For specific COVID-19 information and instructions from relevant authorities in Australia (including on travel and quarantine exemptions) and in French Polynesia, please consult our home page.
The Australian Department of Home Affairs does not have an office at the Australian Consulate-General in Papeete and the Australian Consulate-General in Papeete does not process Home Affairs enquiries or applications. Visit the Home Affairs website for further information regarding visas, citizenship and border protection (including customs). If you are unable to find the information you need on the Home Affairs website, phone the Global Service Centre.
You can apply online for most Australian visas and citizenship through ImmiAccount. This is the preferred and most efficient way to apply. Home Affairs advises visa holders can also verify their visa details and conditions using myVEVO.
Home Affairs advises you should not book flights or make travel commitments until you have an appropriate visa to travel to Australia. Home Affairs further advises it 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. Home Affairs also recommends foreign travellers hold a passport valid for at least six (6) months.
Australian citizens must travel to Australia on an Australian passport.
Home Affairs also provides the following advice to assist with enquiries:
- Please consult the Australian Government COVID-19 travel restrictions and information for Australian travellers and visa holders.
- Foreign travellers must enter Australia on a visa appropriate to their circumstances. To find the visa appropriate for your travel purpose, please check the Visa-Finder options online.
- People travelling to Australia for medical treatment or to support someone needing medical treatment, must travel on a Medical Treatment Visa, which is only available as an online application.
- European Union nationals, including French passport holders, may be eligible to an eVisitor visa (subclass 651) for travel to Australia for tourism, study or business visitor purposes for up to 3 months at a time within a 12-month period, which is free. They may also be eligible for a Visitor visa(subclass 600) for travel to Australia for tourism purposes for up to 12 months (fees apply).
- For transits through Australia, you may be eligible to transit without a visa, depending on your nationality and the length of your transit time. For more information, see Transit Without A Visa eligibility. If you are not eligible to transit without a visa, you will need to apply online for a Transit visa.
- Diplomatic passport holders travelling to Australia to attend meetings can apply online as “Government official travelling on official business” for a Visitor Visa - Business Visitor Stream 1415. Application forms must be accompanied with a Third Person Note (TPN) as well as scanned copies of passports and itineraries. For transits through Australia, diplomatic passport holders may be eligible to transit without a visa, depending on the nationality and the length of transit time. For more information, see Transit Without A Visa eligibility. If you are not eligible to transit without a visa, you will need to apply online for a Transit visa.
- If you are not eligible to apply for an online visa and need to travel to or transit through Australia, please check the Visa Support online.
- Australian citizenship information is available on the Home Affairs website for Australian citizenship by descent or for Australian citizenship for children adopted outside Australia. If you require further proof of your Australian citizenship, you will need to apply online for evidence of your Citizenship: please click on the following link (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/certificate) for further information and how to proceed.
- Requesting travel records - you can ask for a record of your specific dates of travel in and out of Australia (international movement records) from Home Affairs.
- Information on English language proficiency tests and examination centres is available on the Home Affairs website at Meeting our requirements - English language. Please contact the language testing centres directly for further information and assistance.
- For customs information (entering and leaving Australia by air or sea, including arrival policies, what you can bring, duty-free and tourist refund scheme), please see the Australian Border Force online information.
Contact Home Affairs
If you have read this information and still need more information or help, you can contact the Visa Office at the Australian High Commission in Suva using the online Australian Immigration Enquiry Form and selecting 'Suva' as the as the overseas post responsible for French Polynesia or phone the Global Service Centre on +61 2 6196 0196.
Canadian Visas
The Consular Sharing Agreement with Canada does not extend to foreign nationals needing information on or assistance with Canadian visas, transits, immigration, biometric data collection, work, study, taxation, trade or social security. These matters are managed by Canadian Immigration and Citizenship Services. Foreign nationals should contact Canadian Immigration and Citizenship services directly for advice and assistance.