Australian High Commission, Kenya
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Visa office – general information
The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) processes all types of applications by people interested in visiting or migrating to Australia. All travellers to Australia except for Australian and New Zealand citizens must obtain a visa before travelling to Australia.
The Immigration Section of the Australian High Commission in Nairobi processes most visa applications including student, visitor, temporary residence and some migration visas. Applications for other categories such as skilled migration must be lodged with the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre.
See: Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre
We provide immigration services to residents of Kenya, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Republic of Congo (DRC, formerly Zaire), Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda. For further details on permanent and temporary entry visas please refer to Visa Information.
See: Visa Information and Lodgement
You can also access up-to-date information on visas by visiting the Visa and Immigration section of this website.
See: Visas and Immigration
Contact details and opening hours
For contact details, visa counter and client enquiry telephone hours please refer to our contact details.
See: Nairobi Contacts
Visa categories processed in Nairobi
Tourism or Family visits
If you are not eligible for an Electronic Travel Authority and you wish to holiday or visit family in Australia, you must lodge a Visitor visa application at the Australian High Commission Nairobi.
See:
Eligible passports for online Tourist visa application
Online Applications – Visitors
Use form 48R and download the checklist of requirements.
See:
Form 48R Application to visit Australia for tourism or other recreational activities - English (309KB PDF file)
Checklist of requirements – English ( 38KB PDF file)
Business Visitors (up to 3 months stay)
If you are not eligible for an Electronic Travel Authority and you wish to visit for business purposes, attend a conference or seminar in Australia, you must lodge a Business (Short Stay) Visa application at the Australian High Commission Nairobi.
See:
Form 456 Application for a business (short stay) visa (for a stay of up to 3 months) (260KB PDF file)
Checklist of requirements - English ( 35KB PDF file)
Student Visas
For people seeking to study or develop their skills in Australia.
See:
Form 157A Application for a student (temporary) visa (536KB PDF file)
Checklist of requirements – English ( 49KB PDF file)
Students
Transit Visas
For persons transiting Australia to another country or passing through to join a ship as crew who seek to enter and remain in Australia for up to 72 hours.
See: Transiting through Australia
Refugee and Humanitarian Visas
See: Lodging Certain Humanitarian Applications in Australia from applicants in Africa ( 27KB PDF file)
Family Migration
Important: Please visit the departments website for general information and forms relating to family migration before contacting the Visa Office or lodging an application.
See: Pre lodgement information Partner Migration Application at Nairobi ( 44KB PDF file)
Online visa applications
Citizens of designated countries can lodge a number of visa applications online.
See: Online services
Visa application charges
The acceptable method of payment for visa fees is by cash in Kenyan Shillings or US dollars only. We will also accept US Dollar payments by bank draft made payable to ‘Australian High Commission – Nairobi’. The bank draft must be drawn on a New York bank account.
See:
Fees and Charges
Skilled migration
See: Workers
Other information
Panel doctors
Health examinations for Australian Visas may only be carried out by specially appointed panel doctors. Panel doctors located in Africa are listed on our main website.
See: Immigration Panel Doctors
See Also: Panel Doctors, Kenya
Australian passports
The Immigration Section does not process Australian passport applications. Enquiries should be directed to the Consular Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade within the High Commission. Further information is available on the High Commission's main Home page.
See: Australian High Commission, Kenya
Kenya Immigration and Visas
This office does not provide advice or otherwise deal with matters relating to visas for Kenya. All such enquiries should be directed to the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Kenya (for those outside Kenya), or to the Department of Immigration, Kenya, located at Nyayo House - Kenyatta Avenue/Uhuru Highway, Nairobi.
See: Department of Immigration, Kenya