Travelling

Travelling to Australia, you need a passport, valid for time period of minimally six months since planned departure, and valid Australian entry visa (by e-mail, sent from Immigration Ministry, or self-labelled plate placed in passport). As the exceptioon, it is transit visa, via Australian airports. The passengers do not need it, provided they do not leave airport transit space, their air-ticket for departure from Australia is confirmed, and the departure will be effected within eight hours after arrival, and the passengers possess the documents for the entry into their target country.

The Australian tourist entry visas could be applied:

1) by means of internet

2) by means of the respective travel agency

3) by means of Australian Embassy abroad

 

1) The Application and Visa Granting by means of Internet

The visa applicant is obliged to fill in application form, placed in internet page of Department of Immigration and Citizenship - DIAC - www.immi.gov.au, pays a fee for presentation of this demand (he puts into internet application form the data of his credit card) and will wait for consent granting, which will be addressed to him by e-mail. The system of visa application is being effected automatically. According to actual experience, the respective period for positive execution of visa granting (i.e. time period, when the electronic visa granting will be delivered to the applicant) will be effected within 24 hours.

Nevertheless, the Immigration Ministry would require, in several cases, the presentation of another documents, and, the time period for visa granting could be longer.

As some typical examples there are, for instance:

- the applicants, younger than 18 years of age (birth certificate, authorization by notary is required, the consent of both parents, including copies of parents´ passports are necessary to be presented).

- the applicants, older than 70 years of age (the confirmation-approval of the doctor, as well as health policy for covering of treatment costs are required).

- all women they are on so called „maternal holiday“ and unemployed persons (in such case, the invitation and state of banking account are required).

The respective detailed information, regarding short term tourist visas could be found in web-pages www.immi.gov.au  could be found, as follows: Visas& Immigration >Visitors>Tourists>Visa Options>Tourist visa (subclass 676), or directly to www.immi.gov.au./visitors/tourist/676/index.htm

The respective electronic application form could be found on www.immi.gov.au  web sites

in the following way:

Visas&Immigration>Applications&Forms>Online Applications>Tourists>Applicatns-Outside Australia – Tourist (e 676) >Start your application direct on

https://www.econ.immi.gov.au/visas/app/uu?form=VSS

2)Immigration Ministry authorized for acceptance of Australian entry visas several Czech Travel Agencies, such as: 

- Czeko Agency: www.australiaexpert.cz

- Alfa Agency: www.alfa-agency.cz

- ASIANA: www.vizovyservis.cz

- Australia Online (SIS Consulting): www.australiaonline.cz

- Bemett Travel Agency: www.bemett.cz

- Dagmar Rotrekova Agency

- Čedok Travel Agency: www.cedok.cz

- G8M8 – Great Mate www.g8m8.com

- Kompas Prague: www.kompas.cz

- Montana Club: www.montanaclub.cz

- Natour :www.natour.cz   

- Student Agency: www.studentagency.cz

- Studymix: www.studymix.cz

- Studyonline

 

3) You can ask for visa-granting at Australian Embassy abroad.

Since 1st July 2007, all charges for electronic visa applications - for the purpose of stay in Australia up to 90 days (e676 tourist online application) as well as short-term business entry visas (456 busines visitor) were cancelled. The cancellation of such charges concerns only short term visas, with a stay up to three months, presented in electronic form. As far as the other charges are concerned, the fees remain unchanged. The application form in paper execution as well as for on-line application, exceeding three months, the applicants are obliged to pay a fee, amounting to AUD 75.

Attention: the tourist entry visa does not entitle the passengers for seeking a job in Australia.

The information, regarding prolongation of Australian entry visas could be found in web-sites, as follows. www.immi.gov.au in such way: Visas&Immigration>Visitors>Tourists>Extending your stay or directly from reference www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/index.htm

The way to the application form in electronic way, regarding visa prolongation could be found in web-sites www.immi.gov.au: Visas&Immigration>Applications&Forms>Online Applications-In Australia-Extending your stay in Australia>Start your application, or directly from the following reference: https://www.ecom.immi.gov.au/visas/applyNow.do?form=VE. The respective charge for visa prolongation makes AUD 205.

So called general announcing duty (obligation) does not exist in Australia. The registration of all passengers, entering Australian territory, is being effected during arrival (landing). The Officer of DIAC registers all visitors, after filling in the respective Incomer Passenger Card for. The passenger is obliged to state, except his personal data. to inform about place of his stay in Australia, including intended stay time period in the country. During plain transfer, the travellers are entitled to take in his hand luggage small quantity of liquids, gels and aerosol matters only. The regulations, introduced since 31st March 2007, relate also to tooth-pastes, parfums, cremes, cosmetics, etc. These matters could be transported in small utensils with maximal volume of 100 ml, sealed up in transparent plastic bag of max 1 liter volume (20x20 cm approx.). The exceptions could be possible only in case of medicines-transport, necessary to be taken during journey, and products, suitable for small children. Nevertheless, such exceptions will be approved by officials, effecting such controls. The information regarding this checking and allowed limits for transport - see sites of Australian Transport Ministry www.dotars.gov.au.

Shortly before the arrival to Australia, the passengers (or the families) are obliged to fill in the respective Travellers´ Statement. The form is necessary to be answered truthfully and declare all imported items. All foodstuffs (in its raw or conserved stay) are to be mentioned by passengers, including all foodstuffs which were served on board of the plain must be referred.

We wish to stress, that quarantine control (checking) is very severe and the contents of each luggage is being checked in very detailed way. All attempts for breaking of customs, quarantine or fyto-sanitary prescribtions are punished with penalties from AUD 200 up to several thoudsands of Australian dollars. All quarantine checkings (under sanction menaces) are being effected when crossing the borders beween separate Australian states, or when entering some fruit-trade areas.

As far as road traffic is concerned, it is effected on left part of the road. Regarding motor vehicles´ driving: the passengers are entitled to use the international driving licence, or domestc driving licence (with translation into English), and it is valid for the whole time period of their stay in Australia. The respective travelling speed on the roads is limited: (in the community - 60 kms/h, 100 kms/h - outside the community and 110 kms/h on main roads, specially marked. The use of safety belts is obligatory even in back seats of the car. Anyway, all offences of foreigners are not tolerated, and are strictly enforced.

The business travellers or tourists would be equipped with internationally accepted payment credit card. In Australia, the use and application of sorts of banking cards is extended. So, for instance, without credit card, you are unable to effect phone hotel reservation or car lease from rent a car office. The passengers who travel in Australia without credit cards, are recommended to have travel cheques available, transferable in AUD or USD, which are secured against pilferage or loss.

All travellers, leaving Australia, have their claim for tax-return payment for all bought goods and services (Goods and Services Tax - GST), amounting to 10% of total value. Nevertheless, under the condition that the goods must be bought in one shop only, in total value, exceeding AUD 200, not earlier than 30 days before departure from Australia. Further, all bought goods must be packed as handy baggage, as the counter-services for GST restitution on the international airports are situated behind a space for luggage checking.

When asking for such service, you are obliged to present the respective zax document and the goods for control (checking).

The respective tax could be obtained by means of several ways, as follows:

- in cash in AUD, directly in the airport

- in a form of cheque, drawn in AUD and sent to the  receiver's address

- in a form of cheque, drawn in any other foreigm currency, sent to the receiver´s address.

- by banking transfer in AUD for stipulated account open at Australian bank, or

- by putting down to receiver´s account in AUD (VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Diners Club only).