Skip to content

Contact Us

Pakistan

Visa Information and Lodgement

On this page


Country coverage

The visa office provides immigration and visa services to clients in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Travelling without a visa label

You need to have a valid visa to travel to Australia. We do not require you to have a visa label placed into your passport for travel to Australia. This is known as 'label-free' travel, making travel to Australia simpler and more secure.

If you live in Pakistan you can confirm your arrangements by contacting the Visa and Migration page on the Australian Embassy (Pakistan) website.

If you are transiting or exiting through another country, you need to check with the relevant government authorities about whether you need to show a visa label in your passport. We cannot advise you on other countries' requirements.

More information on travelling to Australia without a visa label and how to confirm your visa entitlements is available.
See: About your visa

Biometrics collection

The Australian Government is introducing biometrics collection into the visa application process.

If you are applying in Pakistan, regardless of nationality, you need to provide your biometrics in person at an Australian Visa Application Centre. Your 10-digit fingerprint scan and a facial photograph will be collected.
Note: Applications from people in Afghanistan do not have to attend an Australian Visa Application Centre in person or provide their biometrics to lodge their application in Pakistan.

Lodging a visa application

At an Australian Visa Application Centre

The department is working in partnership with Gerry's International to provide Australian visa lodgement services in Pakistan through the Australian Visa Application Centres, in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. The centres can only accept applications for Australian visas lodged in person, so that biometrics can be collected. Applications must not be mailed or couriered to the Australian Visa Application Centres.

Further information on the Australian Visa Application Centres and the services they provide is available.
See: www.australiavisa-pakistan.com

By courier to the Australian High Commission Islamabad

Please ensure you have enclosed the appropriate visa application charges. Sponsors can also pay at any departmental office in Australia and include the official receipt with the application.
See:
Method of Payment Accepted at Australian Missions
Contacts – Pakistan
Note: If you are in Pakistan when you courier your application directly to the Australian High Commission, after your application has been received, you will be requested in writing to attend an Australia Visa Application Centre to provide your biometrics.
See: www.australiavisa-pakistan.com

At the Australian High Commission in person

You can not lodge your visa or citizenship application in person at the High Commission in Islamabad. Visa and citizenship applications that can be lodged in Pakistan should either be lodged in person, at an Australian Visa Application Centre or sent by courier to the Australian High Commission, Islamabad.

Permanent entry visas

Partner, prospective marriage, child, remaining relative, carer and aged dependent relative visa applications from applicants usually living in one of the countries in the country coverage list above are lodged and processed in Islamabad.
Exception: Partner and family migration applications from Afghan nationals who live in Afghanistan or Pakistan are processed at the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Partner and family applications from Afghan nationals who live in Pakistan can be lodged at an Australian Visa Application Centre in Pakistan or directly with the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. When you lodge your application at an Australian Visa Application Centre in Pakistan you can provide your biometrics at the time of lodgement and the application will then be forwarded securely to the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai for processing.

Alternatively when you lodge your application directly with the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai, you will be requested in writing to go to an Australian Visa Application Centre in Pakistan to provide biometrics after the application has been received.
See: Contacts – United Arab Emirates

Applications for general skilled, business innovation and investment, Distinguished Talent (subclass 124), Former Resident (subclass 151) and parent subclasses are lodged and processed in Australia.

For Points Based Skilled Migration (subclasses 189, 190 and 489) and Business Innovation and Investment (subclasses 132 and 188) visas you will have to submit a complete Expression of Interest (EOI) and receive an invitation to apply.
See: SkillSelect

Former Resident (subclass 151) applications are lodged and processed at the Perth Office.
See: Perth Office

Distinguished Talent (subclass 124) visas must be lodged (by post or courier) and are processed at the Adelaide Business Skills Processing Centre.
See:
Distinguished Talent Visa (offshore) (subclass 124)
Adelaide Business Skills Processing Centre

Contributory parent and parent migration applications are lodged and processed at the Parent Visa Centre.
See: Parent Visa Centre

