Granting a visa is not a formality, the onus is on you the applicant to satisfy us that you are entitled to a visa and provide documentary evidence to support all your claims.

Processing time

Our current processing time for most categories of entry clearance is 5 working days from the date of receipt into the Visa Section in Canberra.  Settlement and Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode are being dealt within the published target times of 12 weeks.  Processing times are subject to change without notice.

We do not deal with progress enquiries.  Requests for progress on your application only slows down the processing of applications. 

An application date is the date you complete your on-line application and pay the fee. The processing time only begins once the application has been received into the office.

We strongly advise that you do not purchase a non-refundable, non-flexible air ticket before receiving your visa.  We do not accept responsibility for any financial loss and we do not fast track applications solely due to planned date of travel.

When can I apply for my visa?

Where an applicant does not intend to travel to the UK immediately following his application, we have discretion to defer the "effective" date for up to three months.  Please note therefore that the start date for your visa can be post-dated by a maximum of three months from the date of the decision on your visa application.

Important Notes

From the 06 April 2009, a charge of $146 (£75 at exchange rate 1.95) will be made for transferring your visa label from an old passport to a new passport.  This fee does not apply to Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode visa labels as the visa expires when the passport expires or when the passport is cancelled.  A new application must be lodged if a new Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode is required and supporting original documentary evidence provided for each application.

The gratis entitlement for holders of Rhodes scholarships has now been withdrawn.  In future, holders of these scholarships will be charged entry clearance fees when an application for an entry clearance is lodged.  The fee is the same fee as a Tier 4 General Student visa application.

Evidence of funds

Almost all visa applications require evidence of sufficient funds to maintain and accommodate yourself in the UK. You will need to provide original bank statements, (not copies or electronic versions). If you no longer receive paper statements, copies or electronic versions will need a letter of authentication from your bank. Whilst the requirements are specific for Points Based applications the entry clearance officer has to use their judgement for other types of application. You will need to show that you have funds in your possession to cover your costs and how you have come by this money. This is to show that the funds are truly available to support you and haven’t just been loaned for the purposes of acquiring a visa. For instance if your account shows a recent large deposit because you have just sold your car, then say so and provide evidence of this. Where the visa category allows for funding support from family members e.g. parents, then again show that they have this money and it is truly available to fund your trip.

When assessing the amount of funds required the entry clearance officer will consider the cost of any commitments such as airline tickets and course fees and an amount for maintenance and accommodation. You could look at sites such as Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide to get an idea of these costs in the UK.

I am a dual national and hold a British passport; can I apply for a visa?

No. Holders of British passports, including dual nationals, are not required to have a visa for the UK. A visa will normally impose certain conditions on an applicant's entry (including 'no work'). Entry Clearance and Immigration Officers have no powers to issue British nationals with a UK visa. The exception to this is if a dual national formally renounces their British citizenship.

A certificate of entitlement to the right of abode can be applied for and endorsed in the non British passport only when the person does not hold a valid British passport. ie an expired passport.

Original documents

All supporting documents provided with your application should be original documents.  Birth, Marriage and Death certificates, where required, should be the full registered versions. Extracts, for example, may not satisfy our requirements. For Points Based Applications normally only original documents will be accepted as stated in the published Policy Guidance.  For some other non-Points Based Applications,  we may accept a copy of the original document only if it has been witnessed by a Notary Public.  We will not accept a copy of a document that has only been endorsed, for example, by a Solicitor, Justice of the Peace, Police Officer, Pharmacist etc.  If you need a list of Notary Publics then use this link - Notary Public

Information and enquiries

Information about all types of visa applications is available on this website and that of the UK Border Agency. We also have an agreement with an external agency to provide information by telephone, call 1902 941 555 - Calls are charged at a rate of $2.75 cents per minute, which will be charged to your telephone bill.  Call charges from mobile and pay phones are higher.

1300 UKVISA (1300 858 472) - Calls are charged at a flat rate of $9.90, which will be charged to your credit card.

You can send your query to the Contact Centre ec.enquiries@fco.gov.uk and the Contact Centre will endeavour to answer your enquiry within 20 working days (note that these time frames may vary depending on work loads), however, we will not respond to progress enquiries.  Once you send your application form to the Consulate you will receive an automated acknowledgement.

Visa application fees are non-refundable. If your application is refused for any reason or you are no longer able to travel or require the visa your application fee will not be refunded.  Once an application has been submitted, application fee paid and fingerscan taken you may withdraw your application and have your documents returned but your application fee will not be refunded.

Late applications

We are not able to offer an express service for applications. If you need a visa within less than our expected processing times then you may submit your application and express your need for urgency. Priority may be given for extreme compassionate reasons, however this is at your own risk. We can not commit to processing a visa within any timescale and accept no responsibility if the visa is not issued in time for your travel plans.

Deception

Very strict rules are now in place for applicants who use any form of deception to obtain a visa. Not only will your application be rejected, you may also be banned from travel to the UK for up to ten years and have difficulties in obtaining visas for other countries.