Australian Visa for Philippine Passport Holders via VFS Global

There’s a better way to apply Australian Visa in the Philippines, click this picture to be redirected to my new blog post on

Australian visa is one of the easiest visas to apply for, based on all my visa application experiences. The VSF Global website is really straight forward that I don’t really need to make a blog post of this, but I am going to anyway. So here you go, process to apply Australian Visa for Philippines Passport holders.

I like it that you submit only photocopies of requirements, even passport. They also do not have silly requirements such as the need for detailed trip itineraries, hotel reservations, insurances (although I encourage having travel insurance).

The Australian visa is electronic and will be emailed to you. You don’t get a sticker on your passport as with Schengen visa, UK visa, Chines visa, etc. But you do need to print out your visa in case they look for it in your city of departure.

I wish Australia would issue 5-10 years multiple-entry visas like Japan Visa, Korea, and the United States. With frequent airline sale, and that I have so many friends in Australia and that it’s huge, I don’t mind going back often. Because while the application is hassle-free, the Australian Visa fee of 4,900 pesos is quite steep!

Actually 4 Steps to get an Australian Visa

Step 1 – Fill out Application Form (Tourist Visa) + Photo

There are about a million types of visas to go to Australia, but as usual, I will only deal with Tourist Visa. And to save you time swimming thought the million forms, here it is –> Australia Tourist Visa Form 1419. Prepare and paste 1 passport size photo (35mm x45mm) to the application form

Step 2 – Prepare your Requirements and Supporting Documents

Passport: your passport must have at least 6 months validity from the intended date of entry to Australia. Photocopy ALL pages with content. This means photo page, amendments, endorsements, visas, entry/exit stamps.

Financial Document such:
1. Copies of your bank deposit books showing your history of savings or salary
2. Copies of bank statements or payslips over a period of time
3. Credit card statements and limits
4. Letter of support from Australian contact with evidence of financial capability

Note: If you can provide 1-3, then please do so. The more document you have, the better. If you don’t have all of them, then just prepare what you have. Let’s hope it is enough! If you don’t have your own financial papers, then a guarantee letter of support from your Australian contact.

Other Supporting Document, when applicable:
1. Purpose of Travel (ie: attending wedding, convention, festival, concert, etc.)
2. Invitation letter from Australian contact with copy of their ID or passport

You can download the >> document checklist

Step 3 – Prepare Payment

There will be 2 fees involve in the application of Australian visas.

Manager’s Cheque

of Php5,900 (as of today, July 2018) payable to “Australian Embassy”. Other forms of visa fee payment and payee will not be accepted.

VFS Global Logistic Service charge per passport, payable in cash
Php 659 per applicant for Regular visa application as the main applicant
Php 460 per applicant for dependent applicant or resubmission.

Step 4 – Call for Appointment

Schedule your appointment >> online. Choose “visitor” and follow the direction. You can also walk-in to submit your application, but why would you do that? You will not be prioritised and would have to wait for all those who have appointment to be finished. So just go and schedule it.

On the day of the appointment, arrive about 30minutes before, and once you’ve submitted your application, you’re done. You just wait for your visa through your email. That’s it. Easy peasy!

Alternative to Step 4 – Send Document via Courier (2GO)

This is good news to Filipinos not in Manila or Cebu. You can send your application by courier. Note that if you are from Manila or Cebu, you can do this too.

Please be reminded that you need to make sure you have complete requirements before booking for pick-up. Incomplete requirement will cost you more courier fee to resend, or may be visa denied outright.

VFS Global Service Fee
By Courier- VFS Global Service charge shall be paid in the form of a Manager’s cheque in Philippine Peso (Php629 or 440; refer to Step 3) payable to VFS Services Philippines Private Inc.

Courier Fee
On top of the Visa fee, VFS Service fee, you’ll have to pay for the courier fee of PHP 600 for Two-way courier service (pick-up and return of your documents). BUT since the document submitted are all copies only (non original), you probably don’t need them to be returned to you. If this is the case, you can just book for One-way courier service at PHP380. I submitted my requirement and didn’t get them back.

**Should you wish to avail of the SMS service in order to receive real time updates via email & SMS messaging on your application, you may include the SMS fee of PHP 110 along with the Manager’s Cheque for the service fee payment. Although I don’t recommend this, just added cost.

Enclose all above documents in a sealed long brown envelope ready for pick-up by courier.

Metro Manila Addresses will be scheduled for pick-up within 1 to 3 days.
Provincial Addresses located along the main roads shall be scheduled for pick-up within 3-5 days.
For those who are located in the identified “Out of Courier Serviceable” and “Critical Areas”, applicants has to bring their documents to the nearest 2GO Express branch.

