Australia entry requirements for travellers from Pakistan
Do Pakistani citizens need a visa for Australia?
Yes. Pakistani passport holders must hold a visa before travelling. Pakistan is not on the Electronic Travel Authority list and is not covered by the eVisitor, so visits are made on a Visitor visa (subclass 600), tourist stream. There is no frequent traveller stream option for Pakistani citizens.
Most Pakistani travel to Australia is to visit family. Applications that set out the family connection, the funding arrangements and the reasons for returning are far more likely to succeed than those that leave the case officer to work it out.
How long can you stay in Australia?
The tourist stream can be granted for three, six or twelve months. The department decides the period and three months is the common outcome for a first application.
Passport validity requirements
Your passport must be valid for the whole of your stay. Australia does not apply a six month validity rule, although airlines and any transit country usually do. Notify the department if your passport is renewed after the visa is granted.
Proof of funds
You must show that you can support yourself throughout the visit and pay for your return travel. There is no published minimum. Bank statements covering three to six months, salary evidence, business registration and property documents all help. A large deposit made shortly before you apply invites questions rather than confidence.
Where relatives in Australia are funding the trip, include their evidence of income, their citizenship or visa evidence, and a letter stating exactly what they will pay for.
Onward or return travel
A confirmed return ticket is not required to apply, and non refundable bookings before a decision are unwise. Your application should still show when you intend to leave.
Applying for your Australian visa
Apply online through ImmiAccount from outside Australia. The tourist stream costs from AUD250.
Prepare your passport biodata page, a recent photograph, evidence of funds, proof of employment or business ownership, your itinerary, and full details of anyone you are visiting.
Biometrics at an Australian Biometric Collection Centre are required for most applicants. Book the appointment as soon as the department asks, because processing pauses until they are received.
Health requirements
A health examination is commonly requested for applicants from Pakistan, particularly for stays over six months, for anyone who will spend time in healthcare settings or with children, and where tuberculosis screening is indicated. The department issues referral letters and names the panel clinics you may attend.
A yellow fever certificate is required only if you have been in a yellow fever risk country in the six days before arrival.
Other entry requirements
Complete the Incoming Passenger Card on the flight. Australian biosecurity is strict, and the items most often seized from travellers arriving from Pakistan are spices, dried fruit and nuts, seeds, ghee, meat products and homemade foods carried for relatives. Declare all of it.
Cash of AUD10,000 or more, or the equivalent in Pakistani rupees, must be declared.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the visitor visa take from Pakistan?
Processing times vary considerably and the department publishes an indicative guide only. Apply at least three months ahead, and earlier if a medical is likely to be requested.
Will I need a medical examination?
Often, yes. The department will tell you and issue referral letters. Do not book an examination before being asked.
Can I work or study on a visitor visa?
No. Work is not permitted, and study is limited to short courses.
Should my family in Australia sponsor me?
There is a sponsored family stream where an Australian citizen or permanent resident sponsors you and may be asked to pay a security bond. Whether it suits you depends on your circumstances, and many visits are made on the ordinary tourist stream.
Do children need their own visa?
Yes, including infants.
What are the most common reasons for refusal?
Weak financial evidence, an unclear purpose of travel and limited evidence of ties to Pakistan. Address all three directly and in writing.