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Immigrate to Australia from Russia

Immigrate to Australia from Russia

Russian nationals can immigrate to Australia from Russia, but there can be certain limitations concerning this right following the invasion of Ukraine initiated by Russia.

Therefore, before starting the process of immigration to Australia, it is best to verify the current conditions imposed by the Australian authorities.

Please mind that, regardless of the purpose of arrival or of the duration, Russian nationals are required to apply for a suitable visa. Our immigration lawyer in Australia can present the current visa options.

Are Russians required to apply for Australian transit visas?


Yes, Russians are amongst the few foreign nationals who must obtain a transit visa. A transit visa is a type of immigration document that is required for those who simply have a connecting flight to another destination from Australia.

This means that, even though the foreigner will not actually immigrate to Australia from Russia but actually just be present on the Australian territory, a visa will be necessary.

The law on immigration to Australia concerning transit visas states the following:

  • one can apply for a transit visa only if the transit in Australia will last up to 72 hours;
  • the transit visa is known as the Subclass 771;
  • Russians are one of 9 nationalities required to apply for a transit visa;
  • the application must be initiated in due time, as 90% of the applications are processed in a period of approximately 19 days;
  • only a small percentage, of 25% of the applications, get to be processed in 1 working day.

In the case of the Russians who want to immigrate to Australia from Russia for a longer period of time, other visas must be obtained.

What are the main visa options for short visits to Australia?


One can migrate to Australia on a short-term basis if the duration of the stay is of maximum 90 days in a period of 180 days. With other words, foreigners will generally apply for the same visa regardless if they arrive here for 1-2 weeks or for up to 3 months.

Of course, this can be the case as long as the purpose of the arrival is the same. For Russians who will immigrate to Australia from Russia for more than 72 hours, the visitor visa will apply.

A person can apply for the tourist visa (Subclass 600), as long as the purpose of the arrival is any of the following:

  1. visiting the country;
  2. visiting family;
  3. visiting friends.

For any other purposes outside of these, persons who will immigrate to Australia from Russia will have to explore other visa options.

In order to be eligible for the visa, the applicants will have to meet the basic requirements imposed by the Australian law. These refer to the health, character or financial situation of the applicant.

Please mind that depending on the visa stream you apply for/qualify for, you will also need to pay the current standard fees imposed by the local migration authorities.

Although the transit visa is free of charge, the processing of the Subclass 600 visa imposes the payment of a small fee, of AUD 380, as presented by the Department of Home Affairs.

This visa is issued for a period of 1 year, but foreigners will need to respect other criteria for immigration. This implies that if a Russian will immigrate to Australia from Russia on a continuous basis of more than 90 days, other rules will apply.

These refer to the fact that the foreigner will have to comply with regulations for residency in Australia. Therefore, one will relocate to Australia from Russia only by having a valid visa and a valid residency permit.

We invite Russian nationals to address to our Australia migration lawyer for professional assistance on the visa options and procedures that are currently in force, as well as for representation in the process of applying for a suitable visa. You can also contact us if you are interested in Australian citizenship.