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1. Information ⇒ 2. Checklist ⇒ 3. How to Apply ⇒ 4. After You Apply ⇒ 5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Visitor Visa

Tourist Visa (subclass 676) / Business (Short Stay) Visa (subclass 456)

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On this page: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How long before my intended travel date should I lodge my application?
2. If I am mailing in my application, how can I pay the application fee?
3. How do I complete the “Payment Details” question on form 48R CHS for a Tourist Visa (subclass 676) or form 456 for a Business (short stay) Visa (subclass 456)?
4. Should I sign the application form in English or Chinese?
5. Should I complete the Form 54 in English or Chinese and who should witness this document?
6. Can I include my children on my application form 48RCHS for a Tourist Visa (subclass 676)?
7. Do all of my documents need to be translated into English? For example, what about my bank statements and my employment letter? Can my son/daughter do the translation for me?
8. How much funds evidence should I provide for my application for a Tourist Visa (subclass 676)?
9. I asked the bank for evidence of my funds and they said that they could only provide me with this if I fixed the money for a period of time. How long should I fix it for?
10. Should I undertake a medical check before or after I lodge my application?
11. I have just spent 12 months in Australia on a Visitor Visa. Can I apply to go again?
12. Do I need to provide an original letter of invitation with my Business (short stay) visa subclass (456 application) or is an emailed or faxed copy acceptable?
13. Do I need to provide personal funds evidence with my application for a Business (Short Stay) visa (Subclass 456) or is a statement regarding financial support from my employer or inviter sufficient?
14. Can I undertake some tourism activities whilst I am in Australia on a Business (Short Stay) visa (Subclass 456)?
15. Can I work on a Business (short stay) visa (subclass 456)?
16. What will happen if lodge my application with incomplete supporting documentation?

1. How long before my intended travel date should I lodge my application?

The average processing time for complete applications lodged in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai is 5 working days from the day we receive your application. You should also allow for the time it takes your passport to be returned to you by EMS or SF Express. You should not make travel plans or purchase tickets in the expectation that you will receive a visa within the average processing time.
We recommend that you apply well before your intended travel date. However, certain situations may also result in your application taking longer than the average processing time such as:

• medical checks have not been completed,
• incomplete applications being submitted,
• waiting for postal order payments to clear,
• additional checks, or information being required, or character issues requiring further assessment.

2. If I am mailing in my application, how can I pay the application fee? 

Please click here for further information regarding payment of Visa application Charges in China. Please ensure that you include a copy of the receipt with your application when you mail it to the appropriate office for processing. Do not include cash with a mailed in application.  

3. How do I complete the “Payment Details” question on form 48R CHS for a Tourist Visa (subclass 676) or form 456 for a Business (short stay) Visa (subclass 456)?  

If you are lodging your visa application in-person at the Beijing Embassy or the Shanghai or Guangzhou visa office, you do not need to complete the “Payment Details” question on the form 48RCHS or form 456. If you are mailing in your application, you should tick the correct box under the “Payment Details” question on form 48RCHS or form 456.  

4. Should I sign the application form in English or Chinese?  

The signature on your application form should be consistent with the signature on your passport and should be the same way as you usually sign your name. If this is in Chinese, you should sign the application form in Chinese and if this is in English, you should sign the application form in English.  

5. Should I complete the Form 54 in English or Chinese and who should witness this document?

The Form 54 must be completed in English and may be witnessed by anyone.

6. Can I include my children on my application form 48RCHS for a Tourist Visa (subclass 676)?

If you are travelling with your children and they each hold their own passport, they must complete a separate application form and may not be included in your application form. Each applicant must pay a separate Visa Application Charge
Only children that are included in your passport may apply using the same form as yourself. In this case, only one Visa Application Charge is payable.

7. Do all of my documents need to be translated into English? For example, what about my bank statements and my employment letter? Can my son/daughter do the translation for me?

You must attach English translations of any key documents requested on our checklists that you are lodging in support of your application. A family member or friend may assist you with these translations.  

