Visa Enquiries Telephone: Mon - Thu 1pm to 5pm, Fri 1pm to 4pm - Telephone: +49 (0)30 700 129 129 - Fax: +49(0)30 22 48 92 93
Counter Hours Visa Section: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9am and 11am
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Visiting Academic (subclass 419) and Educational Visa (subclass 418) - Working at a University or Research Institute
If you intend to work at a university or research institute in Australia, you may qualify for either a subclass 418 (Educational) or 419 (Visiting Academic) visa. Applicants who will be appointed and paid by an Australian employer, should apply for an Educational (subclass 418) visa. If you intend to visit and work at an Australian institution AND will remain on the payroll of your home institution, you should apply for a Visiting Academic Visa. Please note that a contribution to your flight or living expenses does not constitute a salary.
How to apply for an Educational / Visiting Academic Visa
1. Please complete, sign and date Form 147.
Download form 147 - DIAC Website (PDF)
When completing your form, please ensure that you quote your last name and first name exactly as stated in your PASSPORT and do not use a pencil. Please attach to your application one recent passport photograph of yourself (and all family members included in the application). 2. Visa Application Charge
The Visa Application Charge is levied per application, any accompanying family members are included. This is a processing charge and cannot be refunded irrespective of the outcome of the application. Please see the below link for current visa charges.
See: Visa Application Charges 3. Documents to be included with your application:
Letter from your university or research institute
Both Visiting Academic and Educational visa applicants should submit an official letter of invitation from the person with overall administrative authority within the institution. The Registrar, Chief Executive Officer or an equivalent administrative authority of your Australian university or research institution should provide the letter for you. The letter should indicate the period for which the invitation is extended, your proposed activities in Australia, and proposed remuneration, if any.
A letter of invitation from the area within the institution (such as an individual faculty, department or school in which you intend to conduct your research) cannot be considered acceptable for visa purposes, unless it is supported by a letter of invitation from the central administrative authority at the institution as explained above. Visiting Academic visa applicants must already hold a PhD qualification, be able to demonstrate a record of employment as a professional academic and continue to be employed by their home institution while undertaking research in Australia. Applicants must present a letter from their current employer confirming their academic credentials, current position, and a brief outline of their duties.
Generally, it is expected that subclass 419 Visiting Academic Visa applicants will be on sabbatical leave from their current academic appointment and will continue to receive a salary from their home institution.
This visa is not appropriate for academics who will be involved in teaching/lecturing in Australia, or for students, including PhD students. It is also not an appropriate visa for recent PhD graduates who are not currently employed as professional academics or researchers and cannot demonstrate experience as such. 4. Educational (subclass 418) visa applicants require a sponsorship if your stay exceeds three months.
Please ask your university or research institute in Australia to obtain form 55 from the nearest office of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), to complete it and to return it promptly to the same DIAC office in Australia. The DIAC office will notify your employer when the sponsorship has been approved. Your employer will notify you of the approval and should also forward a copy of the approved sponsorship form to this office. Legible facsimile copies can be accepted. As we are not involved in the processing of sponsorships, please address all enquiries to your university or research institute and not to us. To avoid disappointment, we recommend that your university or research institute submit its sponsorship as early as possible. Download Form 55 - DIAC Website (PDF)
5. Health Clearance (if applicable)
Please refer to the Health Requirements to see if your nationality and the nature/duration of your visit require you to undergo any health clearance formalities. Anyone located in a pharmaceutical laboratory, hospital or health-care facility (including nursing homes), or at a childcare centre, preschool or crêche, will need to undertake an X-ray as a minimum requirement.
See: Health Requirements 6. Family members included in the application
If you are travelling with your spouse and / or dependent children they must be included in your sponsorship approval as well as being included in your application form. Accompanying family must also undergo any necessary health clearances 7. Valid Passport and Return Envelope
Your passport (and those of other family members included in your application) must be enclosed with your visa application. It must be valid for the entire period of your stay in Australia and must contain at least one blank page. 8. Additional Documents if your stay is longer than 12 months:
If your stay is longer than 12 months, you need to provide a Police Good Conduct Certificate.
Character Requirements Penal Clearance Certificates - DIAC Website (PDF)
9. Where do I apply ?
Please mail your application or deliver personally to the following address
(Visa Counter Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9.00 - 11.00 hrs):
Australian Embassy
Visa Office
Wallstrasse 76-79
D-10179 Berlin
Germany
10. Important Information
We recommend that you do not make travel commitments until after the visa has been approved. Visa applications are processed by the embassy as fast as possible and in the order of receipt. Processing times can vary seasonally and according to the volume of applications on hand. We are not, however, liable for any financial loss incurred by applicants whose applications are late or unsuccessful. You can do the following to help us process your case quickly:
Ensure that your application is complete;
limit telephone enquiries to urgent matters.
See: Target Processing Times
See: How do I contact the department?
Under the terms of the Australian Privacy Act, we cannot provide information about applications in progress to third parties.