Visas for Australia

Whether you are visiting Australia for a short period of time or planning to stay for several years, you must have a valid Australian visa. The Australian High Commission in Honiara has no facility to process visa applications or to offer detailed advice about any type of visa.

Visa applications are processed by the Department of Home Affairs. To determine a visa suited to your needs, please visit www.homeaffairs.gov.au.

This website contains comprehensive information about the range of visa products, eligibility, forms, fees and application procedures. You should be able to find all the information that you need there.

To speak to an adviser of the Department of Home Affairs about your specific situation, please contact the multi-lingual call centre in Australia:

• Tel: +61 2 6196 0196
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm (Honiara time)

Important: You should not book flights or make travel commitments until you have a visa to travel to Australia. The department will not be liable for any financial loss incurred by clients whose visa application was finalised later than expected or where an application is unsuccessful.

Transiting Australia

Transit Without Visa Arrangements

Some nationalities, who belong to certain categories of passengers, who:

• intend to transit Australia by air within 8 hours of their arrival; and
• hold confirmed booking and documentation necessary to enter the country of their destination
• remain in the transit lounge at an airport;

do not need a transit visa, as they are deemed to hold a special purpose visa provided they do not leave the airport transit lounge.

The categories of travellers covered under this arrangement are listed at: http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/transit/no-visa.htm

Transit Visa

For all other passengers, a Transit Visa is required even if a traveller remains on the same aircraft in the same airport and even if you stay in the transit lounge and do not leave the airport.

The Transit Visa (subclass 771), which is free of charge, allows the holder to enter and remain in Australia for up to 72 hours for the purpose of transiting. Please download the Transit Visa application form Form 876. This form contains all the information you need on what you should supply with your application.

Solomon Islanders are eligible to Transit Without Visa (TWOV) where certain conditions are met. For more details, please see https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/transit-771/travellers-eligible-to-transit-without-visa.”

More information on Transit Visa requirements is at: http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/transit/771/

Australian citizenship applications

Citizenship applications are processed by the Department of Home Affairs. The Australian High Commission in Honiara has no facility to process Citizenship applications or to offer detailed advice on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs

To determine your eligibility for Australian Citizenship and lodge your application online, please visit the following website and click on the Citizenship tabs at www.homeaffairs.gov.au.

Those wishing to apply for Citizenship by Descent for a child, or to replace certificates that are lost, may also apply online.

To speak to an adviser of the Department of Home Affairs about your specific situation, please contact the multi-lingual call centre in Australia:

• Tel: +61 2 6196 0196
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm (Honiara local time)