Australia Tourist Visa Biometrics for Indians: Is a VFS Visit Needed?

This is a common point of confusion, because Indian travellers give fingerprints at VFS centres for the UK, Canada and Schengen countries. Australia works differently. The details below are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For fees on every route and the full process, see our Australia visa guide for Indians.

Which steps are online and which are in person?

For a standard Tourist stream application lodged from India, every routine step happens online.

You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is decided. The Tourist stream applied for inside Australia costs AUD 630, so applying from India is the normal route.

The same online process applies to the Business Visitor and Sponsored Family streams, each AUD 250. A sponsored family application also needs Form 1149 completed by the Australian sponsor, and the sponsor may be asked to pay a security bond.

When might Home Affairs ask for biometrics?

Home Affairs says it tells you if you need to provide biometrics. It does not ask every visitor. Its fee notes list biometrics alongside health checks and police certificates as other possible costs, which signals that they are case-by-case, not standard.

If a request arrives, act on it promptly. For Student visas, Home Affairs gives 14 days to provide biometrics after a request, which shows how quickly these deadlines run. Follow the instructions in the request itself for where and how to attend. Do not book anything on the strength of a third-party website. If anything is unclear, the Department's visa and citizenship helpline is +61 2 6196 0196.

Why is there no Australian VFS centre in India?

VFS Global operates Australian Biometrics Collection Centres (ABCCs) in countries listed on the Home Affairs biometrics page. India was not on that list as of March 2026. No VFS Global India page for Australia was found, and the Australian High Commission in New Delhi lists visa application centres only for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

The Department of Home Affairs office at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi manages many visa and citizenship services for citizens of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, but you do not walk in to lodge a tourist visa there. If a website offers to book an Australian VFS biometrics slot in India, check it against the Home Affairs page first.

What do you upload instead of attending a centre?

Because no officer sees you in person, your scanned documents carry the file. Home Affairs asks for:

• passport pages showing your photo, personal details and issue and expiry dates;
• proof of enough money for the stay: itemised personal bank statements for a 3-month period, pay slips, tax records, term deposits or credit card statements;
• your plans while in Australia;
• reasons to return home, such as an employer letter stating you will return to your job, proof of study, immediate family in India, or ownership of a house or major assets;
• an optional letter of invitation from a relative or friend, with proof of their funds if they are paying.

Translate any non-English document into English with the translator's details, and scan multi-page documents as one file. Each traveller, children included, lodges a separate application and pays separately. For a child under 18, add a birth certificate showing both parents, Form 1229 consent or a statutory declaration from any non-travelling parent with signed photo ID, and Form 1257 if the child will not stay with a relative or guardian.

How long does a decision take for Indian tourists?

The grant rate is a historical figure for all Indian tourist applicants, not a prediction for your file. A biometrics request, if you get one, adds time while you complete it.

Mistakes Indian applicants make

• Looking for an ETA or eVisitor. Indian passports are not eligible for either.
• Expecting a visa on arrival. Home Affairs says only New Zealand passport holders can get one.
• Adding family to one application. Every person, including children, applies and pays AUD 250 separately.
• Booking non-refundable flights first. Show your plans with an itinerary or a verifiable flight reservation until the grant letter arrives.

Since your documents do the talking in an online file, a clear itinerary and cover letter help. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, with packages from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for all four. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Will I get a visa sticker in my passport for Australia?

No. The Visitor visa is digitally linked to your passport with no label. Your stay period and whether it is single or multiple entry are shown on the grant letter, and entries can also be checked in VEVO.

Is travel insurance compulsory for an Australian tourist visa?

It is not a general requirement. Home Affairs says you are liable for all healthcare costs in Australia and strongly recommends adequate health insurance; some visas are granted with Condition 8501, which requires you to maintain it.

Can I extend my Australian visitor visa?

No. Visitor visas cannot be extended; you must apply for a new visa. That is not possible if Condition 8503 (No Further Stay) is attached, unless it is waived.

How long can I stay on an Australian tourist visa?

The Tourist stream allows a stay of up to 12 months, but generally 3 months, decided case by case. Parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents may get a longer-validity visa, with no more than 12 months' stay in any 18 months.