Sri Lanka
Visa Information and Lodgement
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Country coverage
The visa office provides immigration and visa services to clients in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Biometrics collection
The Australian Government is introducing biometrics collection into the visa application process.
All people, regardless of nationality, lodging paper-based visa applications in Sri Lanka are required to attend an Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) in person to lodge your application and provide your biometrics. A 10 digit fingerprint scan and a facial photograph will be collected.
Note: Clients lodging applications from the Maldives will not need to provide their biometrics.
Lodging a visa application
At an AVAC
The department has an agreement with VFS Global to provide Australian visa lodgement services in Sri Lanka through an AVAC. The AVAC accepts applications for Australian visas. You can lodge your applications in person through the AVAC.
Note: The AVAC does not accept couriered or posted applications.
Important: Applications from the Maldives can be lodged in the Maldives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Maldives and are forwarded to the Australian High Commission in Colombo for processing. Arrangements can be made with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to courier applications directly to the Australian High Commission, Colombo.
See: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Maldives
Further information on the AVAC and their services is available from their website.
See: VFS Global
By post or courier to the Australian High Commission
Please ensure you have enclosed the appropriate visa application charge. 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 – Sri Lanka
Note: If you lodge your application directly with the High Commission you will still need to go to the AVAC to provide biometrics.
See: VFS Global
At the Australian High Commission in person
To lodge in person at the High Commission you will need to make an appointment, however you can lodge your application at the AVAC during business hours without an appointment. Contact the High Commission to make an appointment.
See: Sri Lanka – Contacts > Client Counter Hours
Note: If you lodge your application directly with the High Commission, you will still need to go to the AVAC to provide biometrics.
See: VFS Global
Permanent entry visas
Permanent visa applications (except refugee and humanitarian class, general skilled, business skills, Distinguished Talent (subclass 124), Former Resident (subclass 151) and parent subclasses) can be lodged at the AVAC and are processed at the Australian High Commission, Colombo. Applications from the Maldives can be lodged in the Maldives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and are processed at the Australian High Commission, Colombo.
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
Refugee and Humanitarian class visa applications should be lodged at the Australian High Commission, Colombo.
Temporary entry visas
Passport holders from the Maldives who want to visit Australia as a tourist are eligible to apply online for a Tourist visa (e676).
See: Tourist (e676) Visa - Online Applications
Paper temporary entry visa applications except the below applications can be lodged at the AVAC and are processed at the Australian High Commission, Colombo. Applications from the Maldives can be lodged in the Maldives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and are processed at the Australian High Commission, Colombo.
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 at the Australian High Commission, Colombo or at the AVAC
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