Quick Answer: Most Australian visa applications are lodged online through ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. The process involves creating an ImmiAccount, completing the correct application form, uploading supporting documents, paying the application charge, and waiting for a decision. Processing times range from a few days (some student and tourist visas) to over 24 months (partner visas and some employer-sponsored streams). Application charges vary from $390 (visitor visa) to over $8,850 (partner visa primary applicant), depending on visa type.
VJ Consulting and Education has guided applicants through every major Australian visa pathway, and the steps below reflect what consistently makes or breaks a successful outcome.
How to get 491 visa?
The Subclass 491 visa is a points-tested temporary skilled regional visa — and it is one of the more structured pathways to obtain, requiring nomination before you can even lodge an application. Here is the sequence: Among the applicants VJCE has assisted with Subclass 491 nominations, the most common challenge is underestimating how significantly state occupation list changes can affect eligibility, making early planning essential.
- Check your occupation appears on the relevant skilled occupation list (MLTSSL or STSOL for state nomination streams)
- Complete a skills assessment through the relevant assessing authority for your occupation
- Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect
- Receive a nomination invitation from a state or territory government, or a sponsorship from an eligible family member in a designated regional area
- Receive an invitation to apply from the Department of Home Affairs
- Lodge your visa application within 60 days of the invitation
Points required for invitation typically sit above 85 points, though this fluctuates by occupation and state. One of our clients, a civil engineer who secured nomination through South Australia, noted that the state EOI requirements were more detailed than the federal SkillSelect profile — requiring a separate state portal submission.
"The 491 was a two-stage process I hadn't fully appreciated — first winning state nomination, then getting the federal invitation. Both have separate criteria." — A recent client who went through the 491 regional pathway
→ Deep Dive: 491 Visa: Eligibility, Application and Pathway to PR
→ Deep Dive: State Nomination in Australia: How to Apply
How to apply for 407 visa?
The Subclass 407 Training visa is employer-driven — you cannot lodge it independently. The correct sequence is:
| Step | Who acts | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Employer | Becomes an approved sponsor (or is already one) |
| 2 | Employer | Lodges a training nomination for the proposed activity |
| 3 | Applicant | Receives nomination approval, then lodges visa application |
| 4 | Applicant | Pays application charge ($395 as of July 2025) and uploads documents |
| 5 | Department | Assesses and decides |
The training activity must be occupational training to improve your work skills, or workplace-based training for registration or licensing. It is not a general work visa — the Department scrutinises whether the proposed training is genuine.
Documents typically required: valid passport, skills or qualification evidence, training plan from the sponsor, health insurance, and a health examination if applicable.
Tip: The nomination must be approved before the visa application can be finalised. Confirm with your sponsor that step 2 is complete before submitting your payment.
→ Deep Dive: Employer Sponsorship in Australia
How to get PR in Australia in 2 years?
Permanent residency within two years is achievable, but it requires a specific strategy — not all pathways qualify. The realistic options are:
| Pathway | Minimum time to PR | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Subclass 189 direct grant | Immediate (PR on grant) | High points score, invitation |
| Subclass 190 direct grant | Immediate (PR on grant) | State nomination, points |
| Subclass 186 Direct Entry stream | Immediate (PR on grant) | Employer sponsor, skills assessment |
| Subclass 820/801 | ~2 years onshore wait | Genuine relationship, de facto/married |
| Subclass 491 → 191 | Minimum 3 years total | 3 years regional residence and work |
The fastest route to PR — if you qualify — is a direct-grant skilled visa (189, 190, or 186). These are permanent from day one. One of our clients, a PhD graduate in mechanical engineering with 95 points, was invited for a 189 within two invitation rounds of submitting his EOI.
The 491 → 191 pathway is often marketed as a "2-year" route, but the Subclass 191 requires three years of living and working in a designated regional area — not two. Factor this accurately into your planning.
