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Travel to Australia with a Criminal Record

Every country that is economically stable and open to the world makes every effort to accept tourists. While Australia is not an exception, its government takes the well-being of its residents very seriously. As a result, laws prevent potentially harmful people from entering the country.

Can you go to Australia with a criminal record?

Getting a visa to visit Australia can seem like a straightforward process, and in most situations, it is; but if you have a criminal history, the process isn’t as simple. Australia has highly restrictive visa regulations for anyone with a criminal history, which you should be aware of if you have a criminal record and have plans to visit Australia.

Those from other countries who want to visit Australia but have a criminal record must apply to the Department of Home Affairs. According to the terms and conditions, the only way for travelers to have any chance of getting such a visa is if they do not have a significant criminal record. What does this mean? It means you cannot have any criminal history involving a term of one year or more in a prison or correctional facility.

It is important to remember that a traveler’s two convictions for a term of six months each that have been served consecutively in the traveler’s native country count as a term of imprisonment for an entire year, making the traveler ineligible for the visa.

People who have been convicted of a crime in the past and want to go to Australia won’t be able to apply for an electronic tourist authorization (ETA) visa. They will fail the character standards and cannot apply for an ETA visa if they have any criminal records that result in a prison term of at least 12 months, regardless of whether the sentence was served or suspended.

Even if you do not meet the requirements to apply for an ETA visa, it does not restrict you from travelling to Australia. Since you can not get the ETA, You need to submit an application to the Australian Embassy for a complete tourist visa. So, if you plan to visit Australia, you must apply now for a police check certificate. It is a requirement of the application process.

It is crucial to keep in mind that the cost of each police check in Australia is typically approximately $48 (AUD). There is no easy way to acquire a free background check from the police.

In addition, if you have stayed in Australia for more than a year in the past, you are likely to be asked to provide a police check for that time frame to prove that you didn’t commit any major crimes during your previous stay in Australia. It is done so that the Australian government can be convinced that you did not violate any laws while staying there.

Even if you have a criminal history, there is still a possibility that you can get a tourist visa to travel to Australia. You have the option to submit an application for a tourist visa and show that the criminal violations for which you were convicted are far in the past and that you have made significant improvements to your life ever since by responding to all of the questions in the Character Test with honesty.

Which criminal charges prevent you from visiting Australia?

You might likely be denied from entering Australia if you have a serious criminal record. If this happens, you will not be able to go to Australia. The application procedure will become more complicated, and the decision-making time will be extended if the applicant has a severe criminal record.

Local police checks will no longer be carried out in connection with offences that took place more than ten years ago and had a prison term of at least one year. But, it is still vital when assessing visa applications to enter Australia.

The time that has passed since the last conviction is one of the factors considered when deciding whether or not to allow permission to visit Australia, along with the present lifestyle of the applicant. The duration of the sentence, if suspended or not – is considered, instead of the served jail time, in conjunction with the nature of the offence.