Visas and migration

Welcome to the website of the Visa Office at the Australian Embassy in Berlin. We are an overseas office of the Department of Home Affairs.

The following pages will provide you with information regarding citizenship and visa options for visitors, workers, students or migrants. With the exception of Australian and New Zealand citizens, all people travelling to Australia require a visa prior to arrival.

Um die folgende Seite in deutscher Sprache zu lesen, gehen Sie bitte zu "Visa und Einwanderung" auf der deutschen Unterseite . Bitte haben Sie Verständnis dafür, dass weniger frequentierte Unterseiten nicht immer übersetzt sind.

What's New

The Australian Government has announced it will enhance the way visa and citizenship services are delivered using the latest digital technologies. For more information visit the Department of Home Affairs' website

 

Christmas is just around the corner

Christmas is just around the corner, so don’t leave it too late to apply for a visa for Australia! Lodge your visa application online via https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa/immi

 Lodge your visa application early, as processing can take longer during popular times to visit Australia. Current processing times are available at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about/access-accountability/service-standards/global-visa-citizenship-processing-times 

 

2018-19 Work and Holiday program with Israel - 12 July 2018 update

There have been a high number of visa applications received as part of the Work and Holiday arrangement with Israel since the opening of the 2018-19 program on 1 July 2018. These applications are currently being processed and, once we have granted the annual quota of 500 visas, we will formally close the program. Due to the high demand for this program, it is likely that not all applicants will gain a place this year.

 

The 2018/19 Work and Holiday visa program opens on 1 July 2018

The new program year for Work and Holiday visa applications will commence on 1 July 2018 for nationals of countries listed at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa-1/462-. Applications for nationals of:

• Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, San Marino and Slovenia

must be lodged by post (mail or courier) to the street address of  the Australian Embassy in Berlin:

Australian Embassy
Visa Office
Wallstrasse 76-79
D-10179 Berlin, GERMANY

Applications lodged in person will not be accepted.  Applications can only be processed and considered for the new program year if they are received by post (mail or courier) on or after 1 July 2018.

The Visa Application Charge will be 450 AUD from 1 July 2018. The correct amount must be paid in order to lodge a valid application.

Payment of the Visa Application Charge should be made via ImmiAccount prior to submitting your paper application.  To use this function, you need to create your own ImmiAccount, make the payment, and then include a copy of the Online Payment receipt with your visa application.  Information on ImmiAccount is available at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa/immi. Information on “how to pay” is available at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa/fees/how-to-pay-for-an-application

More information about the subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa, and how to apply, can be found at the Department’s website.

 

Israeli Work and Holiday visa applications must be lodged in Berlin commencing 1 July 2018

The new program year for Work and Holiday visa applications for Israeli nationals will commence on 1 July 2018.

Commencing on 1 July 2018, Work and Holiday visa applications for Israeli nationals must be lodged by post to the Australian Embassy in Berlin.

Important information

• Applications must be posted to:

Australian Embassy
Visa Office
Wallstrasse 76-79
D-10179 Berlin, GERMANY

• Any applications lodged at the Australian Embassy in Tel Aviv will be invalid. The Tel Aviv office cannot forward any applications to Berlin on your behalf.
• Applications can only be processed if they are received by post on or after 1 July 2018. Applications lodged in person will not be accepted.
• Payment of the Visa Application Charge should be made via ImmiAccount prior to submitting your paper application.  To use this function, you need to create your own ImmiAccount, make the payment, and then include a copy of the Online Payment receipt with your visa application.  Information on ImmiAccount is available at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa/immi. Information on “how to pay” is available at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa/fees/how-to-pay-for-an-application
• Applications mailed together by groups or couples will not necessarily be considered together or given priority.
• Please remember to include in your application formal evidence that you have at least functional English.  For most clients, this is the result of a formal English test.  Further information is available at http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa-1/462-#tab-content-1, Tab "Visa applicants" and then section on "Functional English".
• Please also include English translations (by an Israeli Notarion or an Australian NAATI translator) of any relevant supporting documents to ensure your visa application can be processed efficiently.
• The cap for the Israeli Work and Holiday program is 500 places per year. Once 500 visas are granted, other applications will not be considered.
• The Department will publish a notice on the Australian Embassy Berlin website at http://germany.embassy.gov.au/beln/Visas_and_Migration.html when the cap of 500 places has been filled.
• More information about the subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa, and how to apply, can be found at the Department’s website and the Australian Embassy Berlin website at http://germany.embassy.gov.au/beln/Visas_and_Migration.html.
• A list of Frequently asked Questions and Answers (FAQs) is at http://israel.embassy.gov.au/tavv/462engFAQsBerlin.html

 

Work and Holiday visa application online lodgement trial for nationals of Spain and the Slovak Republic

We are pleased to announce that the Department of Home Affairs is moving towards online lodgement for Work and Holiday visa applications. From 1 July 2018, Australia will be commencing a trial of online lodgement for Work and Holiday visa applications for nationals of Spain and the Slovak Republic only.

