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This visa might be for you if you are a businessman who has an approved sponsor in Australia, to make a short business visit for up to three months. The business visit may include a conference, negotiation or exploratory business visit. The non-refundable visa application charge will be paid by the sponsor in Australia when he lodges the application there.
With the Sponsored Business Visitor (Short Stay) visa, you can attend to business activities in Australia as mentioned above and enter and leave Australia once or on multiple occasions during the validity of the visa. You can stay in Australia for up to three months from the date of each entry. The validity cannot be extended. If you need to stay longer, you can apply for another type of business visa. You may also bring your partner or dependent children to Australia. This visa gives businessmen a streamlined visa processing service to make a short business visit to Australia. A sponsor is allowed to sponsor several business visitors at the same time with this type of visa.
A security bond may be requested from the sponsor. The amount of the security bond is generally between AUD5000 and AUD15000 per applicant. This will be returned to the sponsor after you leave Australia within the validity of the visa. If you fail to comply with your visa conditions, the security bond may be forfeited. You cannot work with this type of visa but may be allowed to engage in limited work if it is highly specialized and non-ongoing. You and your family members cannot undertake any study that would lead to a formal primary, secondary or higher education qualification.
(These are general instructions only, please contact a Migration Agent for advice on your personal situation).
Example requirements for a Sponsored Business Visitor (Short Stay) visa
You must meet all the following requirements to be eligible for this visa:
- You must apply outside Australia;
- You must have a sponsor in Australia to guarantee that you will be making a genuine business visit;
- You must state in your application the activities you plan to perform in Australia;
- You must provide your educational or professional qualifications;
- You must show your current employment and its role during your visit;
- You must have evidence that the company you work for is an actively operating business;
- A letter of invitation from the host organization in Australia must be presented;
- You must show the conference registration details;
- Your itinerary with contact details of the business parties involved should be submitted;
- You must have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family during your stay in Australia – you may submit your bank statements and a return or onward air tickets;
- You must meet health requirements – you will need to undergo health examination;
- You must satisfy character requirements – you may be asked to submit a police clearance;
- You must not have any outstanding debts to Australia.
Aside from the above requirements, you also have to complete Form 1238 Application for a Sponsored Business Visitor (Short Stay) visa and pay the current visa application charge. With the application form, certified copies of your passport and birth certificate must be submitted as well as passport photos of yourself and your family members. After completing the form and requirements, you have to send it by post or courier to your sponsor in Australia.
When the sponsor receives your application, he completes Form 1235 Application for Sponsorship for Sponsored Business Visitor (Short Stay), attaches all the necessary documents and lodges them to a Centre of Excellence which can either be in Sydney, Perth or Melbourne.
(These are general instructions only, please contact a Migration Agent for advice on your personal situation).
After you lodge your application
The processing period for a Sponsored Business Visitor (Short Stay) visa may differ depending on your circumstances. The Department may request additional documents or you may be called in for an interview. If a visa is granted, a Notification of Grant letter will be sent to the sponsor. He then sends a copy of this letter to you. You bring your passport and the letter to the nearest Immigration Office in your area to have the visa label on your passport. Take note of your visa number, validity date of the visa and the visa conditions.
You have to abide by the visa conditions. If you do not comply, your visa may be cancelled or you may be forced to leave Australia. As you cannot extend your stay, you must leave Australia before your visa expires.
If the visa is not granted, the Department will send a notification letter to the sponsor and he may be able to request that the decision be reviewed by the Migration Review Tribunal.
References:
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i
htmtp://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/centres-of-excellence
http://www.mrt-rrt.gov.au
