing.
Information on applying for visas and citizenship
Contact us
By Email :
For further information about visa requirements prior to lodging an application or how to lodge an application, contact our service delivery partner at aus_inquiry@via.ph.
For information regarding a current application or other specific inquiries not covered by information on this website, contact us by email at immigration.manila@dfat.gov.au
By Phone :
Information:
Recorded information about applying for visas and citizenship in the Philippines can be obtained 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling:
+63 2 757 8340
Phone Inquiry Service :
For obtaining information that is not available on our recorded service or this website, the following inquiry line is available:
+63 2 845 9200
Calls to this number are toll-free from within Metro Manila but will attract
standard NDD and IDD rates for calls from outside Manila.
Making VISA Applications in Manila
The Department of Immigration in Manila has a Service Delivery Partner arrangement with Philippine Interactive Audiotext Service Inc (PIASI) to provide Australian visa lodgement services. PIASI operates a Call Centre for telephone enquiries and the Visa Information and Application (VIA) Centre which provides visa information and accepts applications for Australian visas.
Clients generally need to lodge applications either by courier through the Call Center or in person at the VIA Centre - although some applications must by law be lodged in Australia. The VIA Centre is not able to accept applications and documents by mail.
Applications may also be lodged by mail to the Embassy or through a registered Migration Agent, however, we do not recommend that clients forward personal documents, passports and payment through the mail, as safe delivery cannot be guaranteed.
For information on making applications see: Visa Applications
Using Migration Agents
Before engaging a migration agent, we recommend you read the following information.
See: Information about migration agents operating outside Australia http://www.immi.gov.au/visas/migration-agents/_pdf/information-migration-agents-operating-outside-australia.pdf