Visa Information

Visa applications

Under Australia's universal visa system, all visitors to Australia must have a valid visa to travel to and enter Australia.

There are many visa options available to people wishing to visit Australia. The appropriate visa option will depend, amongst other things, on the purpose for visiting Australia. A Business Visa would be the most appropriate option for most delegates to ISWC 2013, even if If you intend to extend your stay for tourism. Family members travelling with you will need to apply for their own (tourist) visas.

Please refer to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's business visit visa options page for information on the different business visa options and how to apply. If you are eligible for an electronic application please apply at least 2 weeks in advance of your arrival in Australia. If you are making a paper-based application you are advised to apply at least 8 weeks before your arrival in Australia and preferably after you have registered for the conference. People with character or health concerns should apply 4 months in advance.

European Union (EU) passport holders, and some other European passport holders, are eligible to apply individually online for an eVisitor visa (Subclass 651). Applications are free of charge.

Passport holders from a number of countries (e.g. USA)  are  eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) (Business Stream, Subclass 601).  A fee of $20 may be charged to online applicants, but application through a travel agent, airline, specialist service provider or Australian visa office outside Australia is required for some nationalities.

A Visitor visa (Business Stream, Subclass 600) will be appropriate for most other ISWC participants; various fees apply. 

If you are being paid by an organisation in Australia for your participation you should apply for the Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) Subclass 400 visa. If you are an exhibitor and you are selling your goods or services directly to the general public you will need to apply for the Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) Subclass 400 visa.

Please note the implementation of the new Biometrics Program for visa applicants lodging a paper-based application in the following countries; France, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Cambodia, Pakistan, Ethiopia Ghana and Yemen, see: http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/biometrics/offshore/countries.htm

Please note that neither the Department of Immigration nor the Australian embassy in your country requires a letter of invitation. As such, ISWC2013 will not be issuing letters of invitation to registrants. Instead the organisers will be liasing directly with the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship on your behalf. If you are holding a passport from a country that requires a paper-based application, please fill out our Biodata collection form. We will forward your data to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship which may speed up your visa application process.

New Zealand passport holders and Norfolk Island permanent residents will normally be issued a visa on arrival in Australia unless there are character or health concerns. For more information, see the fact sheet: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/17nz.htm.

Registration fees for ISWC 2013 and associated events will not be refunded in the case that your visa application is unsuccessful and you miss the refund deadlines as outlined in our terms and conditions of registration.