Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Visa labels



Australian Visas are essentially electronic and technically Label Free.
That means, you do not need a Visa label in your passport to travel to Australia. All you need is your Visa Grant letter (with the IMPORTANT Visa numbers in it) and the airline will check your validity and let you board the flight.

That said, i have heard too many cautionary messages to let this pass. I intend to get my Visa Label on my passport. After all the money, time and effort spent - I would really hate some ill informed airline staff refuse me boarding access!!

So I will be playing it safe and get my Visa label on my passport!!!

Here is an excerpt from immi.gov.au

 " Expansion of Label-Free Travel
Note: Each person travelling to Australia will still need to apply for and be granted an appropriate Australian visa before travelling to Australia.  " 
From 1 October 2012, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mongolia and Nepal have been included in the list of countries that will be able to travel to Australia without a visa label in their passport. This is known as 'label-free' travel, making travel to Australia simpler and more secure. 
Label-free travel means people travelling to Australia will not require an Australian visa label as evidence of the grant of an Australia visa. Instead they will receive a grant letter that clearly explains the conditions of their visa. A visa label is not required as Australia's electronic system enables visa status to be confirmed electronically.   "



I really dont know which other countries figure in their "list" - if anyone does know - please be most helpful and educate me!!!
All the best!!


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17 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 5, 2012 at 11:59 AM

    Hi!
    thank you for posting your experiences on this blog. We too are based in Kuwait, applying for an Australian PR, and are quite close to the finish line. 2 questions: 1) do you know where the med results are sent to? and did you get a ref number to track it? 2) how do you get the visa label on your passport? we were told that we need to send our passport to Dubai for this. bit concerned about sending the passport you know :)
    -J

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    Replies
    1. HughNovember 5, 2012 at 9:37 PM

      Hey Anon,
      Med results are sent to Sydney - Health Operations.
      Yes, we did get a courier tracking number.
      You are right about sending your passport - having said that, it is against Indian law to send your passports overseas, un-accompanied by you ( a lot of people do it in anycase).
      We intend to take our Passports personally. The stamp itself is free - we need to pay for courier charges or in our case, flight charges. You will need to make an appointment if you go yourselves.
      All the best.

      Delete
    2. HughNovember 5, 2012 at 9:47 PM

      Correction its Global health - Sydney for GSM175.
      It really depends on the class of your visa. for more clarifications see
      http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/hoc-visa-class-list.pdf

      All the best!!Do let me know the outcome :)

      Delete
  2. AnonymousNovember 6, 2012 at 1:52 AM

    Hi!
    Thank you so much for replying! We remember Dr. Rafat telling us that Meds will be sent to Dubai. By the way, our results are not sent out yet, as the HIV thing is under process. Any ideas abt this?
    Reg the visa stamping, you're planning to get it done in Dubai is it?

    Thanks again!
    -J

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    Replies
    1. HughNovember 6, 2012 at 3:35 AM

      Dr. Rafat is not the man sneding - the secretary is - so he will know better. Having said that please make sure that if you are applying to GSM175 (Skilled Independent) it has to go to Sydney. The secretary there sent it to Adelaide DIAC - DIAC then sent it to Sydney - this caused a delay of almost 10 days.
      HIV - dont worry - it will be done and you will get results in about 5 days. For directions see my post on PCC and Medicals.
      Yes we will get it done in DXB.
      Glad to help.
      All the best.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousNovember 6, 2012 at 11:27 PM

    Thanks for replying! I am checking with my agent to see what needs to be done for the Meds.
    Passport stamping/visa evidencing: Still haven't decided how to do it. It is definitely better to get it done, I feel.
    -J

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  4. AnonymousNovember 20, 2012 at 2:55 AM

    Just wanted to update you: We spoke to the doc's secretary and our meds were sent to Sydney :) Right now, we're dealing with the idiosyncrasies of the DIAC visa application website. Will keep you posted on the progress.
    -J

    ReplyDelete
  5. HughNovember 20, 2012 at 10:01 PM

    Hey Thanks J!
    Thanks for letting me know:)
    All the best :)
    I reckon you will hear good news in about 2 weeks time:)- In time for a Grand Christmas :)
    Can't comment on DIAC website since all our online applications were handled by my agent :)
    -Hugh

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  6. AnonymousDecember 11, 2012 at 1:52 AM

    Hi there!
    We're still waiting for a decision :( more than 3 weeks now since we lodged the application... waiting sucks! meanwhile, I'm reading up on lots of info on some of the forums which are really helpful.
    How are your plans going along? Are you planning to move soon?
    See ya!
    -J

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    Replies
    1. HughDecember 11, 2012 at 9:34 PM

      Hi J!!
      Yes, waiting does suck....maybe it would be better that you just chill - don't expect a call for like 9 months(that's what we did) ..so when you do get called in about 2 months or less you'll be over the moon :D - All the best!!
      After the initial rush on getting the PR - we have just about settled down...our plans are quite for now - till our first landing....

      Delete
  7. AnonymousDecember 18, 2012 at 9:51 PM

    Hello!!!!!!! we got it!!!!!!!!
    -J

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    Replies
    1. HughDecember 18, 2012 at 9:58 PM

      J....CONGRATS!! u guys must be over the moon!!
      Keep me posted...what next?

      Delete
    2. HughDecember 18, 2012 at 9:59 PM

      see - i told you the wait was not that bad - now was it?

      Delete
  8. AnonymousDecember 19, 2012 at 9:51 PM

    in retrospect, the wait doesn't look so bad.. knowing that it could have taken much longer for the security clearance to be done. We hadn't anticipated that our case would take so much time as it was smooth sailing up till the DIAC application. Also, we didn't know the significance of form-80 then. In any case, when our minds were whizzing with the possibilities of "what if it doesn't happen.." etc etc, your words (the 9-month wait) put our minds to rest. At least for few days we gave up worrying about it. Then it just happened :) All is well with the world now :D

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    Replies
    1. HughDecember 19, 2012 at 10:25 PM

      yes...all is well with the world ...and us!! lol!!All the best!!

      Delete
  9. AnonymousDecember 19, 2012 at 9:52 PM

    thanks for being there :)
    -J

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  10. AnonymousDecember 19, 2012 at 9:53 PM

    plans are aplenty.. will keep you posted.

    ReplyDelete

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