Australian Embassy
China

Important News: Changes to Australian Visa Service Delivery in Guangzhou

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From 19 August 2013 the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (the department) is pleased to announce the introduction of an Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) in Guangzhou.

The introduction of the AVAC is part of improvements to service delivery in China and will provide more convenient access to immigration services for clients in the Guangzhou catchment area.

Guangzhou AVAC location
Guangzhou AVAC

Catchment area: See:  Where to Submit a Visa Application

Address:
Australian Visa Application Centre,
Unit 02, 29/F, HM Tower,
No. 3 Jinsui Road, Zhujiang New Town,
Tianhe District, P.R. China 510623

中国广州市天河区珠江新城金穗路3号汇美大厦29楼02单元 邮编:510623
Phone: 86-020-29106150
Email: [email protected]

 

Opening hours of the AVAC will be 7.30 am to 3.00 pm (for submission) and 7.30 am to 5.00 pm (collection of documents) Monday to Friday, with phone lines operating from 8am to 5pm.

 

Application lodgement

The department has an agreement with VFS Global to provide Australian visa lodgement services though the AVAC. You can lodge your application in person (by appointment) or by courier at the AVAC. Payment can be made in cash or by Chinese Postal Money Order. If you submit your application by courier, you can complete your credit card details on the application form.

A fee will be charged for this service in addition to the scheduled fee charged by the department for all visa applications.

 

Services provided at the AVAC

Clients will benefit from the following services offered at the AVAC:

• extended client services hours
• telephone contact centre with phone lines operating until 5 pm weekdays
• pre and post-lodgement enquiries
• visa lodgement and fee handling
• online application tracking facility allowing clients to view the status of their application
• internet kiosk
• return of decisions and passports.

Optional services, for an additional service cost, include:

• courier services
• photocopying
• passport photos
• SMS notification.

 

Lodging applications

Clients in the Guangzhou catchment area applying for an Australian visa should submit
their application directly with the AVAC in Guangzhou.

The exception to this will be clients lodging an Adoption (subclass 102) visa or Resident
Return (subclass 155/157) visa who should submit their application to the Australian visa office at the Australian Consulate Guangzhou.

 

Processing of applications lodged at the AVAC

Applications will continue to be assessed and decided by visa office of the Australian Consulate-General in Guangzhou. Staff at the AVAC will have no involvement in the decision–making process or have any knowledge of the application outcome.

Visa processing times will be faster if clients submit complete visa applications with all required documentation at the time of lodgement.

 

Impact on clients

These changes mean that from 19 August 2013, clients who reside in provinces within the Guangzhou catchment areas applying for most Australian visas should lodge their application at the AVAC in Guangzhou.

There will be no change to the current lodgement and processing arrangements for Government officials applying via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) or their local Foreign Affairs Office (FAO), Australian Destination Status (ADS) travel or Australian citizenship applications which should continue to be lodged directly with the nearest Australian Visa Office.

 

Visa labels

Clients who have been granted a visa by an office in Australia can submit their passport
to the AVAC in Guangzhou to receive a visa label, if required.

Further information

See: Where to Submit a Visa Application for details on where to apply for your visa.

See: www.australiavisa-china.com

NOTE: Applications submitted to the Australian Consulate-General in Guangzhou prior to 19 August 2013 will be finalised and returned to you by the Australian Consulate-General in Guangzhou. .
  

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Page last updated 15 October 2014