Australia digitises visa labels

Labels for Australian visas will no longer be issued from 1st September in a move designed to streamline visa processing and encourage digital service use.

Typically, a visa label is placed in the holder’s passport or travel document, and contains information about the holder’s entitlements to travel to and stay in Oz, as well as other conditions (such as the ability to work or study in Australia).

However, the Department of Immigration an Border Protection believes that the practice of obtaining visa labels often results in unnecessary expenses, delays and inconvenience for clients and stakeholders. Instead, it will now offer these services digitally as an efficient, economical and sustainable alternative.

The step is part of a Department-wide strategy to provide accessible and efficient digital services to clients in line with the Australian Government’s digital agenda.

The Department has always been keen to embrace new technologies and already issues and records all visas electronically.

This provides real-time visa information to registered organisations and other appropriate stakeholders as well as visa holders themselves through the free Visa Entitlement Verification Online service or the myVEVO mobile app.  Airline staff can use the Advance Passenger Processing system to confirm that a passenger has a valid Australian visa.

Visa holders can also provide evidence that they have the authority to enter and remain in Australia by simply showing their passport or ImmiCard linked to their electronic visa record.