Australian High Commission
Sri Lanka
Address: 21, Gregory's Road, Colombo 7 - Telephone: +94 (0) 11 2463200 - Fax: +94 (0) 11 2686453

Visa and Immigration Services at the Australian High Commission

Welcome to the webpage for the Australian High Commission's (AHC) Visa Office in Colombo, administered by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). The AHC Visa Office provides the following servcies:

The AHC Visa Office handles visa and citizenship applications for people who are residing in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

The following visa and immigration information is available on this website:

For comprehensive information on all Australian visa and citizenship matters visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website

Visa Application Services

Visa applications may be lodged through TT Services Lanka (PVT) Ltd (TTS)at a Visa Application Centre located at:

32 C, Sir Mohamed Macan Markar Mawatha,
Colombo 3

Phone: 011 2430991 or 011 2430992
Fax: 011 2430993

TT Services Visa Application Centre will be open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm.

The TTS Visa Application Centre will:

For further information regarding the TTS Visa Application Centre please see the website at www.ttsvisas.lk.

To make an urgent inquiry about a visa application currently awaiting a decision by this office please:

Note: The TTS Visa Application Centre service charge will be Rs 1000 per visa application or Rs 1000 per visa evidencing request (up to 4 family members per request). Service charges are payable in Rs bank drafts only.

Address  and Contact Details

21, Gregory's Road
Colombo 7
Sri Lanka
Telephone: (011 ) 2463270
Fax: (011 ) 268 2311
Email: immigration.colombo@dfat.gov.au

Visa Application Forms and Information

Download visa application forms, information booklets and comprehensive information about visas and citizenship free of charge.

Application forms and information sheets, including migration booklets, can be collected from the TTS Visa Application Centre during opening hours.  

  List of the Panel Doctor's

Health examinations are undertaken by a Panel Doctor who has been appointed by the Australian Government for visa applicants who have applied offshore.
Appointed panel doctors for Colombo are:

PANEL DOCTOR'S LIST

 

How to Apply for a Visa

For information on each visa and should be submitted with the visa application, please visit the website at www.ttsvisas.lk.

Applications for the following visa categories cannot be lodged with the TTS Visa Application Centre. Please visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website when applying for these visa categories:

Visa Application and other Charges as of 1st July 2008 in Sri Lankan Rupees 

  

MIGRATION APPLICATION PACKS (FAMILY) Rs  1,100
SKILLED MIGRATION PACKS Rs 2,200
MEDICAL LONG STAY Rs 4,900
VISITOR OR BUSINESS Rs 10,900
RE EVID OF RESIDENT RETURN Rs 10,900
CITIZENSHIP (DESCENT) Contact the HC
RESIDENT RETURN Rs 26,200
TEMPORARY RESIDENT (NON BUSINESS) Rs 27,300
STUDENT Rs 49,100
CARER, ORPHAN, RELATIVE VISA Rs 95,000
MIGRANT (PARTNER, CHILD, OTHER FAMILY, ENS, SPECIAL) Rs 155,100
EXTENDED ELIGILITY (445) Rs 16,900
APPLICATIONS LODGED IN AUSTRALIA  
SKILLED MIGRATION A$ 2,105
BUSINESS MIGRATION A$ 3,860
BUSINESS OWNER (PROVISIONAL) A$ 2,645
PARENT MIGRATION A$ 1,420

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skilled Migration Visas

If you wish to apply to live permanently in Australia under the skilled migration program you will need to apply for a General Skilled migration visa and meet all of the following basic requirements:

Further information on skilled migration is available on the DIMA website at:

Please note that all General Skilled migration visa applications must be lodged in Australia and are processed in Australia. This office does not process these applications.

Information on Student Visas

Information on student visas is available on the DIAC website at www.immi.gov.au and on the TTS Visa Application Centre website at www.ttsvisas.lk.

Before you apply for a student visa you should read all the relevant information about the visa requirements which apply to your proposed course of study .  You should read the information sheet 1160i  Applying for a Student Visa and the appropriate Student Visa Information leaflet.

The Australian High Commission cannot give you advice about educational institutions and courses of study in Australia.

You should lodge your student visa application about 2 months before you expect to start your course. 

Information on Student Guardian visas is available on the DIAC website: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/student_guardians/index.htm

   Streamlined student visa

The Australian High Commission Colombo has streamlined student visa arrangements with six student agents in Colombo. They are:

Streamlined student visa 
 

Information on Tourist Visas

In most cases a decision on your application will be ready two working days after you lodge it, but will take longer if you need to undergo medicals or if we ask for additional information.

