Submitting a Visitor Visa Application From High-Risk Country

Posted by ONEderland Consulting on July 20th, 2023

Applying for Visitor Visa From High-Risk Country

One of the most important things to consider before applying for a visitor visa is to know if you are from a high-risk country or not.

When applying for a Visitor Visa ETA (Electronic Transfer Authority) subclass (601) and eVisitor Visa subclass (651) to Australia you will come across

the eligibility requirement of “holding a passport from certain countries”.

What is High-Risk Country means?

The requirement above is referring to the “low and high-risk countries”.

What is this exactly?

This might sound a bit harsh but really the term “high-risk country” is related to that historical visitors in the past from these countries.

People from these countries coined high risk have a high rate of overstaying their visas in Australia.

While “low-risk” countries have a historically low rate of visitors overstaying.

Overstaying is referring to staying past the expiration of your Visa.

And that is not looked at fondly by the Department of Home Affairs.

In case you overstayed your visa, you can read these articles which might help you :

So what if you are from a High-Risk Country?

You can still apply for a Visitor Visa if your country falls into the high-risk country category.

But you are not eligible for the Visitor Visa ETA subclass (601) and eVisitor Visa subclass (651).

What to expect when applying for a visa will be the Department of Home Affairs will give your application additional checks prior to your visa being approved.

Also, the processing times for your Australia visa application will be longer.

You do have a higher risk of your visa being denied.

Knowing that it is very recommended to go through with the help of an experienced professional Migration Agent.

Before we talk about high-risk countries, we need to inform you about the low-risk countries first.

Listed below is the Australian Immigration Department’s list of low-risk countries.

These countries are eligible for the Visitor Visa ETA subclass (601) and eVisitor subclass (651).

The High-risk countries are the countries that are not on this list and are not eligible for those Visitor Visa streams.

If your country isn’t listed above then it means you are living/holding a passport in a high-risk country.

What Should I Do If I Come From High-Risk Countries?

Please check for any updated information on the IMMI website.

Due to any updates according to the latest statistics on foreign nationals overstaying their visas or breaking specific migration laws.

Please note that other countries have their own lists of high-risk countries, which may differ from Australia.

The Department of Home Affairs seeks to find the intention of the applicant for a Visa as a genuine visitor.

Officers are required to draw on local experience in reaching a considered view of the level of risk posed by the visitor applicant.

Such as Visitor overstay rates from certain countries and,

the level of incidence of visitors seeking longer-term temporary or permanent residence once in Australia.

Is It Possible To Get Visa Even If I Am From High-Risk Countries?

So please if you are from a country that is concerned High Risk don’t be discouraged.

It doesn’t mean you will not fulfil your dream of visiting Australia.

While the process may seem daunting, understanding the requirements and following the necessary steps can greatly increase your chances of obtaining a visitor visa. In this article, we will guide you through the application process and provide helpful tips for applicants from high-risk countries.

1. Understand the visitor visa types
2. Review the eligibility criteria
3. Gather the required documents
4. Address the High-Risk country factors
5. Lodge the application and wait for the decision