Saudi Arabia

Visa Information and Lodgement

Biometrics collection

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

From 12 December 2010, all people, regardless of nationality, lodging paper-based visa applications in the United Arab Emirates, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries and Yemen will be required to attend an Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) in person to lodge their application and provide their biometrics. A 10 digit fingerprint scan and a facial photograph will be collected.

Lodging a visa application

At an AVAC

The department has an agreement with VFS Global (VFS) to provide AVACs for visa lodgement services in Saudi Arabia. Clients can lodge applications in person at any AVAC in Saudi Arabia or the GCC.

Further information on AVACs and their services and charges is available from their website.
See: VFS Global

By post or courier to the Australian Consulate General, Dubai

Please ensure you have enclosed the appropriate visa application charge. Sponsors can also pay at any departmental office in Australia and can include the official receipt with the application.
See:
Method of Payment Accepted at Australian Missions
Contacts – United Arab Emirates
Note: If you lodge your application directly with the Australian Consulate General you will still need to go to the AVAC to provide biometrics.
See: VFS Global

At the Australian Embassy, Riyadh in person

The Visa and Citizenship Section of the Australian Embassy in Riyadh accepts appointments for temporary residence visa applications from Saudi nationals only and applications for citizenship by descent. Entry into the Embassy is by appointment only. Appointments can be arranged by phoning or emailing the Embassy.
See: Contacts – Saudi Arabia > Client Counter Hours
Note: If you lodge your application directly with the Australian Embassy you will still need to go to the AVAC to provide biometrics.
See: VFS Global

Permanent entry visas

Permanent entry visa applications, (except general skilled, business skills, Distinguished Talent (subclass 124), Former Resident (subclass 151) and parent subclasses) may be lodged at an AVAC or at the Australian Consulate General in Dubai and are processed and decided in Dubai.

Permanent entry visa applications (except general skilled, business skills and parent subclasses) are processed and decided in Dubai.

General skilled migration applications are lodged at the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre.
See: General Skilled Migration Processing Centres

Business skills applications are lodged and processed at the Perth Business Skills Processing Centre.
See: Perth Business Skills Processing Centre

Applications under the Special Migration stream – Distinguished Talent (subclass 124) and Former Resident (subclass 151), are lodged and processed at the Perth Office.
See:
Perth Office
Distinguished Talent Visa Enquiry form

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 department’s Melbourne CBD office. 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 from applicants in the Middle East and parts of South West Asia ( 28KB PDF file)

All other refugee and humanitarian applications, except from Afghani nationals, are lodged and processed at the Australian Embassy, Amman.
See: Contacts – Jordan

Temporary entry visas

Temporary entry visa applications may be lodged online, at an AVAC, at the Australian Embassy in Riyadh or at the Australian Consulate General in Dubai.

Passport holders from Saudi Arabia may be eligible to apply online for a Tourist visa (e676) or Student visa.
See:
Online Applications - Tourist (e676) Visa
Online Applications - Student Visa

416 Special Program applications are lodged and processed at the Hobart Special Program Processing Centre.
See: Hobart Special Program Processing Centre

420 Entertainment sponsorship and visa applications are lodged and processed at the Sydney Entertainment Processing Centre.
See: Sydney Entertainment Processing Centre

442 Occupational Trainee sponsorship and visa applications are lodged and processed at the Adelaide Occupational Trainee Processing Centre.
See: Adelaide Occupational Trainee Processing Centre

Sponsored Family Visitor visa (subclass 679) applications must be lodged in Australia by the sponsor. 679 Sponsored Family Visitor visas will be processed at one of the Sponsored Family Visitor processing centres.
See: Sponsored Family Visitor Processing Centres

If you are sponsored by an Australian employer for a subclass 457 Business (Long Stay) visa, you may lodge your visa application online or at an Australian office of the department. If you are sponsored by an overseas business, you can lodge your visa application with the Australian Immigration Office responsible for applications in your country.
See:
Centres of Excellence
Online Applications

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 in person at the Australian Embassy in Riyadh (by appointment only) or by post or courier to the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai or at the AVAC.
Note: Citizenship applications cannot be lodged at AVACs in Riyadh, Jeddah or Al-Khobar

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