The Australian Visa Application Process Explained Reading Answers with Explanation

IELTS Reading Passage: The Australian Visa Application Process Explained

Australian visa applications can now be completed entirely online, though there is a short checklist to work through first. You will need your current passport, valid for at least six months from the date you apply, and if you're applying for a Long-Stay Temporary Business visa specifically, your sponsor's nomination approval number or a transaction reference number as well. On the technical side, an up-to-date browser and an internationally accepted credit card are both essential, since the application charge is paid by card. This guide exists to walk you through what actually happens once you begin, so you know roughly what to expect at each stage.

Before you get started, it is worth double-checking that you've picked the right visa category for your situation; the online system will ask you a series of questions early on to help confirm this. Not every visa type can be applied for online; some genuinely do require an in-person visit to your nearest Australian embassy or consulate. That said, the more common categories, working-holiday, student, and employer-sponsored visas among them, can all be handled entirely over the internet.

Once you're ready to click 'Apply Online', take a moment to read through the guidelines specific to your visa type; these will appear on the very first page of the application and are worth reading properly before you continue. You'll also need to tick the 'I Agree' box to accept the terms and conditions before moving further. From there, the actual form itself runs across somewhere between five and nine short screens depending on your visa category, and budgeting around four minutes per screen means the whole thing should take roughly 40 minutes in total. Expect to be asked for the basics on every screen: passport number, travel document details, your name, current address, contact information, and some declarations covering health and character.

Depending on which visa you're applying for, you may be asked for extra details too: business sponsor information for Long-Stay Business visas, education history and intended course of study for student visas, or travel plans and employment status for tourist visas. Once every screen has been filled in as honestly and accurately as possible, you'll get a chance to review everything you've entered and print out a copy of your application for your own records if you'd like one.

Before you can actually submit, there's one more step: payment. After you've confirmed that everything you've entered is true to the best of your knowledge, you'll be prompted to enter your payment details. Once the bank confirms the payment has gone through, a Transaction Reference Number gets generated automatically, and it is worth holding onto this, since you'll need to quote it for any future queries about your application.

After submission, applicants based overseas may be asked to download and print certain health forms; this step doesn't apply if you're already inside Australia. Beyond that, just follow whatever additional instructions appear on screen, since some visa categories come with their own special pre-entry conditions.

From here, most applications are processed electronically, and you'll be notified by whichever method you selected, post or email, within the timeframe shown on screen during your application. Student visas typically take around 10 working days, tourist visas usually wrap up in under two weeks, and working-holiday visas can be finalised in as little as two days. Occasionally, someone from the immigration department may need to reach out directly, and in some cases, further health checks or even a formal interview could be required.

Questions for Reading Passage: The Australian Visa Application Process Explained

Questions 1 - 10

Complete the summary below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 1-10 on your answer sheet.

Some visa categories cannot be applied for 1. …………………… and instead require a visit to the local embassy. Once you're ready to proceed with an eligible visa, you must check the 2. …………………… to confirm that you accept the 3. …………………… before continuing further. When filling in the form, applicants are expected to answer every question 4. ……………………. Filling in the whole form should take no more than around 5. …………………… in total, since applicants are given roughly four minutes for 6. ……………………. Before submitting, applicants get the chance to 7. …………………… everything they've entered, and can print a copy of the form for 8. …………………… purposes. Once all details have been confirmed as accurate, the applicant will be 9. …………………… to make payment, after which a 10. …………………… is generated automatically and should be kept safe for any future enquiries.

Questions 11 - 12

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write your answers in boxes 11-12 on your answer sheet.

11. Before starting the online application process, all applicants are expected to have

A. their sponsor and nomination approval or transaction reference number.

B. a passport that is six months or less old and a valid credit card.

C. a globally recognised credit card and a passport valid for at least another half a year.

D. A valid credit card, passport with six or more months of validity left, and your nomination approval or transaction reference number.

12. Once an online application has been submitted,

A. Your visa will be approved or rejected within a maximum of 10 working days.

B. It is possible for any applicant to be required to download and print further forms and follow the associated instructions.

C. Applicants from outside Australia will be required to download and complete further forms.

D. It will, in most cases, then be handled electronically, and you will be told whether or not it has been successful within the timeframe stated on screen.

Questions 13 - 14

Choose the TWO correct letters, A-E.

Write your answers in boxes 13-14 on your answer sheet.

A. Student visas, tourist visas, and working-holiday visas should all take under two weeks to be approved or rejected.

B. It is a requirement of Australian immigration that all those applying for a visa undertake a formal interview.

C. Officials from the immigration department may conduct health checks on and/or hold an interview with certain applicants.

D. Working-holiday visa applicants can expect to receive a comparatively fast confirmation of whether or not their application has been successful.

E. Successful visa applicants have a limited amount of time within which to finalise their travel plans and arrive in Australia.