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Below are listed a number of frequently asked questions regarding student visa applications from the PRC region. For frequently asked questions relating to applicants from Mongolia, please click here

Important Notice

Please note that the Adelaide Offshore Student Processing Centre (AOSPC) no longer requires original documentation for the purpose of processing visa applications. The application is still required to be lodged by post using the specified application form, but when providing supporting documents, please ensure they are in one of the following formats:

• Certified copies or;
• Scanned copies of the original or certified documents emailed directly to offshore.student.processing.adelaide@immi.gov.au

Providing scanned copies of documents reduces postal and administrative delays in receiving and processing information. Please do not send this office any original documents or duplicates previously provided unless you are requested to do so by a departmental officer.

To assist the AOSPC in delivering a fast and efficient service eVisa agents are asked to ensure that they lodge complete applications and attach all key documents to the application as quickly as possible after lodgement. Key documents include the document checklists and the agent declaration. The email address for e-visa is: estudents.adelaide@immi.gov.au

We suggest that you lodge your application as soon as you have all relevant documentation and lodge at least a minimum of 12 weeks prior to your course commencement date. If you do not allow for the recommended 12 weeks there is no guarantee that you will receive your visa in time for the course start date.

Certified Copies

Copies of documents must be certified as true copies of the originals. ‘Certified copies’ are copies of documents authorised, or stamped as being true copies of the originals, by a person or agency recognised by the law of the country in which they are certified.

Documents, in languages other than English, must be accompanied by a true English translation of each of those documents.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lodging Your Student Visa Application In Adelaide, Australia

PROCESSING

1. How long does it take to get a student visa? (Student visa paper application)

Once we receive your application an acknowledgement letter will be sent to you by e-mail or post within 7 working days.

Your application will then be allocated to a case officer as soon as possible for assessment; this is called a Pre-Visa Assessment (PVA). If required your case officer will contact you by letter or e-mail informing you of any additional documentation need to complete your application.

We suggest that you lodge your application as soon as you have all relevant documentation and at least a minimum of 12 weeks prior to your course commencement date. If you do not allow for the recommended 12 weeks there is no guarantee that you will receive your visa in time for your course start date.

Your application is assessed in the order they are received by this office and will not be granted more than 16 weeks before your course commencement date.

The amount of time taken to finalise individual applications may vary significantly depending on processing requirements.

2. What is the service standard for eVisa processing times?

The service standard for Chinese student visa applications is to finalise 75% of applications within 12 weeks of lodgement. eVisa applications can often be finalised in a shorter time, however we recommend that you lodge an application as soon as you have all relevant documentation and at least a minimum of 12 weeks - 16 prior to your course commencement date. If you do not allow for the recommended 12 weeks there is no guarantee that you will receive your visa in time for your course start date.

Your application is assessed in the order they are received by this office.

3. Where do I lodge my paper application?

All Chinese student visa applications can be submitted using the following addresses:

By mail: AOSPC GPO BOX 1393, ADELAIDE SA 5001, Australia

By courier: AOSPC 4th Floor, 55 Currie Street Adelaide SA 5000, Australia

Note: The Australian Embassy does not accept visa applications.

4. What is the student visa application charge (VAC)?

To find the current student Visa Application Charge (VAC) go to: http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i/students-visa-charges.htm

DOCUMENTS

5. Do I send original documents with my application?

NO. Please note that the Adelaide Offshore Student Processing Centre (AOSPC) no longer requires original documentation for the purpose of processing visa applications. The application is still required to be lodged by post using the specified application form, but when providing supporting documents post PVA, please ensure they are in one of the following formats:

Scanned copies of the original documents emailed directly to the AOSPC; or
Scanned copies of certified documents emailed directly to the AOSPC; or
Certified copies of the documents mailed to the AOSPC.
The AOSPC email address is offshore.student.processing.adelaide@immi.gov.au

By mail: AOSPC GPO BOX 1393, ADELAIDE SA 5001, Australia

By courier: AOSPC 4th Floor, 55 Currie Street Adelaide SA 5000, Australia

Providing scanned copies of documents reduces postal and administrative delays in receiving and processing information. Please DO NOT send this office any original documents or duplicates previously provided unless you are requested to do so by a departmental officer.

