Applicant Eligibility
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To be eligible for this visa you must meet the following requirements.
Eligible person
You must intend to work in a position that specifically requires a religious worker and not merely a religious adherent to undertake the duties.
You must have suitable qualifications and experience and your duties must directly serve an organisation's religious objectives.
Age
You would usually need to be 18 years or older to apply for the visa.
Sponsorship
You must be sponsored by a religious organisation in Australia.
You should not lodge your visa application until you have received confirmation that sponsorship has been approved.
See: Form 55 - Application for temporary residence sponsorship (110KB PDF File)
Financial support
If you are not under an employment arrangement you must have enough funds to support yourself and your family during your stay in Australia.
You may be asked to provide evidence of funds, such as bank statements or a letter from your financial institution stating your financial position. Allowances, accommodation and other assistance from your sponsor can also be considered when looking at your ability to support yourself and your family members.
Supporting documentation
As evidence that you have a background as a religious worker, you must provide:
- your curriculum vitae
- evidence of religious training
- certified copy of your qualifications.
Health requirements
You must meet health requirements and may need to undergo a health examination.
See: Health Requirements
Private health insurance
Private health insurance is available and is strongly recommended, but it is not a requirement for the grant of this visa.
See: PrivateHealth.gov.au
Character requirements
You must be of good character to enter Australia.
See: Character and Penal Clearance Requirements
Australian Values Statement
If you are aged 18 years or over, you must declare that you will respect Australian values and obey the laws of Australia. For this visa, the values statement is included in the general declaration section of the application form. When you sign the application form it means you will also be signing the values statement. You will not be required to have read the Life in Australia book, but may do so if you wish.
You are also encouraged to gain an understanding of Australia, its people and their way of life, before applying for this visa.
See: Australian Values - Overview
Before lodging an application, please read all related eligibility requirements.
See: Other eligibility