Refugee and Humanitarian visas

Clients from Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen whose application for a Refugee and Humanitarian (Class XB) visa is accompanied by a proposal form (form 681) must lodge their application at the Victorian Offshore Humanitarian Processing Centre. This applies to people who are lodging a visa for consideration under the Global Special Humanitarian Program (SHP) or as an immediate family member.
See:
Lodging Certain Humanitarian Applications in Australia
Victoria Offshore Humanitarian Processing Centre

All other Refugee and Humanitarian applications should be directed to the Australian Embassy, Amman.
See: Contacts – Jordan

Afghani nationals should lodge all other refugee and humanitarian applications with the Australian Consulate General in Dubai.
See: Contacts – United Arab Emirates

Temporary entry visas

Temporary entry visa applications, except those listed below, from applicants usually living in one of the countries in the country coverage list above are lodged and processed in Islamabad.

Student visa applications from citizens of Pakistan (living in Pakistan or New Zealand) and Afghanistan (living in Afghanistan, Pakistan or New Zealand) must be lodged with the Student Visa Centre (South Australia).

From 2 April 2013, student visa applicants who are Afghan or Pakistan nationals living in Pakistan can submit their applications and provide their biometrics at an Australian Visa Application Centre in Pakistan. When Afghan or Pakistan nationals submit their student visa application through an Australian Visa Application Centre, their application will be couriered securely to the Adelaide Student Processing Centre in Australia where required under current legislation.
Note: Any other nationalities lodging their student visa applications in Pakistan also need to provide biometrics at the time of lodgement at an Australian Visa Application Centre, however their application will be couriered to the Australian Visa Office Islamabad.
See: Student Visa Centre (South Australia)

401 Temporary Work (Long-stay Activity) (Subclass 401) visa - Exchange, Sport and Religious Worker streams. Sponsorship and nomination applications are lodged and processed at the Specialist Temporary Entry Centre – NSW.
See: Specialist Temporary Entry Centre - NSW

401 Temporary Work (Long-stay Activity) (Subclass 401) visa – Domestic Worker (Executive) stream. Sponsorship, nomination and visa applications are lodged and processed at the Specialist Temporary Entry Centre - ACT
See: Specialist Temporary Entry Centre - ACT

402 Training and Research visa – Research stream sponsorship applications only.
Professional Development stream sponsorship and visa applications are lodged and processed at the Specialist Temporary Entry Centre – Tasmania.
See: Specialist Temporary Entry Centre - Tasmania

402 Training and Research visa – Occupational Trainee stream sponsorship, nomination and visa applications are lodged and processed at the Specialist Temporary Entry Centre – SA.
See: Specialist Temporary Entry Centre - SA

416 Special Program applications are lodged and processed at the Specialist Temporary Entry Centre – Tasmania.
See: Specialist Temporary Entry Centre - Tasmania

420 Entertainment sponsorship, nomination and visa applications are lodged and processed at the Entertainment Visa Centre - NSW.
See: Entertainment Visa Centre - NSW

Applications for the Sponsored Family stream of the Visitor (subclass 600) visa must be lodged in Australia. These applications will be processed at one of the Sponsored Family Visitor processing centres.
See: Sponsored Family Visitor Processing Centres

457 Temporary Work (Skilled) visas can be applied for using SkillSelect. If you are:

If you are sponsored by an Australian employer, you must lodge your visa application at the same office in Australia where your employer lodged papers to support your application. Please ask your employer at which office they lodged these papers.
See: Contact Us – Australian Offices

Citizenship

Applications for Citizenship by Descent can be lodged at the Australian High Commission, Pakistan.

Applications for Australian citizenship general eligibility and other situations, and applications to resume or renounce (give up) Australian citizenship should be lodged at the ACT and Regions Office.
See:
Application process for Australian citizenship
Application process to resume Australian citizenship
Giving up your citizenship
ACT and Regions Office

Note: The Australian Visa Applications Centres in Pakistan will accept applications for Australian Citizenship by descent, but these applicants are exempt from needing to provide biometrics.