Visas
On this page
The Visa Section of the Australian High Commission, Pretoria is responsible for processing Australian citizenship by descent applications and the following visa applications lodged by persons residing in South Africa and some other countries in Southern and West Africa:
- transit
- tourist
- business visitor
- student
- temporary resident (certain visa categories)
- family migration
You can access more detailed, up-to-date information on the requirements for the above visa types by visiting the official departmental website.
See: www.immi.gov.au
Lodging your application
South Africa - Australian Visa Application Centres
The Australian High Commission in Pretoria has entered into an arrangement with VFS Global to provide visa and citizenship application and lodgement services, which offer greater accessibility and extended opening hours.
Options for lodging a citizenship or visa application which is processed by the office in Pretoria, are detailed in the South African Visa Information section.
See: South Africa Visa Information and Lodgement
You may lodge your citizenship or visa application directly with VFS at their application lodgement centres in:
- Pretoria
- Johannesburg
- Cape Town
- Durban
VFS also has an arrangement with TNT couriers for collection and return of applications/passports to any location in South Africa.
Note: VFS will charge a service fee for each visa application lodged (excluding VAT and any applicable bank charges)
The VFS website includes contact details, office locations, office hours and lodgement procedures, and up-to-date checklists for applications processed by the Australian High Commission, Pretoria. You are strongly encouraged to read checklist information carefully to ensure you lodge a complete application.
See: VFS Australia Visa
Nigeria – DHL
To facilitate lodgement of applications from clients residing in Nigeria, visa applications may be lodged at certain DHL offices in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.
DHL will charge a fee for this service. This fee is in addition to the scheduled fee charged by the Australian High Commission for all visa applications.
See: DHL Australia Visa Service
You may also lodge visa and citizenship applications directly at the Australian High Commission in Pretoria by:
- mail or courier
or - in person, but strictly by pre-arranged appointment only.
If you need to travel to Australia for an urgent or compelling reason, contact VFS to arrange an appointment with the Australian High Commission.
See: VFS Australia Visa
Information for travel agents
Travel agents are encouraged to access visa information regarding Australia and its visa requirements through:
- TRAVELINFO
- Travel Information Manual (TIM)
- Latest edition of GSA magazine.
Processing times
To assist you with planning your arrangements to travel to Australia, you should refer to the list of average processing times for various visas/citizenship categories assessed in the Australian High Commission, Pretoria. These average processing times give you an indication of the approximate timeframe it will take to assess applications and should be used as a guide only.
See: Average Processing Times
If you have lodged your application through VFS you can track whether your application has been decided and returned to VFS via the VFS website.
See: VFS Australia Visa - Track Your Application
Obtaining a visa label in your passport
If you wish to obtain your visa label in your passport at the Australian High Commission in Pretoria, please note the following:
- Passports and documentation may be submitted through VFS offices. VFS will charge a service fee per passport. Additional courier charges may apply
- You must submit a valid passport and should have at least one unused/blank page together with a copy of your approval letter (faxed or emailed copies are acceptable).
The processing times from date of receipt of the passport by the High Commission are as follows:
- Entertainers - visas will be evidenced upon receipt of passport
- All other temporary entry visas - three (3) working days
- All permanent entry - five (5) working days.