Obtaining an Australian Visa: Rules To Keep In Mind

by Jo Alelsto

A visa generally refers to a formal endorsement which is endowed by a certain government on a person's passport, and this denotes that the individual's passport has been thoroughly checked and found valid by the country he or she wishes to visit. This also allows the bearer to legally travel to his or her destination. An entry visa indicates that the bearer has gotten official permission to enter a country as a visitor, but this does not however guarantee outright admission. The other major purpose of a visa is to allow a government to limit, as well as control, the entry of aliens into a country. Generally, there are two types of visas commonly issued, and these are the passport entry visa and the immigrant entry visa. The passport entry visa allows for the person to visit the country on a specified duration, while the immigrant visa is given to those who want to settle permanently in that country. So how should one get an Australian Visa?

Based on information posted on the Australian Government's official web site, most visa applications are approved or denied in 30 seconds, but there will be times when the standard application process takes a bit longer to undertake. For starters, the most common Australian visa issued is the Electronic Travel Authority or ETA. This is valid for 12 months from the date of issue, and allows for multiple visits to Australia with up to three months for each visit. Applications for these are usually quick, and the applicant will know the result in a short span of time. In getting an ETA however, you first need to check if you're qualified for this. Foremost, only passport-holding individuals from selected nations like the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada are allowed to apply for an ETA. You could check out the complete list of eligible countries from the Australian Government web site.

If ever you belong to any of the countries approved for this visa, you may apply online. Once you're on the official government web site, click on the "Apply for ETA" button, and thoroughly read as well as accept the information stated. An ETA application has a A$20 application fee levied, but you could use your credit card to pay for this too. Next, provide all personal information required. Once you complete all necessary forms and provide the pertinent information, start waiting for approval. According to Australian visa experts, most applications made online are approved or denied in 30 seconds. However, if you encounter any delays, you may re-check your status every 12 hours, to verify your ETA application status.

For those who wish to do business Down Under, special business visas are also offered. However, the length of stay for business travelers who get this type of visa will depend on the agreement that will be met upon after the person consults the Australian visa office. Business visa are usually valid for up to 5 years. There are also temporary visas for those who wish to go to Australia to do some special activities like sporting competitions, entertainment performances, or temporary short-stay company assignments. Those wishing to be granted temporary residence visas in this country however need to be sponsored by an Australian company or organization. Those who get temporary residence visas need to remember that the exact length of the stay indicated on the document needs to be strictly complied, and when the visa expires and you still need to stay quite longer, then you are advised to immediately consult with the country's Department of Immigration and Multicultural affairs office. Failure to do so will incur the person a hefty fine, along with the imposition of other penalties.

About the Author
Jo is an author and publisher for 'Visas for Australia' (http://www.visasforaustralia.co.uk), one of the world's leading visa authority that processes Australian tourist visas, Australian business visas and Australian working holiday visas. If you are going to take a trip and apply for an Australian visa or if you want to achieve your dreams of travel Down Under then you should have a look at Visas for Australia.

Two options for getting yourself a Canadian Visa

by Alam smith

Immigrating to another country can be quite a challenge. However it can also be a relatively easy process depending on a lot of factors. If you are looking at moving to Canada, considering the option of a permanent residence visa under the skilled worker category might be the best option for you. Of course as the category suggest, you would need to fall into a section of the skilled worker category. There is plenty of easily available information for you to position yourself and see where you could fit in. Once you have made the decision to migrate her are the two options that are open for you to explore. Whichever one you decide to take should get you your Canadian visa if all your documents are in place.

Option 1: Hiring a representative or a consultant

If you can afford an immigration representative or a consultant, this would be the best way to go. Immigration consultants know the ins and outs of immigrations laws and the documents that you are required to provide. They will also be able to advise you on the category of skilled labour that you can apply for a visa under. According to the laws of the Canadian government, a paid immigration consultant is one that is approved by the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants. There are websites that will help you check the credibility of your immigration consultant before you get started.

All immigration consultants will charge you a fee for their services. This fee is not to be confused with the official immigration fee that you have to pay the Canadian government.

Option 2: The DIY (do it yourself) option

The second option available for you to explore is to actually do the whole thing yourself. This way you will actually save a lot of money, as the fee that most of the immigration consultants take is two to three times that of the fee that you are required to pay the Government of Canada. However, unless you know exactly what you are doing, this would not be a wise idea as you will have to spend a lot more time researching information and getting your documents into the order that they need to be in.

About the Author
Alan Smith is an eminent analyst and writer which is writing about :Two options for getting yourself a Canadian Visa