Having an Australian visa stamped in your passport used to be like having a badge of honour, but the labels are now no longer routinely issued.

 

If you really want to get one, it will now set you back $150 and it’s probably not worth the fee, since the government does not require holders of Australian visas to have a visa label.

 

'Visa holders can travel to and reside in Australia without a visa label in their passport,' said a spokesman for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection's (DIBP).

 

Australian visas are issued and recorded electronically. All visa records are stored on a central database in Australia, which enables online checking of visa details by visa holders, registered Australian organisations and airline staff.

 

'Your visa is linked to your passport or ImmiCard through its unique identifying number. This number is required by you and other parties when doing a visa check online,' the spokesman pointed out.

 

'When you receive your Australian visa, you are given a visa grant notification letter that explains the conditions of your visa, including period of validity and entry requirements. You should retain this for your own reference and you may wish to carry it with you when you travel, as it contains important information about your visa,' he added.

 

He also said that the information contained within the visa grant notification letter will help visa holders to check their visa status online using the department's Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system.

 

Anyone who has been issued with a new passport since their Australian visa was granted should notify the DIBP with the change of passport details to ensure records are up to date.

 

Your visa details are linked to your passport or ImmiCard. Failure to update your passport details will result in delays when travelling to Australia. You or a registered Australian organisation will be unable to check your visa conditions and entitlements online,’ the spokesman said.