Information on tourist visas is available on the DIMA website at www.immi.gov.au and on the TTS Visa Application Centre website at www.ttsvisas.lk.

Information about World Youth Day 2008

All international WYD participants will need to have:-

(a) Registered their details with WYD 2008
(b) Received the endorsement of their local bishop to attend World Youth Day

More information is available on the DIAC website at : http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/wyd_08/index.htm

   Information on Transit visa:-

The Transit visa provides for a stay in Australia for up to 72 hours for people who transit through Australia enroute to other countries, including New Zealand if in transit more than 8 hours.

Information is available at www.immi.gov.au - 
http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/transit/index.htm  

Information about Maritime crew visa

Information available at www.immi.gov.au - http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/air-sea/mcv/index.htm


Online application can be made at http://www.immi.gov.au/sea/

   Family Migration

Family Migration information is available at www.immi.gov.au : http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/family/visa-options.htm


For further details please go to : http://www.ttsvisas.lk/Documents/Leaflet%206%20Migrant%20Visas.pdf


Further information on partner, child and other family migration is available on the DIAC website at:

• Migrating to Australia as a partner : http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/family/partner-outside.htm

• Partner Migration - Booklet 1 : http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/books1.htm

If Your Application Is Refused

If your application is refused, you will receive a letter giving the reasons for the decision. The letter will advise whether your sponsor or relative in Australia has a review right.

Applications which are refused cannot be reconsidered by anyone at the Australian High Commission. No further correspondence or discussion will be entered into.

It is open to refused applicants to lodge a fresh application, which will be considered on its merits.  Experience has shown, however, that unless new and different information is submitted that the decision is unlikely to change.

Tourist Visa applications are most often refused because the decision maker is not satisfied that, on the evidence provided in the application, the applicant would abide by visa conditions and depart Australia at the end of any approved stay.  The reason for this may be that the decision maker is not satisfied that the applicant has shown sufficient commitments to ensure their return home.

If you intend a genuine short visit to see close family in Australia but have difficulty demonstrating your commitments to return, you should consider applying under the Sponsored Family Visitor Visa category. 

Applicants From The Maldives

The Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Male has copies of visa application forms and may provide assistance to citizens of the Maldives in lodging an application with the TTS Visa Application Centre.

The quickest way to lodge your application with TT Services and have your passport returned is to contact an international courier service in Male. You will need to pay upfront all costs in relation to delivery and return and your passport to and from the TTS office in Colombo. (see www.ttsvisas.lk). The AHC Visa Office is unable to make these arrangements for you.

Electronic Visitor and Business Visas (ETA) for Certain Nationalities 

Passport holders of certain countries (including USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, most Western European countries and others) are eligible for grant of an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). This visa provides for short visits to Australia for tourism or business purposes.  It is electronic and no visa label will be placed in you passport.

The eligible nationalities are listed on the DIMA website at: http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/visitors.htm

If eligible you can also obtain your visa from this site without visiting a visa office.

Alternatively, if you bring your eligible passport to the visa counter during lodgement hours you may be issued with an ETA visa free of charge.  No application form or other documents are necessary.

Warning  to Non-Genuine Applicants!

Australia has severe penalties for those who break immigration law.  It is an offence under Australian immigration law to provide false documents or make misleading statements in a visa application. Your application will be refused and in addition you may be barred by law from making further applications for a period of years.

You are strongly advised not to listen to people who tell you they can 'arrange' a visa for a sum of money.   Information and assistance is available from the Visa Office for those who intend to obtain their visa legally and abide by the conditions laid down in Australian law. Please ensure that you obtain an official receipt for any money you pay for a visa or visa-related services.  Note also that anyone providing false or misleading information with an intent to deceive an official into granting a

visa fraudulently is breaking Sri Lankan law. Anyone who provides false or fraudulent documentation in support of a visa application may also be breaking Sri Lankan law and may be handed over to the police.

   On Visa processing times

Information on visa processing time is available on the TTS website  www.ttsvisas.lk - Client Service Charter


For further information you may seek assistance through migration agents,
A list of registered Australian Migration Agents is available at www.themara.com.au

   Feedback

Compliments and complaints about the service you receive from this office or TTS should be sent to the Global Feedback unit (GFU) in the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Contact details for the GFU are available at www.immi.gov.au/contacts/forms/services/index.htm