8. How much funds evidence should I provide for my application for a Tourist Visa (subclass 676)?

We must be satisfied that an applicant has adequate funds or access to adequate funds for personal support during the period of their proposed visit. There is not a predetermined amount that can be specified, as each applicant’s situation is different. You should show us that you have access to sufficient funds for your travel and to support yourself during your proposed stay. This is only one of the criteria that we take into consideration in assessing an application.  

9. I asked the bank for evidence of my funds and they said that they could only provide me with this if I fixed the money for a period of time. How long should I fix it for?

Funds evidence provided in support of a visa application can be in a number of different forms. Please see the Tourist visa checklists. We generally want to see both evidence that you have access to funds to support your proposed visit and evidence of your regular income or assets, such as copies of your bank deposit books showing your history of savings or salary, copies of bank statements or payslips over a period of time, credit card statements and limits. 

10. Should I undertake a medical check before or after I lodge my application?  

If you are required to undertake a chest x-ray and/or medical examination (for example, you are 75 or older, or you are intending to stay longer than 3 months), we will contact you in relation to this after you lodge your application. Once contacted by our office, you should make your own arrangements to attend an approved immigration panel doctor. Please be advised that you will need to present a copy of the details page of your passport, your National Identity Card and health ID number to the panel doctor. For detailed information, please see Health Requirements.

11. I have just spent 12 months in Australia on a Visitor Visa. Can I apply to go again?

Visitor visas are not intended to allow individuals to remain in Australia for extended periods. Tourist visa holders cannot stay in Australia on consecutive Visitor visas for more than 12 months, except in exceptional circumstances – such as the death or serious illness of a family member in Australia.

If there are exceptional circumstances affecting an Australian citizen or permanent resident, that mean that you need to travel to Australia following an extended stay, please contact one of our offices by phone or email.  

12. Do I need to provide an original letter of invitation with my Business (short stay) visa subclass (456 application) or is an emailed or faxed copy acceptable?

A faxed or emailed copy of your letter of invitation is acceptable, however please ensure that full contact details of the onshore inviter are provided in this invitation. 

13. Do I need to provide personal funds evidence with my application for a Business (Short Stay) visa (Subclass 456) or is a statement regarding financial support from my employer or inviter sufficient?

We must be satisfied that you have access to adequate funds to cover the cost of your intended travel. You may show this in a number of ways, such as by providing copies of your bank deposit books showing your history of savings or salary, or copies of your bank statements or payslips over a period of time or copies of your credit card statements and available limits. Alternatively, you may provide a letter of financial support from the inviting or sending company.

See the Business (Short Stay) visa (Subclass 456) checklist 

14. Can I undertake some tourism activities whilst I am in Australia on a Business (Short Stay) visa (Subclass 456)? 

Yes, you may. The Business (Short Stay) visa (Subclass 456) is for visitors whose primary purpose of travel is to undertake business activities in Australia, however you may also undertake some tourism activities. Accompanying family members, who are included on your application, can travel for tourism only – as long as the main applicant’s primary reason for travel is for business. 

15. Can I work on a Business (short stay) visa (subclass 456)? 

The Business (Short Stay) visa (Subclass 456) is not intended for work, and persons granted this visa are generally not allowed to undertake any work in Australia that can be done by an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Very highly specialised or emergency work which cannot be done by an Australian may in certain circumstances be done by a person who holds a subclass 456 visa, but this must generally be for a total period of six week or less over the life of the visa. 

People intending to work in Australia should consider the Business (Long Stay) Subclass 457 visa. Information about this visa can be found at: Employer Sponsored Workers 

16. What will happen if lodge my application with incomplete supporting documentation?  

Your application will be assessed based on the documentation provided at lodgement. If you have not provided enough information for the decision maker to be satisfied that you meet the visa requirements, your application may be refused.

1. Information ⇒ 2. Checklist ⇒ 3. How to Apply ⇒ 4. After You Apply ⇒ 5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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