Have you ever planned to visit Australia for a short tour but were disappointed after receiving a notification of your Australian Tourist Visa refusal?
Don’t worry! A denied visa doesn’t mean that your holiday plans have been ruined just like that.
There is no appeals mechanism so you should use the information in the refusal letter and apply again with a fresh application, if you are outside of Australia. (The only exception is if the sponsorship was refused and your family member is in Australia – in this case you should get legal advice or consult a registered migration agent).
It is much more complicated if you are in Australia; in this case, please consult a registered migration agent.
Tt’s important to understand some of the factors that may have led to your tourist visa being rejected. This can help you avoid the same mistakes when reapplying for the tourist visa from outside Australia.
You need to make sure that you provide complete documents and accurate information, which might persuade the case officer that your case has sufficient merit to grant you a visitor visa. If you are outside of Australia, you can apply as many times as you like (as long as you pay the fee each time).
Why Was My Australian Tourist Visa Rejected?
You Australia visitor visa may be denied due to the following reasons:
1. Failing to meet character requirements
Australian migration laws require all applicants to pass the character test and convince the government that you are a law-abiding citizen.
Such a test is conducted because the government needs to ensure that the safety of Australian community is guaranteed and no danger or threat is posed by those permitted to visit Australia.
Failure to meet the Australia visa character requirements may lead to the refusal of your tourist visa application .
2. Failing to meet health requirements
Australia is a country that values the health of its community hence the government has set very high health standards for foreigners planning to visit the country.
Therefore, in order for you to be granted a visitor visa for Australia, you must meet the requirements set by the immigration department. This helps to ensure that you do not pose any health risk to the public.
The 5 most common conditions identified as affecting tourist visa applicants who have failed the health requirements are:
- HIV infection;
- Cancer;
- Renal disease or failure;
- Functional impairment; and
- Intellectual impairment.
General health conditions such as diabetes or a bad heart do not mean that you will be unable to visit Australia. The following highly contagious diseases are the department’s primary concern:
- Ebola Virus Disease (EVD);
- Polio;
- Yellow fever;
- HIV and hepatitis;
- Tuberculosis; and
- Measles outbreaks.
If you have been exposed or have any of these diseases, you will not be granted the visa to visit Australia until you have completed the recommended treatment and gone through successful re-testing.
3. False and misleading documents
When applying for an Australian visitor visa, you may be asked some general questions as a standard procedure. You must answer all these questions with honesty and provide accurate information. Providing false and misleading information will lead to your visa request being rejected. In addition to that, you will also receive a 3-year ban.
4. Lack of evidence
Failing to provide sufficient evidence is another common reason why your Australia visitor visa rejected or refused.
For example, you need to provide evidence that you can fully support your planned holiday financially. Alternatively, if applying for a family sponsored visa, you must have a sponsor who can fully fund and support your visit.
You must also demonstrate that you are a genuine tourist who is ready to go back home after the trip has ended.
The department needs to ensure that your purpose for visiting Australia is genuine and not planning to stay longer after arriving on a tourist visa.
If you do not provide evidence to support your claims to return home after concluding your visit, then you risk getting your tourist visa rejected Australia.
Evidence of incentive to return home can include assets, family ties, and employment.
5. Inconsistent document and information with your application
It is critically important to ensure that there are no inconsistencies in your visa application. You must ensure that everything is true and you are as thorough as possible in the information that you provide.
6. Invalid Passport
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months from the intended date of arrival in Australia. This is relevant for temporary passports, emergency passports, and ordinary passports.
As a visitor, you should check the specific type of passport and visa requirements that apply to your nationality before completing the Australian tourist visa application.
As a foreigner, you are required to travel with the same passport that you used during your visa application since your tourist visa and the passport are directly linked.
7. You are from a “High Risk Country”
The Department uses historical data to determine if there are countries where people are more likely to overstay their visitor visa.
There are several different types of of visitor visas, so please ensure you are applying for the one most suitable to you..
Each visa is categorised in a subclass number – for example, the eVisitor (subclass 651), and the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601).
High-risk countries are those that are not ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) eligible.
FAQs
Australia tourist visa rejected: when can I apply again?
If your Australian tourist visa rejected and you are not in Australia, then you can apply again as soon as you like. Make sure you address what ever concerns were raised by the case officer in the refusal letter that you were sent. This might mean you need to update your evidence or provide a lot more than you did previously.
If your tourist visa rejected in Australia, it’s a little more complicated. You may be given a s48 bar which means you can only apply for very specific visas. If this happens to you, you should contact a registered migration agent and get advice ASAP.
What should you do if you receive a Australian visitor visa rejection?
If it is rejected, you can typically apply again.
Wondering why Australian tourist visa gets rejected?
This is a complicated question and really depends on your specific circumstances. Usually though, you haven’t provided the right information, or given enough evidence to convince the case officer that you will leave the country at the conclusion of your visitor visa, or that you are genuinely coming for tourist purposes.
