Australian Visa Scams

STAY INFORMED. YOUR VISA, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

Protect yourself and your family from visa scams and false promises.

Beware of scams that guarantee a visa in exchange for money. You are at risk of losing money, having your identity stolen, and being lured into unsafe work conditions and exploited.

There is only one official Australian Government provider of visas – the Department of Home Affairs.

Thinking of applying for an Australian visa? Read this first

Every year, thousands of hopeful visitors and their families are tricked by false promises and fake agents claiming to offer "easy" ways into Australia. Some are told that there’s a simple way to change their visa once in Australia.

The information here is to protect you and your family and help you understand your real, legal visa options.

Not all visas allow you to work in Australia

To work legally in Australia, you must have a visa with work rights and understand the work conditions that apply to you. Some visas, such as student visas, have restrictions on the number of hours you’re allowed to work.

Scammers often claim you can enter Australia for work on a visitor visa or transit visa – this is illegal and you will be refused entry and returned to the country you came from.

Beware of scam agents

Scam agents often pretend to be legitimate migration professionals and encourage people to work in Australia illegally.

If someone guarantees you an Australian visa, be cautious. Scam agents frequently charge high fees and submit applications with false information and documents, which can lead to large fines, visa cancellation, detention and removal from Australia for the visa applicant.

If someone promises you a visa or permanent residency in Australia, or demands a large upfront payment to "fast-track" your application, it’s a guaranteed scam. Make an anonymous report to Australia’s Border Watch Online Report.

You can also phone the Australian Department of Home Affairs Global Call Centre. Interpreter services are available.

Your Australian visa is your responsibility

Never allow someone to apply for a visa on your behalf without making sure all the information in the application is true and accurate. This includes information about:

your identity (name, date of birth)
citizenship, passport number)
relationship status
travel history
criminal history.

If you are involved in a visa scam (even if you didn’t realise it) this may exclude you from future Australian visas and for visas to other countries.

Learn more about who can legally provide immigration assistance in Australia.

Top 10 ways to spot a scam

They contact you via social media or apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
They guarantee you an Australian visa.
They ask for large upfront payments or pressure you to act quickly.
They charge a lot more for the visa than the cost listed on the Australian Department of Home Affairs website.
They falsely claim you can do paid work in Australia on an ETA or Visitor visa.
They say you can switch from a Visitor visa to a Student visa once you get to Australia.
They guarantee you a job once you arrive.
They refuse to share your visa application with you in ImmiAccount – the Australian Department of Home Affairs immigration portal and the only official website to use when applying for an Australian visa.
They offer to arrange your transportation and suggest you transit through a third country.
They claim to be registered in Australia but do not have a Migration Agent Registration Number (MARN) or are not listed on the Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) website.

Learn more about how to spot a scam at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visascams.

False information will risk your future

There is a lot of false visa information online, especially on social media, including scams and fake success stories. Bad advice from false sources can lead to removal from Australia at your cost and being refused future visas.

If someone suggests you take an indirect or unusual route to Australia, such as flights via another country or by taking a boat to avoid checkpoints, you are being scammed. This travel is illegal under Australian law. Trying to enter Australia by boat without a valid visa will result in you being removed and permanently banned from entering Australia.

The number 1 rule for any Australian visa

Only use official government sources when looking at what visa to apply for.

These are:

The Australian High Commission in Brunei
The Australian Department of Home Affairs
Registered migration agents listed on the OMARA website

Not all official Australian Government websites are available in Bahasa Malayu. You might want to use translation tools to review information but consider that the translation might not be completely accurate.

Warning: Fake email migration invitation scams

We are aware of third-parties sending emails purporting to be associated with the Department of Home Affairs (the Department), offering migration visas. The Australian Government does not offer Visa opportunities to individuals. Also, genuine emails are sent from 'gov.au' email domain names (not 'com.au').

Any clients who have lodged a visa for Australia can log on to their ImmiAccount to see updates on their visa applications at any time.

Protect yourself from ETA scams

We are aware of third-party websites purporting to be associated with the Department of Home Affairs (the Department), charging exorbitant fees to lodge ETAs on behalf of visa applicants.

