Australian visas and citizenship
The Home Affairs office in Dhaka supports prospective Bangladesh migrants by increasing access to comprehensive visa information services for people who are considering lawful and regular migration to Australia.
It also serves as the central point of contact for the Bangladesh Government to facilitate increased and mutually beneficial engagement and cooperation on immigration and border related matters.
Applicants in Bangladesh can lodge and track visa and citizenship applications online.
Applying for an Australian visa
What you need to know before applying for an Australian visa
All Australian visa applications must be submitted through ImmiAccount – the Australian Department of Home Affairs immigration portal. ImmiAccount is the only official website to use when applying for an Australian visa.
You can apply for an Australian visa yourself using ImmiAccount.
If you use an agent to apply for a visa, make sure they let you see your visa application in ImmiAccount so you can check what type of visa they have applied for, and the status of your application. If they refuse, they are scamming you.
Learn more about how to stay safe from visa scams.
Biometrics requests
Anyone who applies for an Australian visa in Bangladesh may need to provide biometrics (photo and fingerprints). The Australian Department of Home Affairs sends an official letter requesting this. A biometrics request does not mean your visa has been granted. Biometrics collection is just one step in the visa application process and does not guarantee a visa.
Biometrics in Bangladesh are collected by VFS Global, a contracted service provider. They do not make visa decisions, and they cannot tell you if your visa application is genuine or not.
What to do once your visa is granted
Check your visa grant letter in ImmiAccount.
Scam agents often apply for free visas to Australia (like transit visas, maritime crew visas and some visitor visas) but charge people for an expensive ‘work visa’. You cannot work in Australia on a transit visa or a visitor visa.
If your visa is granted, a copy of your visa grant letter will be in ImmiAccount under Messages. It will tell you:
- The type of visa you have been granted
- How long you can stay in Australia
- Whether you can work.
If your visa application has been refused, there will be a message in your ImmiAccount. The document will be titled: ‘IMMI Refusal Notification with Decision Record’.
You can also check the Australian Government’s Visa Finder to see if your visa allows you to work in Australia.
Where to find more information
Enquiries and feedback
Visa and citizenship applications are managed by the Department of Home Affairs. Australian High Commission staff in Dhaka are unable to assist with general visa or citizenship enquiries.
For the most up to date and comprehensive information on applying for Australian visas and citizenship, visit the Department of Home Affairs website.If you have enquiries relating to a visa or citizenship application the correct communication channel to use is found on the Department’s contact us page: Compliments, complaints and suggestions. By using this channel, you will ensure that your enquiry is directed to the part of the Department best placed to provide the required advice.
Migration Agents
There are Australian registered migration agents working globally in countries including Bangladesh. These agents are subject to the same Code of Conduct, professional development and regulations as registered migration agents based in Australia. More information about Australia’s efforts to ensure the integrity of the migration advice profession and a list of registered agents is available at the OMARA website.
Latest news
For the latest immigration and citizenship news, see News archive.
Global Service Centre
If you require additional information, you may telephone the Global Service Centre on +61 2 6196 0196, Monday to Friday, from 9:00am to 5:00pm your local time.
International calls may be subject to charges imposed by your local carrier. You may wish to consider using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider to avoid potentially high charges.
Using an interpreter
When you call the GSC, select option 6 to engage a Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) interpreter in your language. Option 6 can be selected straight after dialing the GSC number.
Alternatively, a TIS interpreter can also be engaged directly via:
- TIS website: Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) or
- Home Affairs website See: Family and friends helping with your application
Allegations related to suspicious border activities
If you see or are aware of something that you think is an attempt to facilitate illegal migration to Australia, please report it to Border Watch. Border Watch is the single collection point for the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force (ABF) for allegations related to suspicious border activities and is not limited to immigration and citizenship it could also involve the attempted illegal movement of goods or freight. One small observation could help stop a much larger border crime. You can report suspicious immigration, customs and border related activity via the Border Watch Online Report.