Australian Online Visa

kangaroo on 17/05/2013 - 11:32

Hi Folks,

I recently applied for Returning Resident Visa in Australia as I am traveling to Canada for a month.
It cost me $300.

The visa is an online visa and Dept of Immigration want to charge me another $70 to get the visa stamped on passport.

While the online visa is fine for my entry into Australia (at Australian Port), I am not sure whether it is good enough for Canada.

Will officials at Toronto air port have access to my visa status? Otherwise they will not allow me to board the plan back to Aus.

I spoke to Dept of Immi and the girl on the phone said she thinks "I will be fine". She believes Canada has access to our Visa system.

Has anyone traveled back to Aus, with a online visa not stamped on your passport? Did you have issues at foreign airports?

Please let me know.

Regards
Aaron

Travel

Comments

  • Amaris on 17/05/2013 - 12:05
    +1

    My bro had a tourist visa to Australia but no label. He went through Singapore with no issues.

  • Blugok on 17/05/2013 - 12:42
    +1

    http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/rrv.htm

    Resident Return visa label requirements

    Australia does not require you to have a Resident Return visa label or stamp in your passport to remain in or enter Australia. However, if you are travelling through other countries, you may be required by those countries to have an Australian visa label or stamp in your passport.

    • kangaroo on 17/05/2013 - 12:59

      Thanks … I think I need to get it stamped to be on the safe side … extra $70 :( ……

  • zultan on 17/05/2013 - 14:02
    +1

    don't waste your money. they have access to VEVO http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/vevo.htm

    • kangaroo on 17/05/2013 - 14:22

      Thanks, I just printed my Vevo visa info, hopefully that should be enough

  • Franconian on 17/05/2013 - 18:50
    +1

    DIAC wants to enforce their evisa system. Therefore they recently introduced the $70 charge for visa labels. Every international airport with flights to Oz should have access to the VEVO system. Especially if you booked your flight directly from Canada to Oz there should not be any problems…

    • kangaroo on 17/05/2013 - 19:15

      Yes, its a direct flight from Toronto to Sydney (via Vancouver). Thanks!

  • jaylee88 on 18/05/2013 - 12:16
    +1

    Hi i got mine stamped in Australia at the immigration dept for free. in my home country there is a charge of $70 as well.

    • Franconian on 19/05/2013 - 02:13

      When and where exactly did you get the free visa label? The fee was introduced on 24/11/2012.

      From DIAC website:
      From 24 November 2012, visa holders will need to pay a Visa Evidence Charge (VEC) of AUD 70 to have a visa label placed in their passport. The charge is being introduced as part of the user-pays initiatives and to encourage the use of online immigration services.

      • jaylee88 on 19/05/2013 - 02:48

        i got it stamped before the date.

        Do Canadians apply for ETA to travel to Australia? if yes then they probably can access the Australia visa system.

        • Franconian on 19/05/2013 - 04:49

          Canada is for sure an ETA visa country, i. e. "no risk country". But also non ETA countries can access the VEVO system…

        • kangaroo on 19/05/2013 - 23:18

          Yes, Canadians only need ETA

  • kangaroo on 19/05/2013 - 23:20

    I think DIAC should list all countries/airports which have access to VEVO to avoid confusion.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join