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VIETNAM GENERAL INFORMATION 

Please note that new permission to work arrangement for student visa holders will come into effect from 26 April 2008.

As of 26 April 2008, applicants granted student visas will receive permission to work with their visa grant.  As a result, most student visa holders will no longer need to apply separately in Australia for permission to work.  This will apply to both the primary student and any family members travelling with them on their student visa.

While student visa holders will have work rights automatically included in their visa grant, the work conditions themselves will not change.

This information is provided to assist applicants in completing the visa application process in Vietnam. Applicants must also access the information regarding visiting or migrating to Australia on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) main website.
See: http://www.immi.gov.au

APPLICATION CHARGES: Visa Application charges (VACs) are payable in cash in United States dollars only. VACs can be paid at the Australian Visa Application Centres (AVACs) or at the Visa and Citizenship Section, Australian Embassy in Hanoi or Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City by appointment.  Information about how to make a prior appointment is available on the Australia in Vietnam website. 

See: http://www.vietnam.embassy.gov.au/hnoi/How%5fto%5fapply%5ffor%5fa%5fv.html

VACs may also be paid at a DIAC office in Australia. If charges are paid in Australia, an original pink receipt must accompany the application. Please reconfirm the appropriate application charge prior to lodging your application as charges are subject to change at short notice. 

CURRENT APPLICATION CHARGES AND STANDARD PROCESSING TIMES:
(Visa Application Charges applicable from 01 July 2008)

Processing times may vary depending on the office in which applications are assessed. We aim to finalise complete applications within the timeframes listed below, however lodgement in advance of these timeframes is strongly recommended.

Applicants who reside in Danang or south of Danang will be assessed by the Visa and Citizenship Office of the Australian Consulate-General, Ho Chi Minh City. Applicants who reside north of Danang will have their application assessed by the Visa and Citizenship Section of the Australian Embassy, Hanoi.

* Since the positive change in the Assessment Levels for Vietnamese students this office has experienced a large increase of student applications. We strongly encourage lodgment at least 8 weeks in advance of the student’s anticipated start date to ensure that the applicant does not miss the beginning of their course. We are making every effort to finalise all applications quickly and reduce our processing times.

FORMS AND BOOKLETS: All forms and Migration Booklets can be downloaded free of charge from the DIAC website. Migration Booklets can also be purchased from the Australian Visa Application Centres in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.

Please read thoroughly the checklist relating to the visa for which you are applying, to determine if you need to complete either the Consent to Obtain Personal Information and/or Details of Relatives Form. These forms are available from the Australia in Vietnam website. All forms are provided in PDF format which requires Adobe Reader on your computer.
See:
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/index.htm
http://www.immi.gov.au/functional/pdf.htm
http://www.vietnam.embassy.gov.au/hnoi/files/consent.pdf   
http://www.vietnam.embassy.gov.au/hnoi/files/relativesform.pdf

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS: Under the Migration Act 1958 applications may be decided on the basis of available information. Therefore, it is important that applications are as complete as possible and all supporting documentation is provided at the time of lodgement. Incomplete or poorly documented applications are likely to be delayed or possibly refused.

FRAUD OR MISREPRESENTATION: Any degree of fraud or misrepresentation is likely to result in your application being refused. Applicants should answer all questions fully and truthfully and disclose any information relevant to the question. All signatures on forms and in the applicant’s passport must be the applicants.

CERTIFICATION OF DOCUMENTATION: All personal documents such as Birth Certificates, Household Registration Book, Curriculum Vitae (no more than 6 months old), etc. must be certified by the relevant local authorities. “Certified copies” are copies authorised or stamped as being true copies of originals, by a person or agency recognised by the laws of the person’s home country. In Vietnam, the State Public Notary and the local People’s Committees are authorised to certify copies of original documents as appropriate.

The Consular Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi and the Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City can certify documents issued by Australian government organisations and/or other Australian agencies and witness signatures of Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents at their request. In Australia, copies may be certified by a Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Declarations, or person before whom a statutory declaration may be made under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959. Please note: Photocopies of certified copies are NOT acceptable.

LOSS OF DOCUMENTATION: If you have lost your Birth Cetificate, please attend the local authorities in your location to obtain an Extract of the Birth Certificate.  In the instance where an extract cannot be produced due to the loss of the relevant master Register, you can apply for re-registration of your Birth Certificate.

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENTATION: Documents not in English are required to be accompanied by an English translation. In Vietnam, a legal office authorised to translate must undertake the translation. In Australia, translators must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). Evidence of relationship, such as personal letters, do not need to be translated.

APPOINTMENT OF AN AUTHORISED PERSON: Under the Privacy Act 1988 DIAC can only provide information about a visa application to the applicant, an authorised person or an appointed migration agent. You can authorise another person such as your sponsor to receive communication in respect of your application by completing and lodging Form 1231- Appointment of Authorised Person.

USING A MIGRATION AGENT: You are not required to use a migration agent. However, if you intend to use a migration agent, you are advised to use a registered migration agent. A list of registered migration agents is available from the Migration Agents Registration Authority website. You can authorise a migration agent to act on your behalf by completing and lodging Form 956 - Appointment of Migration Agent, which can be downloaded free of charge from the DIAC website.
See: http://www.themara.com.au/Online/default.asp

MEDICAL CLEARANCE: Visa applicants may be required to undertake both a medical examination and a chest x-ray from approved panel doctors. These forms will be provided as required.
See: http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/panel-doctors/index.htm

Last updated 02 July 2008

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