The change means that from 1 July 2018 all Spanish and Slovakian nationals must lodge their Work and Holiday application online through the Department of Home Affairs’ website at www.homeaffairs.gov.au using ImmiAccount. Paper applications will not be accepted for these clients. 

This trial only relates to the method of lodging the visa application, so all visa requirements and eligibility criteria remain unchanged.

It is important to note that the requirement of Functional English also remains unchanged. For a list of acceptable evidence to demonstrate that you have at least functional English, please refer to the Department’s website at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa-1/462-#tab-content-1, then go to the tab “visa applicants” and refer to the information listed in the drop-down text for “Functional English”. Please ensure that you include this evidence when you lodge your application.

The trial also does not affect Work and Holiday visa arrangements with other countries, whose nationals will continue to lodge paper applications. If this trial is successful, online lodgement will be made available to nationals of other countries in the coming program years.

For further information, please see https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa-1/462-#tab-content-1.

 

New Work and Holiday arrangement with the Czech Republic commencing 1 March 2018

The new Work and Holiday arrangement with the Czech Republic comes into effect on 1 March 2018. Young adults from the Czech Republic can apply for a subclass 462 visa from the date of commencement. More information about the subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa, and how to apply, can be found at the Department’s website.

Important information

• Applications should be lodged by post to:

Australian Embassy
Visa Office
Wallstrasse 76-79
D-10179 Berlin, GERMANY

• Applications must be accompanied by a letter of introduction from your educational institution. (This is instead of a letter of government support, so you should not request a letter of government support).
• Please ensure that your payment details are correct and that your bank will allow for international transactions.  Applications where the payment does not work will be invalid and will not be processed.
• Any application received before 1 March 2018 will be invalid and will not be processed.
• The cap for the Czech work and holiday program is 500 places per year. We will only process the first 500 applications received and all other applications will not be considered.
• Applications mailed together by groups or couples will not necessarily be considered together or given priority.
   

New Work and Holiday arrangement with Austria commencing 15 February 2018

The new Work and Holiday arrangement with Austria comes into effect on 15 February 2018. Young adults from Austria can apply for a subclass 462 visa from the date of commencement.  More information about the subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa, and how to apply, can be found at the Department’s website.

Important information

• Applications should be lodged by post to:

  Australian Embassy
  Visa Office
  Wallstrasse 76-79
  D-10179 Berlin, GERMANY

• Applications must be accompanied by a letter of government support.
• Please ensure that your payment details are correct and that your bank will allow for international transactions.  Applications where the payment does not work will be invalid and will not be processed.
• Any application received before 15 February 2018 will be invalid and will not be processed.
• The cap for the Austrian work and holiday program is 200 places per year. We will only process the first 200 applications received and all other applications will not be considered.
• Applications mailed together by groups or couples will not necessarily be considered together or given priority.
• Please remember to include in your application formal evidence that you have at least functional English.  For most clients, this is the result of a formal English test.  Further  info at http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa-1/462-#tab-content-1, Tab "Visa applicants" and then section on "functional English".

 

 Global visa and citizenship processing times

The Department of Home Affairs is continually looking to improve client information and processing arrangements. 

You can view current global visa and citizenship processing times for most visa subclasses and citizenship types. To view current processing times, see the product page for the specific visa subclass or citizenship type you are applying for. You can navigate to any product from Individuals and Travellers or Visa Support. On the product page, two processing times will be displayed, indicating how long it takes to finalise 75 and 90 per cent of all applications submitted globally.

Processing times apply from the date your complete application is lodged.

You can also use the Visa Finder to compare processing times for up to three different products.

Submitting your application

Please ensure that any supporting documents required with your application are attached with lodgement of your application. A decision may be made solely on the information that you provide with your application. 

 Any document in a language other than English should be accompanied by an English translation. Please note that the translation does not have to be certified, however it does need to be accurate.  This approach will assist in processing applications expeditiously.  

Please ensure that when providing an English translation, that a copy of the original document is also provided. Failure to provide an English translation of supporting documentation may delay processing and result in the document not being considered as part of the visa application.

 

 

 Citizenship

Other useful links for travellers