How to Apply for Australian Visa Online

One Saturday morning, I woke up with a broken heart. Unfortunately {or fortunately, depends how you look at it}, my broken heart always lead me to decisions made on the spur. This comes in the form of hoarding dresses in Dorothy Perkins {good choice, they were on sale}, a surfing trip,  yoga classes, or in this case, a completely spontaneous booking to Melbourne, Australia for one of my best friend's birthday in June.

And then it all came crashing to me: I had less than two months to apply and get approved for a visa. Since Australia just launched their online visa application for Philippines, I thought I had ample time. While waiting for a decision, I was pretty worried it won't get approved on time as it normally takes a month. Today, however, I did receive it so I can now share how to apply:

1. If like me, you're only applying for a visitor visa, that's called a Visitor Subclass 600. Register for an Immi Account, wherein you will be uploading your documents and inputting your information.

2. The standard application process for PH passport holders like me is a month, so that made me panic and start applying in the evening of that day I realized this. In some forums, I saw that they took 5 weeks to receive their visas. Mine took 25 days, earlier than the expected one month.

3. It's very straightforward once you have an Immi account, just answer as truthfully as you can. Be prepared to have soft copies of your documents, the usual stuff for visa application. I paid for my visa application using Mastercard, around AUD 130. Once you're done, you will receive a confirmation via email that your application has been received.

4. Regarding documents, I scanned all my documents: passport, 2x2 passport photo, ITR, bank statements, invitation from my friend to visit her in Australia, certificate of employment and birth certificate. I uploaded them all to the system.

5. Now we wait for at least a month.

6. Take note that once you receive the visa grant, it's just a PDF format {see above}, there are no more visa labels and your passport is already enabled to enter Australia.

7. That's it. Enjoy your trip!

Disclaimer: I am only speaking for my own experience and this is in the case of me applying for my own visa, for just 1 individual. My results might be different from your application and may take a different time frame. Just the same, enjoy your trip!

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