VisaChief Australian visa document checklists
What to collect, what each document has to show, and the order that keeps your lodgement date from slipping.
Most refusals are not about eligibility. They are about evidence: a claim made in an application that the documents do not support. These checklists set out what each visa needs and, more usefully, what each document has to actually show.
Pick your visa
The four things every application needs
- Identity - passport, birth certificate, and a clean explanation of any name difference.
- Character - police certificates from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years. Start these first; they set your timeline.
- Health - examinations arranged through ImmiAccount and done at a panel clinic.
- The claim itself - the evidence for the specific thing you are asserting: a relationship, a skill set, a course, a job, or funds.
Then fill the forms
Once the documents exist, the forms are mechanical. The free VisaChief form filler completes the standard Home Affairs forms from one set of answers, and the visa costs table shows what each application charge is.
Frequently asked questions
What documents are required for an Australian visa?
Every application needs identity documents, and most need health and character evidence. Beyond that the document set depends on the claim: relationship evidence for partner visas, a skills assessment and English result for skilled visas, a CoE and financial capacity for student visas.
How long do police certificates take?
It varies by country, from days to several months. They are the most common cause of a delayed lodgement, so request them before you need them.
Do I need to submit everything at lodgement?
Lodge as complete an application as you can. A decision-ready application is assessed faster, and for invited skilled visas the evidence for your points claims must be there at lodgement.