All ETA-eligible passport holders must apply for an ETA using the Australian ETA app. For more information, see our Step by step guide.

There is no Visa Application Charge (VAC) for an ETA, however there is an application service fee of AUD20 to use the Australian ETA app.

Be aware that you are being scammed if:

you apply for your ETA via a website – ETAs can only be applied for using the ETA app
you pay more than AUD20 to lodge the application
you are told to pay extra fees for premium service or extra charges for ‘expedited’ visa processing
the information you are relying on hasn’t come from an official website ending in .gov.au

Some of the known websites which are not official Departmental approved platforms to make an ETA application are:

If you choose to use one of these third-party websites, you risk:

losing any upfront cash that you have paid to the agent
having your ETA refused
not being permitted on the flight to Australia
being refused entry to Australia at the Australian border by the Australian Border Force

In order to protect yourself from visa scams, you should only deal with reputable travel agents, or official Australian Government channels via the Department of Home Affairs website: www.homeaffairs.gov.au

If you are aware of, or suspect a scam in relation to ETAs, or other visas to Australia, please report it to Australia’s Border Watch by visiting www.homeaffairs.gov.au/report

Warning: Fake website

We are aware of a fake Department of Home Affairs website. Please ensure you use the official website (www.homeaffairs.gov.au) to find information about visas and citizenship products, and lodge applications.

It is your responsibility to maintain the safety of your personal information online. You can report instances of alleged fraud on our website at: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/visa-scams.

Protect yourself from Work Scams

An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is not a work visa. You are not allowed to work in Australia on an ETA. If someone says you can work on an ETA, they are lying to you.

Don’t risk it. You can be refused entry to Australia by the Australian Border Force if you are suspected of coming to Australia to work illegally.

All ETA-eligible passport holders must apply for an ETA using the Australian ETA app. For more information, see our Step by step guide.

Important information: There is no Visa Application Charge (VAC) however there is an application service fee of AUD20 to use the Australian ETA app.

Be aware that you are being scammed if:

the advertisement lists only a first name and number
you are told to pay extra fees for premium service or extra charges for ‘expedited’ visa processing
the employer or agent demands that you pay them a large upfront amount of cash for an ETA
you are told you can get an ETA for work
you are told to set up a company and to apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN) in order to work
the agent organises fake documents and photographs
the agent will only provide you with a handwritten contract or handwritten agreement
you are promised permanent residence in Australia
the employer or agent uses the Australian coat of arms on their website to deceive people into thinking that what they are offering is approved by the Australian Government
you are told you will be paid in cash only
you are told you won’t be required to get an Australian Government Tax File Number (TFN)
the employer or agent in Australia does not have an ABN
you are offered a rate of pay below the minimum Australian wage, which all foreign workers are entitled to (The national minimum wage | Fair Work Commission (fwc.gov.au))

If you choose to engage in visa fraud, you risk:

losing any upfront cash that you have paid to the agent
having your ETA refused
not being permitted on the flight to Australia
being refused entry to Australia at the Australian border by the Australian Border Force
being stranded at an Australian airport or city
being exposed to forced or slave labour
not being paid at all by the employer or agent
being located and detained by the Australian Border Force and removed from Australia
going home with far less Ringgit than when you arrived.

If you are aware of, or suspect a scam in relation to ETAs, or other visas to Australia and working in Australia, please report it to Australia’s Border Watch by visiting www.homeaffairs.gov.au/report or by sending an email to [email protected].

Do you know the facts about Protection visas?

Some scam agents are telling people to apply for a Protection visa once they arrive in Australia so they can stay and work. This is not the purpose of a Protection visa.

Protection visas are for people who are seeking asylum in Australia because they face a real risk of significant harm or persecution in their home country. Protection visas are not a way to stay and work in Australia. Fake Protection visa claims are processed fast and quickly refused. If you are refused a Protection visa:

You and your family may find it harder to visit Australia in the future.
Your refusal will stay on your immigration record for life.
It can impact future visa applications to other countries.
You may face large fines and jail time if your application included false or misleading information and documents.

Don't take the risk. Learn more about Protection visa eligibility.