An Australian visa for US green card holders is mandatory for permanent residents of the US who may wish to visit Australia at any time of the year. Although there is a visa liberalization agreement between both countries that allows US citizens visa-free entry into Australia, the same benefit is not extended to permanent residents who are not from visa-exempt countries. If your country is not on the visa-exempt list of Australia, you will need to apply for a visa despite having a green card.
Short Stay Visa
The Australian visitor visa is under the Subclass 600 category and is for short-term visits.
This visa allows the holder to enter Australia for Tourism and business purposes, but they are not allowed to work or get medical treatment. However, they can participate in short noncredit courses and skill acquisition training.
The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for regulating visa application and immigration policy in Australia, and foreign missions and embassies abroad communicate decisions taken by the department.
Long Stay Visa
There is another class of visa called the long stay visa. Any visa valid for more than six months and allowing the holder to stay for more than 3 months is a long stay visa. Study, residency, and work visas are examples of short-stay visas. As a US green card holder who wishes to stay in Australia for an extended period, this is the visa to go for.
Australia e Visa
Still, on an Australian visa for US permanent residents, another visa is called an e-visa. E visas are also short-term tourist visas, but the difference with this one is that the applicant doesn’t have to visit the Australian embassy of Consular office to submit an application and attend an interview. The visa uses the online application and can be obtained online via email. This visa is only open to persons from selected countries.
Granting Visas To US Green Card Holders
The authorities will consider several factors before granting an applicant a visa to Australia.
The type of visa they want, the duration of their stay, and why they want the visa are factors they consider. They also want to be sure they have the financial means to sustain themselves throughout their stay in Australia if they apply for a short-stay tourist visa.
Visa Duration
The visa duration for the visa depends on the type of visa. Some visas will allow you to stay in the country for 3, 6, 12 months, and beyond. The number of months given to you will depend on your unique case rather than a one cap fits all approach. The key to a successful visa application is to submit the required documents and meet the eligibility criteria.
Ways To Apply For An Australian Visa
The Embassy or Consulate In The US: As a Green card holder, you have the luxury of applying for the visa directly from the US instead of traveling to your country to apply for it.
Australia has its embassy in Washington, DC, and consular offices in a few states. You can apply to any of them closest to where you live. This approach is the only way to apply for a long stay visa, so keep that in mind.
Online: Another method is to apply for the Australian e-Visitor visa or e-visa. The method is fast and easy; you don’t have to submit physical copies of your documents.
Check to see if nationals from your country are eligible for e-visa registrations; if they are, head to VisaHQ and do the following
Log onto VisaHQ
Select Australia as your destination
Select your citizenship
Choose the e visa
Complete the application form
Upload the necessary documents
Pay the application fee
Submit for approval
You need an active email for correspondence and to receive the visa once it is ready.
At The Airport: Australia offers visas on arrival to citizens of certain countries who land at the airport without a visa. You can check if your country is on the approved list and go this route, but we recommend the e-visa because you may be delayed at the airport to complete the application due to waiting crowds.
How Much Is A Visa Application?
The visa application fee will depend on the type of visa you are applying for. For e visa or short visit visa, you should be prepared to pay $105 for it.
Documents For An Australian Visa
There are general documents you must submit for the visa application, but they vary from one visa type to the other. For visa on arrival, you only need to submit your passport, green card, and proof of funds to the immigration officers, while for e-visas, you will need the following
Valid passport
Recent photograph
Email
Credit or debit card
Bank statement
Copy of travel Itinerary
The requirements for other Australian visas for green card holders types are extensive, so do your due diligence before submitting your application to the embassy or consulate.