There are numerous ways through which a person can immigrate to Australia from UK. As a British citizen, one is entitled to immigrate to Australia on a short-term basis or a long-term basis.
One can arrive here with the purpose of visiting family and friends, working in this country, studying here, for business or medical purposes and other reasons that are prescribed by the national law.
It must be noted that British citizens have the right of obtaining electronic visas that can be used for short-term stays in Australia. They are issued as visitor traveling documents; you can find out more on how to obtain an electronic visa from our Australia migration lawyer.
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What types of visas are necessary for short-term stays in Australia?
Immigration to Australia can take place for a definite period or for a permanent basis. The regulations a foreigner must follow are divided on the duration of the stay, which in Australia, is divided between stays with a maximum duration of 90 days and stays with a duration longer than this.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Visas for short-term immigration to Australia from UK |
One can immigrate to Australia from UK on a short-term basis for purposes such as: work, studies, travel, business. |
|
Visas for long-term immigration to Australia from UK |
They can be obtained for study, business, investment, etc., under visas such as: Subclass 482, Subclass 190, Subclass 202, Subclass 864, etc. |
|
Visa exemptions |
UK passport holders are not required to apply for a visa for short-term stays (stays of maximum 90 days), but they must obtain the eTA before their arrival. |
| Electronic visas available | Yes, foreigners can immigrate to Australia from UK with an electronic visa – this is the case of eTA. |
| Main reasons to immigrate to Australia from UK | Visiting and tourism purposes, study and training, work (short-term, long-term, skilled employment, sponsored foreign workers, work holiday programs), business and investment, family reunification, refugee and humanitarian reasons. Foreigners can also arrive here for medical treatment, retirement, as former residents,etc. |
| Institution in charge with the issuance of the visa |
The Department of Home Affairs |
| Fee system available for the processing of the visa (yes/no) |
A visa processing fee system is applied. |
| Fees charged for the issuance of short-term/long-term visas | The fees vary based on the visa class. A temporary visa can cost AUD 315 (Subclass 400), while the Global Talent Visa is charged with AUD 4,180. |
| Special rules for citizens of UK (yes/no) |
With the exception of the short-term visa exemption, UK citizens do not benefit from other special rules. |
| The procedure for permanent residency in Australia |
After meeting the residency requirements, the applicant must prove that he or she meets all the eligibility requirements for a visa class of interest, by submitting the necessary paperwork with the immigration authorities. |
| Documents required for permanent residency application | In order to permanently immigrate to Australia from UK the following are required: – the application form; – the passport; – various certificates (birth, marriage, adoption, death, etc.); – a police cleareance; – a health examination; – the proof of paying the processing fee; – the current visa. |
| Reasons for which permanent residency can be granted in Australia | In most cases, foreigners can acquire permanent residency through family reunification visa programs, work visas, investment visas, or the New Zealand visa. |
| Right to permanent residency for refugees/asylum seekers (yes/no) | Yes (through visas such as Subclasses 201, 202, 203, 204) |
| Immigration pathways for highly skilled persons | The General Skilled Migration Program (several types of visas), the Global Talent Program, the Skilled Regional Visa, the Distinguished Talent Visa. |
| Legal pathways to citizenship | By conferral, by descent, by being a New Zealand citizen, by adoption, by being a citizen of Papua, by reclaiming the Australian citizenship, by being the child of a former Australian citizen, etc. |
Persons who want to immigrate to Australia from UK on a short-term basis can apply for an eVisitor visa, which is issued by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (British citizens do not have to pay a fee for the issuance of the travel document).
Another common way to immigrate to Australia from UK on a short-term basis is by obtaining the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).
The document can be obtained in a short period of time and the applicant must be the holder of a valid British passport. The application must be made from outside the country, the following being available as well:
• the ETA grants the right of staying up to 90 days in the country per each stay;
• this type of document is a multiple entry document and has a validity of 1 year;
• the applicant must pay a fee of AUD 20 when concluding the online application;
• the issuance of the document can be completed in only 24 hours;
• however, one can obtain the document even faster, in only 4 hours, after paying a fee of AUD 50.
What are the requirements for becoming a permanent resident in Australia?
The documents presented above grant the right of short-term stays in the country. There are other similar visas that provide the opportunity to move to Australia from UK on a short-term basis, generally without the right of carrying an economic activity.
However, the country offers working holiday visas that can also be obtained by British citizens who immigrate to Australia from the UK for the purpose of short-term work contracts or a training.
The list of the visas is extensive, and it can be studied on the website of the Department of Home Affairs; however, a comprehensive presentation on the matter can also be offered by our immigration lawyer in Australia.