"I had been told by a friend that the 491 leads to PR in two years. Our agent clarified it is three, which changed my entire timeline." — A recent client who went through the 491 regional pathway
→ Deep Dive: 491 Visa: Eligibility, Application and Pathway to PR
How to apply for Australian visa online?
All Australian visa applications — with very limited exceptions — are lodged online through the Department of Home Affairs' ImmiAccount portal. The process is:
- Create an ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au (see section below)
- Select your visa type from the online application list
- Complete the application form — sections vary by visa but typically cover personal details, travel history, health, and character
- Upload supporting documents (identity, health, financial, relationship evidence, etc.)
- Pay the visa application charge by credit/debit card or BPAY
- Submit and note your Transaction Reference Number (TRN)
- Monitor your application through ImmiAccount and respond to any requests
A client of ours who applied for a student visa described the process as straightforward when following the Department's published checklist:
"Done on our own and got it with no issues at all. Just use the guide from the immi website, step by step." — One applicant we assisted who lodged a student visa independently
Tip: Some visa types (notably 189, 190, and 491 skilled visas) require an invitation before the online application becomes available. Do not attempt to lodge without first receiving your invitation — the system will not permit it.
What documents do I need for visa application?
The documents required depend heavily on visa type, but there is a core set that applies to almost every application: In VJ Consulting and Education's experience, incomplete or inconsistently labelled supporting documents remain the single most frequent reason for unnecessary delays, so a thorough pre-submission checklist is strongly recommended.
| Document category | What is typically required |
|---|---|
| Identity | Valid passport (all pages), birth certificate if requested |
| English proficiency | IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL results (most skilled and student visas) |
| Health | Completed health examination via a panel physician |
| Character | National Police Clearance Certificate(s) — all countries lived in for 12+ months since age 16 |
| Financial | Bank statements, payslips, or evidence of funds (varies by visa) |
| Skills/employment | Skills assessment outcome, employment references, position descriptions |
| Relationship (if applicable) | For partner visas: joint finances, photos, statutory declarations, correspondence |
One client preparing a Subclass 485 application asked whether a national ID card could substitute for a birth certificate. The answer in most cases is no — the Department typically requires a birth certificate, translated into English by a NAATI-certified translator if the original is not in English.
For partner visas specifically, a registered migration agent noted that document quantity is not what drives outcomes:
"A 'strong' partner visa application is not what most people think it is. Joint finances, photos, a lease in both names — none of that, on its own, gets a visa granted. What matters is how the evidence cohesively tells the story of a genuine relationship." — A Registered Migration Agent whose advice we refer clients to
Tip: Police clearance certificates from some countries (India, Philippines, China) can take 4–8 weeks to obtain. Order them before you start building your application to avoid last-minute delays.
→ Deep Dive: Partner Visas in Australia
How to create an ImmiAccount?
Creating an ImmiAccount takes under 10 minutes and is the mandatory first step for any online application. Here is the exact process:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and click "Create an ImmiAccount" |
| 2 | Select account type: "Individual" (for personal applications) or "Organisation" (for employers/agents) |
| 3 | Enter your email address and create a password (minimum 8 characters, mix of letters and numbers) |
| 4 | Verify your email address via the confirmation link sent to your inbox |
| 5 | Log in and complete your profile — full name, date of birth, passport details |
| 6 | Link to an existing application (if you have a TRN) or start a new application |
Important: Use the same email address for all future applications. The Department links your identity documents and health records to your ImmiAccount profile — creating a second account for a new application can cause verification errors and delays.
Tip: If you are using a migration agent, they will manage your application through their own Organisation ImmiAccount and link it to your individual account. You will still need your own account to review documents and sign declarations.
What is the visa application process?
