3.4.1 Addresses
Description
This article is from the soc.culture.australian FAQ, by Stephen Wales with numerous contributions by others.
3.4.1 Addresses
Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs,
Chan St,
Belconnen 2617,
Australia
* USA
Australian Embassy New York Consulate General
1601 Massachusetts Ave NW, 630 Fifth Ave, Suite 420,
Washington, New York, NY, 10111
DC, 20036-2273 (212) 408-8400
(202) 797 3222
(202) 797 3000
Australian Tourist Commission.
489 5th Avenue,
New York,
NY 10017
(800) 395 7008 (note: new number June '93)
212 687
1800 333 0199 for tourist information
San Francisco Consulate General Houston Consulate
1 Bush St, 7th Floor, Suite # 180, 1990 South Park Oak Blvd
San Francisco, Houston,
CA, 94104-4413 TX 77056-9998
(415) 362 6160 (713) 629 9131
Denver Consulate: Boston Consulate:
The Honorary Consul is The Honorary Consul is
Mr Mark O'Regan Margaret Stanzler
C/- Australian/American 20 Beacon St, 5th floor
Chamber of Commerce Boston, Ma.
999 18th Street, Suite 1370 (617) 248 8655
Denver,
CO 80202
(303) 297 1200
Fax: (303) 2972050
Office visits by appointment only.
Los Angeles Consulate General
611 N. Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(213) 469-4300
* Southern England, Southern Wales, Channel Islands
Migration Branch,
Australian High Commission
Australia House
Strand, London WC2B 4LU
(UK) 071 379-4334
* Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern England
Honorary Consulate for Australia
21-23 Hill Street
Edinburgh
EH2 3JP
Tel: 0131 226 8161
Our opening hours are:
Tuesday: 12noon- 4pm
Wednesday: 1pm-4pm
Thursday: 10am-1pm
Please note that the Honorary Consulate for Australia in Edinburgh only offers interviews for Australian Citizens applying for Australian passports, all other matters have to go through the Australian High Commisson in London.
* Republic of Ireland:
Australian Embassy
Fitzwilton House
Wilton Terrace
Dublin 2
The Immigration Process
To get the relevant forms, write to an Australian consulate and they
will send you some info asking you to send them some money (about $5)
for the forms. When you get these forms you send about half a ream of
photocopies back with the "application processing fee" of $250 (this
fee is regardless of which class you are applying under !!). If they
decide that they like you, you need to get various medicals done
(which in England cost about #100) with a nominated (probably private)
practice - if you happen to be a medical doctor, mention this when
making your appointment and they don't charge you (as my wife found
out :-). This medical includes an AIDS test (Note: this can stuff up
your life insurance in the UK) as well as X-rays for TB, checks for a
bad heart and anything else that will cost Australia lots of money.
The whole application process takes a minimum of 3 months (once you
have sent them the forms). All correspondence must be by mail.
With the points test, if you are <30, have a degree or trade (plus
some experience) and can speak English you pass. As a friend of mine
found, being employed on a graduate program doesn't count as
experience. He was also told "even if you had the experience we don't
need any professional buyers at the moment". That is, passing the
points test only eliminates a reason for not letting you in. Some
occupations get preferential treatment, but as of October 1992, there
are no occupations on the list, although these change with the times.
If you have a criminal record there's probably not much point
applying.
Should you get past all this, you get a visa stamped in your passport
that is both for migration in the next year and multiple-entry for the
next 4 years. They also send you lots of stuff telling you that there
is little chance of getting a job at the moment. [PW]
After you make the points test, you submit your application. You also
need loads of other official papers to make an application (marriage
license if you're married, certifications from your jobs if you've
been working, etc.). After application, you also need to pass a
medical test and provide a set of chest x-rays and other things, but
they'll tell you when they want you to do it (I guess it's to save you
money if you flunk the points test). The whole process takes four
months at least. When and if you pass and are granted permission to
migrate, you have the opportunity to move within the space of one
year, and are given to enter and leave Oz freely for a period of four
years after that. [CB]
[CD] adds: I had to file ALL forms, including medical and educational
forms, etc. at the same time. I was applying as spouse and you can
still get turned down if your medical or criminal record offends. If
the embassy/consulate has to send things back to Australia for
approval it can take MUCH longer.
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