6. Is there any way that my application can be processed more quickly than the others?

No, applications are processed in order of when they were lodged.

7. Can I change my course offer or education provider during application processing?

Yes. It is possible to change a course offer or education provider during processing of your application at any time until a final decision is made. If the new letter of offer or Confirmation of Enrolment is for a longer period than that initially provided to this office, and you change your course or education provider after the Pre-Visa Assessment (PVA) stage, your ability to meet the additional financial requirements will need to be assessed. The application would retain its place in the processing queue. Please refer to the DIAC website for further information:
http://www.immi.gov.au/students/students/chooser/index.htm

8. When should I pay my tuition fees?

This is up to you to decide, however if you pay your tuition fees and you visa is unsuccessful you will need to contact your education provider to negotiate payment refunds. You may wish to wait until after you are notified by DIAC that you have passed the PVA stage before making payment to your education provider.

9. Can I lodge my application and then send further documents at a later time?

It is important that you include all the required documents when you lodge your application. Lodging a complete application can assist case officers to quickly make a decision. If you cannot provide all of the supporting documentation at time of lodgement, inform the department which documents are missing and when you expect to be able to provide them. Incomplete applications may be delayed or, in some cases, refused.

10. Does having an agent prepare my application affect the outcome?

If you provide sufficient evidence with your application that shows that you meet the criteria for the grant of a student visa, then the visa will be granted. DIAC is not influenced in any way whether you use an agent or whether you prepare the application yourself.

11. What are the ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS?

Please go to the DIAC website for this information: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/index.htm

12. How much money do I need to obtain a student visa?

You must have enough money to pay for travel, tuition and living expenses for yourself, your spouse and your dependent children for the duration of your stay in Australia. For information on how to calculate what is considered sufficient in your circumstances, please go to the DIAC website: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/students/chooser/index.htm

13. What are acceptable sources of income?

The money to support you and your family members must come from one or more acceptable sources, which may include: you, your spouse, your brother or sister, your parents, your grandparents your aunt or uncle (only if they usually live in Australia and are either a citizen/permanent resident of Australia or an eligible New Zealand citizen).

14. If I obtain a student loan from a bank to fund my stay in Australia, which banks are acceptable to DIAC?

The Migration Regulations require that a bank must be governed by the central bank of the foreign country in which it operates, for it to be acceptable. Acceptable banks in China are: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications, CITIC Industrial Bank, China Everbright Bank, Hua Xia Bank, Guangdong Development Bank, Shenzhen Development Bank, China Merchant Bank, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Industrial Bank, China Minsheng Bank, Ever-growing Bank, China Zhe Shang Bank, Bank of Hangzhou, Bank of Shanghai, Bank of Nanjing, Standard Chartered Bank China, ANZ Bank, HSBC Bank (China), Qilu Bank, China Bohai Bank Co., Limited.

15. Can the loan be terminated within the first 36 months of the students studying in Australia (wholly or partly)?

No. If you provide evidence of funds in the form of a student loan, that loan must be available to you for the first 36 months of your stay in Australia.

16. Do I still need 6 months savings history if I use a student loan to fully fund my study and stay in Australia?

No.

17. What are the age requirements to study in secondary school in Australia?

All students except exchange students must meet specific academic and age requirements. If you are applying for your first student visa, you must provide evidence that you have successfully completed Year 9 equivalent and your age is appropriate for your proposed Year level. Note: An appropriate age means that if you are enrolled in:

Year 12, you will be less than 20 years of age at the start of Year 12
Year 11, you will be less than 19 years of age at the start of Year 11
Year 10, you will be less than 18 years of age at the start of Year 10
Year 9, you will be less than 17 years of age at the start of Year 9
You also need to show evidence of the following:

That your secondary school course will be at least 16 months
That you successfully completed a recognised secondary course lasting 2 years outside Australia. The course must have an Australian curriculum and be conducted in English by an Australian provider.