Important: Please note that once you have secured a confirmed collection of your application/documents with reference number at the time of courier collection and for any reason your documents are not ready or any unavoidable circumstance arises and you were unable to cancel your courier booking before the scheduled pick-up of within 24 hours for Metro Manila; 48 hours for Provincial collection, you will be charged an additional One-way courier service fee of PHP 380

When you’re ready to book for pick-up
Call Centre at +632 790 4900, Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Email at info.auph@vfshelpline.com

VFS Global Services Philippines Private Inc., Addresses:

MANILA
Mezzanine Floor Unit M01, Ecoplaza Building,
2305 Chino Roces Avenue Extension Makati City, Metro Manila 1231

CEBU
9th Floor, Keppel Center, Unit 905, Samar Loop
cor. Cardinal Rosales Avenue,
Cebu Business Park, Cebu City 6000

66 Comments

Newer Comments →

Jonyl on 01/19/2016 at 3:17 pm

I have a Philippine passport and residing in Canada. Hindi pa ko citizen dahil kulang pa ko sa residing requirements. I just want to ask if travelling to Australia as a tourist is possible for my case. Thanks a lot.
Ian on 01/14/2016 at 1:37 pm

Hi wanderlass. I was wondering, how much time before my intended travel date do I have to apply? What is your recommendation? Thanks in advance
- wanderlass on 01/15/2016 at 12:55 am
  
  some people got it sooner but i got mine in one month. if u don’t want to be stressed, id say get it 2 mo before intended entry
  - Dianne cariño on 05/03/2016 at 11:03 pm
    
    Hi wanderlass ask ko lang if need pa ng copy ng nso birth certificate? May error kc name ko sa nso birth certificate ko.. Per sa passport & id ko correct nman
katsy on 12/18/2015 at 7:12 pm

Hi wanderlass! I wanna know if u need to certify all the documents u sent since its only photocopy.. the travel agency advised to send the original including statutory docs and employment cert of the sponsor. Problem is it will be sent thru mailing system from oz and it will take weeks to arrive here. I need to apply soon.
- violeta corcuera on 02/18/2016 at 1:06 pm
  
  this maybe a bit late… just lodged our family application yesterday thru vfs, hassle free – i only certified the identification page of our passports, nothing more. all the supporting documents from my sister were just printed from my email – statutory dec, passport bio page, insurance cert for my mom – 75y/o++, etc. please dont forget to include evidence of relationship – if ur invited by a sibling do include yours and his/her nso birth cert to prove that you have the same parents. applying thru vfs is very convenient, we also used them last year to get UK Visa.
susan macaranas on 12/02/2015 at 10:41 am

hi wanderlass, your blog is very helpful and informative, and you are very pretty too! May i know what is the easiest way to apply for a schengen visa ? i’m going for a cruise port of embarkation is Barcelona, Spain. Is VFS global legit? are they good in processing schengen visa thru embassy of Spain? thank you,
Nicky on 11/15/2015 at 7:17 pm

hi! how much money do I need to have in my bank account for the bank statement requirement?
Ivy on 11/09/2015 at 4:12 pm

Do they require also ITR, BUSINESS PERMIT, etc?
Cendy Grace on 11/02/2015 at 1:47 pm

Hello :) is this procedure valid if I’m working here in singapore, but still holding PH passport? thank you.. I love ur page:)
- wanderlass on 11/02/2015 at 3:36 pm
  
  The requirement should be the same. Contact mo Australian embassy in Singapore.
Meg on 09/23/2015 at 5:20 pm

Hi.. just want to verify.. it took 1 month before you knew that your visa was approved? Or were you informed beforehand and you just got the visa in about a month..
- wanderlass on 09/25/2015 at 4:43 pm
  
  I knew my visa was approved only when I received the email.
  - Meg on 09/25/2015 at 5:26 pm
    
    Thanks. Sorry i was just paranoid. I got a message from vfs that my application was already processed and was being sent via mail to me a few days from the time i lodged my application..i thought i will receive the visa via email. I forgot i paid extra for it to be mailed. Hehe.. i got my visa grant in less than a week! :)
    - Nicky on 11/16/2015 at 9:55 am
      
      hi meg! May I know how much money do you need to have in your account for the bank requirement? Thanks
    - Manilyn on 03/25/2016 at 7:51 am
      
      Hello meg magkano bah kailangan savings mo sa bank?
      - Meg on 04/14/2016 at 2:23 pm
        
        Hi Manilyn.. i don’t know if they have a minimum saving in the bank. I guess it depends on how long you are staying. I had around 150k in my acct that time and I stayed in Australia for 11 days.
Maria on 09/23/2015 at 9:48 am

You can also apply online. You just need to attach the docs they need and you can track the progress of your application when you open an immi account. The visa fee is paid through credit card and the fee varies depending on the exchange rate. You don’t have to pay the VFS service fee.
- wanderlass on 09/25/2015 at 4:46 pm
  
  That’s good info.
Bambi on 09/18/2015 at 5:58 pm

Hello! Gaano katagal bago mo po nakuha ‘yung visa through email? Thanks!
- wanderlass on 09/20/2015 at 12:53 pm
  
  It took about a month or a little bit more. But the beauty of it is, I was already in Tonga when I received the email. So my travel plans were not disrupted because I had to be in the country waiting for my visa. :)