General Information

Australian visa application

All travellers to Australia, other than Australian and New Zealand citizens, are legally required to hold a valid visa to travel to Australia.

Visa’s are either issued electronically (ETA) with nothing appearing in the passport or through application where a sticker is required in the passport (Non-ETA).

It is advised to apply for your visa as soon as possible to ensure processing time. The minimum time frame stated for an Australian visa application is six (6) weeks.

Australian visa application supporting documentation

Delegates applying for a non-ETA visa may present their paid confirmation letter to an Australian visa office to support their application. No other letters will be issued for this purpose. As a Conference delegate, you are not guaranteed to be granted a visa.

Types of visas available for travel to Australia for attending a Conference

Please allow up to 8 - 10 weeks when submitting your visa application to the Department of Immigration

1. Short Validity Business Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa

What is the Short Validity Business ETA visa?

Known officially as the subclass 977 visa.

The Short Stay Validity Business ETA is appropriate for visits to Australia for business meetings, conventions, Conferences or a short term project requiring a high level of skill. Business visas are subject to a condition prohibiting work that could otherwise be undertaken by any Australian citizen or permanent resident. It replaces the visa label or stamp in a passport and removes the need for application forms.

Short Validity Business ETA visa’s are issued within seconds of being requested through computer links between the Australian Immigration Department, travel agents, airlines and specialist service providers around the world.

In most cases no fee applies to these visas.

Who can apply for this type of visa?

Andorra Iceland Portugal
Austria Ireland San Marino
Belgium Italy Singapore
Brunei Japan South Korea
Canada Liechtenstein Spain
Denmark Luxembourg Sweden
Finland Malaysia Switzerland
France Malta Taiwan (a)
Germany Monaco UK (b)
Greece Netherlands USA
Hong Kong SAR Norway The Vatican

a. Taiwan passport holders can be processed for an ETA only if resident in and applying in Taiwan.
b. UK passport holders whose nationality is British National (Overseas) can be processed for an ETA only if resident in and applying in Hong Kong SAR.

How long is the visa valid for?

The ETA or 977 visa allows multiple visits (for up to 3 months for each visit) within 12 months of visa grant.

Application Procedure

Visas can be applied for either online or through participating airlines and travel agents. In most cases, eligible applicants do not need to go to an Australian mission overseas or fill in forms to apply for an ETA.
By accessing  the Australian Government , Australian Electronic Travel Authority website www.eta.immi.gov.au, the visa applicant will see the following heading: "Welcome to the Australian Government's Electronic Travel Authority System." At the top left hand side of that screen, the visa applicant will see a tab suggesting that they "Apply for ETA". The visa applicant should click on that tab and then proceed to lodge their visa application online. When asked to choose the kind of ETA for their needs, they should indicate that they are applying for a ‘short stay validity Business ETA’.

Once visa processing is complete, the visa applicant will be provided with a personalised reference number to keep. There will be no visible visa in their passport but their visa will exist electronically and will be visible when read at passport control, on their arrival in Australia.

For more information visit: http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/

Please note: If your country of origin is also listed on the eVisitor table below, please apply for the eVisitor visa.

2. eVisitor

For passport holders from one of these EU and European ETA eligible countries who have an email address to communicate electronically with the Department:

Andorra Hungary Poland
Austria Iceland Portugal
Belgium Ireland Romania
Bulgaria Italy San Marino
Cyprus Latvia Slovakia
Czech Republic Liechtenstein Slovenia
Denmark Lithuania Spain
Estonia Luxembourg Sweden
Finland Malta Switzerland
France Monaco United Kingdom
Germany Netherlands Vatican City
Greece Norway  

You can apply online, free of charge, at: http://www.immi.gov.au

3. Non-Electronic Travel Authority - Non-ETA

What is the 456 Business (Short Stay) Visitor visa?

The 456 Business (Short Stay) Visitor visa can be applied for by completing the Form 456. This form can be obtained from an Australian mission or it may be down-loaded from the Department’s website: www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/456.pdf A fee applies for this visa.

The 456 Business (Short Stay) Visitor visa is the appropriate visa for individuals who wish to visit Australia to attend a Conference and do not come from one of the ETA countries, listed above.

This visa can only be applied for outside Australia.

When applying for a 456 Business (Short Stay) Visitor visa at an Australian overseas mission, nationals of non-ETA countries, will be expected to provide adequate documentation about their background, financial situation and other relevant details as required, regardless of their professional /social status or standing.

Who can apply for this type of visa?

Individuals from countries other than those listed in the table above, non-ETA countries.

How long is it valid for?

The 456 Business (Short Stay) Visa is valid for up to 3 months.

Application Procedure

To lodge an application, the invited event participant must provide the following documentation along with the completed Form 456:

  • Two recent passport photos;
  • The visa application charge payment, or evidence of payment – eg: bank deposit slip (if it was deposited in the embassy’s bank account) or credit card receipt (if it was paid by credit card);
  • A valid passport.

Additional information may be requested and you will be advised by the Mission if this is the case.

Where can I find an Australian mission?

For information on locations and contact details of Australian missions visit the World Index at http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas.htm

Note:
You will be required to substantiate all information provided in your application. You can expect to come under a certain amount of scrutiny as a normal part of the visa assessment process. As a Conference delegate, you are not guaranteed to be granted a visa.

Insurance

Registration fees do not include insurance of any kind. It is strongly recommended that at the time you register for the conference and book your travel you take out an insurance policy of your choice. The policy should include loss of fees/deposit through cancellation of your participation in the conference, or through cancellation of the conference, loss of international/domestic air fares through cancellation for any reason, loss of tour monies through cancellation for any reason including airline or related services strikes within Australia, failure to utilise tours or pre booked arrangements due to airline delay, Force Majeure or any other reason, medical expenses (including sickness and accident cover), loss or damage to personal property, additional expenses and repatriation should travel arrangements have to be altered. The conference managers cannot take any responsibility for any participant failing to arrange their own insurance. This insurance is to be purchased in your country of origin.

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RFSA Conference 2010

Conference theme:
Our Members, Our Community, Our Service
Dates:
18-20 June 2010
Venue & city:
Rydges Lakeside Canberra

Important Dates

Registration Open: April 2010
Accommodation: 17 May 2010
Early Bird Deadline: 7 May 2010
Conference Opens: 18 June 2010
Conference Closes: 20 June 2010

Conference Managers

arinex pty limited

arinex pty limited
ABN 28 000 386 676

arinex pty limited has been appointed as the official PCO (Professional Conference Organiser). arinex is the largest total service provider for conferences, events, business travel and exhibitions in Australia. They are the only Australian partner of INCON, an exclusive international network of the world’s top conference organisers and event managers. They are ideally placed to combine international know how and local expertise to this Conference and look forward to working with the NSW Rural Fire Service Association and all its members to produce one of the best Conferences in its history.