18. What are acceptable methods of payment for my student visa?

When making a payment to the Department for applications lodged with the Adelaide Offshore Student Processing Centre, please pay by credit card, bank cheque or money order.

We accept American Express, Visa, Diners Card, Mastercard and JCB credit cards. If you do not nominate the payment amount in form 157A, or fail to fill out the correct credit card details, this will result in the application being invalid.

Cheques and money orders should be made out to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) in Australian dollars ($AUD) and be payable through an Australian bank or an international bank which has an office in Australia.

If paying by credit card please complete the details on the application form or on a separate letter with the following details: • Credit card number

Expiry date
Credit card holder's name and signature
Fee amount
Please note: Do not pay by cash

If you require any further information on fees please visit our website at: http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i.htm or www.china.embassy.gov.au

19. How do I get my visa label?

Take or send your passport to one of the following locations:

Australian Consulate-General, Shanghai Suite 401, Shanghai Centre 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu SHANGHAI 200040 People's Republic of China

For more information visit: www.china.embassy.gov.au

OR

Australian Consulate-General Level 7, Price Waterhouse-Coopers Towers 186-194 Quay Street AUCKLAND New Zealand For more information visit: www.newzealand.embassy.gov.au

20. If I marry after I lodge my application and prior to it being finalised, do I need to notify the processing office?

Yes, you should notify DIAC of any changes in your personal circumstances. Failure to declare your spouse or any dependants will generally render them ineligible to join you in Australia at a later date. If you are married at the time of application, you must declare your spouse and any other dependents.

21. My student visa application has been refused, can I reapply?

Yes, you can reapply at any time. If your circumstances change and you wish to reapply you may do so. The application will be considered on its merits and in the light of the legislative and policy requirements applying at that time. A new application charge will apply and any future applications should include all supporting documents and address the reasons for this refusal.

Please note there is no refund of the visa application charge.

22. My parents friend will be my guardian in Australia, is this ok?

No, welfare arrangements can only be provided by a relative aged over 21 years who is nominated by your parents. You must provide evidence of your relationship to this person and your relative must provide a police clearance from each country they have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years. Welfare arrangements can also be provided by your school. These arrangements will need to be provided by the school that you will study at while you are under 18 years of age. You should contact your school to determine what welfare arrangements they will accept. There is also now the option of one of your parents/custodians or relatives being able to apply for a student guardian visa (subclass 580). For more information go to: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/student_guardians/580/index.htm

23. Do I require Health Insurance to study in Australia?

Yes. You must have health insurance while in Australia. Health insurance can be provided by obtaining Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) which provides medical and hospital insurance. For more information go to: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/Publishing.nsf/Content/health-privatehealth-consumers-oshc.htm

24. Do I need to have my health check before I lodge my application?

No, do not attend a health examination before you lodge your visa application unless the information about your visa specifically asks you to do so. Otherwise, you will be advised by the department when to attend a health examination. For more information go to: http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/health-requirements/index.htm

25. Where can I obtain further information about student visas?
If you have any queries regarding your visa or would like more information about studying in Australia please visit our website at: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/index.htm or alternatively, you may call 131 881 from anywhere in Australia.

26. I need to send additional information to my case officer to support my application, how do I do this?

When addressing emails and posted materials please use the following:

• Your Given Name and Family Name
• Your Date of Birth
• File Reference number (if known)
• ICSE Request ID (if known)
• Your Case Officer (if known)

Please ensure that these reference details are quoted on all correspondence in relation to your application.

For emails, the reference details should be included as the first part of the subject line.

For posted or couriered items, write the reference details clearly on the front of the envelope and on a sheet of paper attached to the enclosed material.

Correspondence to the Adelaide Offshore Student Processing Centre should be sent to the appropriate address as shown below:

By email: offshore.student.processing.adelaide@immi.gov.au

or

By mail: AOSPC GPO BOX 1393 Adelaide SA 5001, Australia

or

By courier: AOSPC 4th Floor 55 Currie Street Adelaide SA 5000, Australia

Additional information regarding 570 Independent ELICOS

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