Visa

Australia maintains a universal visa regime, therefore, unless you are an Australian citizen, you will need a valid Australian visa to enter the country.

If you are not an Australian citizen and you wish to attend the Congress, please indicate that you require an invitation letter under the “Visa Applicants” section on the Congress registration form and enter your passport details and expected dates of entry to/exit from Australia. You will receive a letter of invitation via email upon completion of the registration process.

Australian visa types

The appropriate type of the visa depends on your nationality, passport, and purpose of travel. Please visit this page on the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website to find further information on the types of visas.

Congress attendees that will not be working, performing, or otherwise being paid to contribute at the event may be eligible to apply for the following visa types (please see the list below). To attend a conference that is held in Australia, most delegates would apply for the Visitor Visa (Subclass 600 – Business Visitor stream). We recommend that you follow the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs’ step-by-step guide during the visa application process.

• Visitor (subclass 600) Business stream visa – to check your eligibility and find the step-by-step guide for this type of visa, please click here.

• Electronic Travel Authority – ETA (subclass 601)* – to check your eligibility and find the step-by-step guide for this type of visa, please click here.

• eVisitor (subclass 651) Business stream visa* – to check your eligibility and find the step-by-step guide for this type of visa, please click here.

* Please note that visa applicant's eligibility for an ETA visa and eVisitor visa will be determined by the country that has issued their passport.

How to apply

To apply for the Australian visa, please click here to select the appropriate visa type, and create an Immi account on the Department of Home Affairs' online services portal.

It is recommended that you submit the following supporting documents as part of the visa application process:

• invitation letter (please see above);

• travel itinerary (flight booking and accommodation reservation details);

• travel insurance (recommended, though not mandatory);

• previous travel history (copies of your visas, stamps in your passport(s)).

Visa processing times

Visa applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:  

• whether the applicant has submitted a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents and paid all associated visa application charges;

• how promptly the applicant responds to any requests for additional information;

• how long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting documents provided;

• how long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly in relation to applicant’s health, character, and national security requirements;

• the current global visa processing times.

Processing times are impacted each month by cases that are complex, by fluctuations of the applications volume, and changes to the Ministerial Directions. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that Australian visa applications are submitted at least two-three months prior to the intended date of departure from your point of origin.

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