The Australian visa application process follows a consistent lifecycle across most visa types: VJ Consulting agents generally advise clients to treat each stage of the process as a compliance checkpoint rather than a formality, as errors in earlier steps tend to compound and are far harder to resolve once an application is lodged.
| Stage | What happens | Typical timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Eligibility check | Confirm you meet age, occupation, health, and character requirements | Before lodgement |
| 2. Pre-application | Skills assessment, EOI (if points-tested), state nomination (if required) | 3–12 months depending on stream |
| 3. Invitation | Department or state issues an invitation to apply | Varies by occupation demand |
| 4. Lodgement | Complete and submit application in ImmiAccount, pay charge | 1–3 days to compile |
| 5. Health and biometrics | Complete medical examination; biometrics if required | 2–4 weeks after lodgement |
| 6. Assessment | Department reviews documents, may issue a Further Information Request (FIR) | Weeks to years depending on visa |
| 7. Decision | Visa granted or refused; notification via ImmiAccount and email | — |
One important operational detail: student visa applications at high-ranked universities are often auto-assessed.
"Your student visa application was likely auto-approved, as it may have exceeded the 95% auto-assessment score threshold based on factors such as university rating, course rating, financial documents, identity documents, and English-language proficiency." — Our team's assessment of a client's rapid student visa grant
If a Further Information Request is issued at Stage 6, you typically have 28 days to respond. Missing this deadline can result in the application being decided on the information on hand, which risks refusal.
→ Deep Dive: Visa Refusal and Appeals
Can I apply for two visas at the same time?
Yes, but with important caveats that depend on the specific visas involved. The Department's general position is that holding or applying for multiple visas simultaneously is permitted, but each combination carries different risks.
| Scenario | Permitted? | Key risk |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa + partner visa (onshore) | Yes | Tourist visa may be cancelled on lodgement of partner visa (BVC issued instead) |
| Student visa + skilled visa EOI | Yes | No conflict at EOI stage |
| 482 + 186 (same employer) | Yes | Common transition pathway |
| Two skilled visa applications simultaneously | Generally yes | Application charges are non-refundable if one is withdrawn |
| 491 + 190 simultaneously | Yes | Whichever is granted first typically leads to withdrawal of the other |
One client asked whether lodging an 820/801 partner visa while on a tourist visa was possible. The answer is yes — and this is actually a common pathway — but upon lodgement, your tourist visa is typically cancelled and a Bridging Visa A (BVA) is issued, which restricts your ability to leave and re-enter Australia.
"Is it possible to lodge a partner visa application while on a tourist visa?" — A question raised by one of our clients considering the onshore partner visa pathway
Tip: If you hold a Subclass 482 and are simultaneously pursuing a Subclass 186 nomination, ensure your 482 remains valid throughout — if it expires before the 186 is decided, your bridging visa conditions may limit your work rights.
→ Deep Dive: Employer Sponsorship in Australia
Application Charges Reference Table (2026)
Visa application charges are indexed annually and were updated on 1 July 2025. The figures below reflect current Department of Home Affairs pricing:
| Visa | Primary applicant | Secondary adult | Secondary child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) | $4,640 | $2,320 | $1,160 |
| Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) | $4,640 | $2,320 | $1,160 |
| Subclass 491 (Skilled Regional) | $4,640 | $2,320 | $1,160 |
| Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) | $3,115 | $1,560 | $780 |
| Subclass 186 (ENS) | $4,640 | $2,320 | $1,160 |
| Subclass 820/801 (Partner onshore) | $8,850 | $4,430 | $2,215 |
| Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) | $1,895 | $950 | $475 |
| Subclass 500 (Student) | $1,600 | $400 | $400 |
| Subclass 407 (Training) | $395 | $200 | $100 |
Charges are non-refundable once the application is lodged, regardless of outcome. Verify current charges at the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before submitting.
Ready to Apply? Let Our Team Guide You.
Australian visa applications are legally consequential — a refused application creates a record that can affect future applications, and errors in health, character, or document disclosure can have lasting impacts.
At VJ Consulting, our MARA-registered agents review your eligibility, prepare your application, and manage your ImmiAccount correspondence from lodgement to decision. We operate across all skilled, employer-sponsored, partner, and student visa streams.
Book a consultation at vjmigration.com.au or call our Melbourne office to speak directly with a registered agent. We offer fixed-fee packages for most standard applications and transparent pricing before you commit.