In the case in which the British citizen wants to spend a long period of time in this country, he or she can apply for becoming a permanent resident of Australia. This grants a set of rights and it also opens the pathway to obtaining Australian citizenship, if one is interested in this aspect as well.
A British person can apply for Australian citizenship by 2 main legal pathways: 1) by conferral and 2) by descent. However, most foreigners, including British citizens, will apply for citizenship by conferral.
For the other option, the applicant must prove that at the time when the applicant was born overseas, one of the parents was an Australian citizen. Evidence supporting this must be added to the file.
Thus, when one wants to immigrate to Australia from UK on a permanent basis, he or she should also be aware that, besides the legal aspects of obtaining the visas (such as providing the required set of papers regarding the purpose of stay), the applicant must meet specific health requirements.
The legislation offers multiple options for those who want to move to Australia from UK on a permanent basis. They have to apply for a permanent visa that can be issued for one of the following reasons:
- family-related matters;
- employment in Australia;
- for those applying for an investor visa in Australia;
- for developing business relations in this country.
It must be observed that British seniors can immigrate to Australia from the UK on a permanent basis and the right to permanent residency can be granted to refugees and persons seeking protection for other humanitarian reasons, who will be entitled to receiving a residence permit in Australia.
The Australian authorities encourage highly skilled persons to relocate to Australia under the Distinguished Visas category.
What are the advantages of the Distinguished Visa category in Australia?
Most people, including British nationals, migrate to Australia for employment-related reasons. Employment visas account for the largest number of visas issued on a yearly basis and therefore, the Australian authorities have created a wide variety of work visas.
The wide range of visas is created to cover all types of employment demand in Australia, from temporary work to permanent, from unskilled to highly skilled employment, etc.
One of the visas available for employment is the Distinguished visa stream, created only for highly skilled foreign employees. The Distinguished Visa stream is currently known as the Global Talent visa, so one must know that the 2 names refer to the same visa type (the names have been recently modified).
An advantage of this visa type is that qualifying applicants can receive residency in Australia issued on a permanent basis. A qualifying applicant can be any foreigner who applies for the visa from outside Australia or in Australia and who has exceptional results in field such as:
- academia;
- research;
- sports;
- arts;
- a particular profession.
Among the main requirements imposed for immigration to Australia in this case is to be nominated by an entity, who can be a person, company or organization that has permanent residency in Australia.
Please mind that, as an applicant, you are required to pay a processing fee, and the minimum cost for the processing of the application is AUD 4,305. You must also take into account that you have to prepare your application file in due time, as the processing of the visa can take minimum 5 months and maximum 7.
In fact, the majority of the applications, more specifically, 90% of them, are processed within 7 months since the applicants have submitted their files.
The former Distinguished Visa, now known as Global Talent visa, is categorized as Subclass 858. Please know that, besides many other basic requirements, you must comply with age requirements as well.
Applicants must have an age between 18 to 55 years old, however exemptions from this rule can apply if the applicant has outstanding abilities that can benefit the Australian society.
It is also worth knowing that there is an alternative to this visa, the Subclass 124, created only for applicants who are outside the country, therefore they haven’t received any type of residency in Australia.
What other work visas are available in Australia?
If you plan to immigrate to Australia from UK and you want to arrive here for employment opportunities, you must know that there are many options that can be suitable for you.
In the list below, our Australia migration lawyer has highlighted few work visas:
- Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa;
- Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa;
- Subclass 417 – Working Holiday visa;
- Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme visa;
- Subclass 407 – Training visa.
Some of these visas grant the right to temporary residency in Australia, while other can offer the possibility of permanent residency. Our immigration lawyers can offer in-depth information on residency rights.
As a permanent resident, you will also have the right to Australian citizenship, but only if you express your wish to become a citizen (it is not granted automatically based on the years of stay).
Additionally, permanent residents must comply with numerous rules in order to benefit from citizenship rights. You can find out additional information on this matter in the section below and, of course, from our immigration lawyer in Australia.
Our team can help you ease the process of relocating here and can assist you in other legal matters concerning immigration after your arrival.
How can British citizens become Australian citizens?
British citizens who relocate to Australia on a permanent basis can obtain Australian citizenship if they meet the imposed requirements.
As a British person who is not related to an Australian citizen, one has to become a permanent resident and here, the person must take the necessary steps in obtaining a residence permit in Australia.
British citizens who have obtained their permanent residency in Australia have the right to travel freely to and from Australia as many times as they want. This right is available for 5 years from the date when the first permanent visa was issued.
You must know that even if you are a permanent resident, you may still need to comply with certain immigration requirements when you are overseas.
In the case in which there is a family tie with an Australian citizen, then other options can be explored. You can find out more information on this subject from our immigration lawyer in Australia, who can help you with legal advice on numerous aspects that concerns the immigration law.
