Step 3 - Applicant Applies for the Visa

You must apply for a visa to work or undertake activities in Australia on a temporary basis.

Before you lodge a visa application, the organisation that has nominated you must have been approved as a sponsor or have lodged an application to be approved as a sponsor.

Visa application

You must complete the visa application and attach all necessary documentation as outlined in the application checklist.
See: Form 147 Application for a temporary residence visa (non-business) (343KB PDF file)

Visa application charge

There is a non-refundable fee for this application.
See: Specialist Entry Visa Charges

Other costs

You may be required to pay other costs such as:

• health examinations
• obtaining police checks. This charge varies from country to country. When you are required to obtain your own police checks, you are personally responsible for all arrangements
• the cost of translations of some documents.

Application checklist

The checklist provides all the information and supporting documents that you may be asked to provide with your application. Complete applications are likely to be processed more quickly. Incomplete applications may be delayed or, in some cases, refused.
See: Application Document Checklist ( 64KB PDF file)

Information to help you prepare your application

More information is available about certifying and translating documents, communicating with the department, using a migration agent, authorising another person to receive information from the department, and receiving assistance with your application.
See: Information to Help Prepare Your Application

How and where to lodge an application

Prior to lodging your application, inquire at a departmental office whether health and character checking will be required.
See: Health Requirements

If you are applying from in Australia, you will need to be in Australia at the time you lodge your application and when a decision is made.

If you are applying from outside Australia, you will need to be outside Australia at the time you lodge your application and when a decision is made.

You can lodge your application with the appropriate visa application charge by post, courier or in person.

Where you are	Where to lodge your application
In Australia	Lodge with the NSW Specialist Temporary Entry Processing Centre. See: NSW Specialist Temporary Entry Processing Centre
Outside Australia	Lodge at the nearest Australian mission overseas. See: Immigration Offices Outside Australia

Applicants are advised to apply for a visa well in advance (three months) of their intended date of travel.

If you are lodging a paper-based visa application in certain countries you will need to provide biometrics.
See: Countries and Visa Subclasses Included in the Biometrics Program

After you lodge your application

Your application will be considered by the department. In some cases you may be asked to provide additional information to enable a decision to be made.

You should expect delays if:

• you do not lodge all documents at the same time
• your application is incomplete
• health or character issues emerge.

If your visa is approved, the department will send you a letter by post or email. This letter contains:

• your Visa Grant Number
• the validity date of your visa
• the visa conditions
• full details of what you must do next.

If your visa is not approved, the department will send you a letter by post or email advising you of:

• the reasons for the refusal decision
• your review rights (if any)
• the time limit for lodging an appeal.

More information

If you have read all of the available information for this visa, and you still require assistance, use the link below to contact us with your enquiry.
See: More Information