Australian Tourist Visas for Filipinos – Common Myths Debunked
Myth #1: The universal checklist of requirements for Filipino passport holders
“What are my requirements?” is a common request, because many people assume that an Australian tourist visa application is “simple” and that there must be a simple list available. Some of the travel agent sites will give you a “checklist” of what you need, which is quite amateurish. 80%+ of the value of a tourist visa application is in providing sufficient and correct documentation to present your case well. A professional will assess your case and will provide you with a personalised and detailed To-Do List, and will guide you to ensure you get it right.
Myth #2: Booking flights before applying for a tourist visa
The Embassy advise you not to book flights first. So do Down Under Visa. Booking flights, booking hotels, etc before having a visa? A great way to lose a whole lot of money if the visa is refused, or even if it’s granted after your flight date!
Myth #3: Depositing money into a bank account aka “Show Money”
This is a common myth. A popular one amongst scamming Filipino females too, I might add! The belief is that if you dump AUD$5,000.00 into a bank account in the Philippines first, you can use this as evidence that she is wealthy. This is attempted fraud.
Myth #4: She must be employed or you won’t get an Australian tourist visa
90%+ of successful Down Under Visa tourist visa clients are unemployed. Many have never had a job in their lives, and very few have banks accounts either. It’s never been an issue for us! The issue is that they need to believe the visa applicant is a genuine visitor to Australia, and is of a low-risk of breaching visa conditions (ie overstaying, working illegally etc). They need to believe she will return at the end of the visit, and they also need to see she would be supported financially during her stay in Australia. There are other ways of demonstrating that she is low-risk, and a professional and experienced Registered Migration Agent knows how to do this.
Myth #5: She must attend the CFO (Commission for Filipinos Overseas) before traveling to Australia
Not correct. The CFO runs seminars for migrating spouses with Partner Visas to Australia, and yes this is a requirement. It is not a requirement for Australian tourist visa holders.
Myth #6: Filipinos Must have vaccinations
Currently Australia does NOT require any vaccinations for tourist visa holders.
Myth #7: Filipinos Must have a medical examination
On occasions they will ask for a medical examination. Most of the time they won’t. If they do require a medical examination and/or an xray, they will request this after the visa application has been lodged. There is nothing gained by seeing a private clinic beforehand.
Myth #8: I can decide to apply for a partner visa and remain in Australia
Technically, yes you can. You may do this as long as you don’t have a No Further Stay (Condition 8503) on your visa grant, which stops you applying for other visas inside Australia. However, from a practical point of view a partner visa is a monster-sized application! Plus you will have a wedding to organise. Trying to do all of this in less than 3 months is a great way to mess everything up. Either you run out of time, or you lodge a substandard rush-job partner visa application. Get some professional advice if you want a partner visa!
Myth #9: I want a one year (12 month) tourist visa
Yes, the Department website lists this as an option. And if the applicant is wealthy enough to take a 1 year holiday in Australia, yes maybe it’s a possibility. Otherwise? It’s a good way to get a refusal of your tourist visa application. Get some professional advice, and be realistic with your expectations.
Have An Australian Tourist Visa Question Not Answered Above?

Now, over to you the client (or potential client)! We value our clients opinions, and we believe in keeping all well-informed. What would YOU like to ask about Australian tourist visas? What do YOU think needs a bit more explanation? Ask below, and Jeff Harvie RMA will answer your question for you and for others wondering the same thing.
Cannot see anywhere here what is the travel allowance amount needed as the embassy needs to see certain amount before traveling here for a filipina lady
That’s because the Embassy doesn’t need to see a travel allowance. There are a lot of rumours that float around saying what is needed for a visa, and this is one of them.
‘m a Chinese. I’m traveling to Australia in December. For two weeks, how should I apply for my travel visa in philippines? What materials do I need to prepare? Do I have to go to the address of the Australian Embassy in the Philippines or can I apply online? What is the required margin? Thank you. You can look at my questions and look forward to receiving your reply soon. email: woyaoxiupian123@126.com;telephone: 9458416821, my name is Wang, Jing
I’m sorry, but we’re migration professionals. We don’t give free guidance to those who wish to do their own applications. I’m sure if I went to your office and asked you to do free work for me, you would not like it either. If you would instead like your application to be professionally managed, I suggest you use our free online visa assessment form on the main website. But please note that we only do applications for Australian Filipina couples.
How long does it take to get a tourist visa for my girlfriend to come to Australia
Hi,
My sponsor is not Australian. He’s from Germany and currently working in Melbourne. Can I still have him as my sponsor?
I think Kevin means some proof of funds from the sponsor or the applicant . And or proof of income from the sponsor or the applicant. Is there a minimum amount of either required?
There is an “urban myth” that gets around about putting money in a lady’s bank account. Correct that the question wasn’t 100% clear and may have meant savings rather than an allowance for the lady, but tend to lean the other way. There is no set-in-concrete minimum amount. They do need to see that the applicant can support the lady, unless she is earning the equivalent of an Australian paypacket (which is unusual). We look at each case rather than referring to a fixed formula.
My Filipina girlfriend and I had organised a quick holiday in Bali. Trouble is, she was not allowed to leave the Philippines and got refused to exit the airport in Manila. She has a valid passport, no criminal record and I was sponsoring the whole trip. She just didn’t have enough supporting evidences, whatever these were! All very well to have an Australian Tourist visa next but what if she gets stopped by the Filipino immigration dpt again?
The Philippines airport authorities are obligated like any airport authority anywhere to not let somebody travel if they believe there may be a problem. In Philippines there is an issue with human trafficking, so they are extra strict with anyone who appears to have no money and no idea where they are ending up. They also have obligations to certain countries….like Singapore and Bali….not to let anyone through who doesn’t have hotel bookings and a clear itinerary. Maybe your girlfriend didn’t know which hotel you were booked into, and maybe didn’t have the booking with her? Maybe she didn’t have sufficient money? Maybe she appeared nervous or confused? I don’t know her or the situation, so I’m just guessing here. As for Australia? We have had the occasional client stopped, but it’s very rare. We also make a point of preparing clients for what they need and how to act at the airport.
Thanks for your reply, Jeff. She knew which dive resort we were booked in, had enough money but may have appeared nervous as it was her first trip overseas. One of the things they wanted to see was her employee i.d. Since when do you need to be employed to have a holiday paid for by your partner?
Anyhow, we know better now and will ask for your help when it’s time for us to meet in Oz.
I guess they’re about as fair as Border Force are in Australia. No, makes no sense. Getting pulled aside by scary men in uniforms at an airport will make anyone nervous. Can’t promise it will never happen to Australia, although I can say only knew it to happen about twice in several thousand tourist visas we’ve had to Australia.
How much does it cost for a tourist visa application through your company?
We need to assess you and your situation to decide if we’re able to help you or not, which we do via a free online assessment form. We will give you costs after that. https://www.assessments.downundervisa.com.au
Hello my name is Jacob Pollock. I want to bring my girlfriend to Perth Australia around June, July this year on a tourist visa. Just if you could help, and how much would it cost me.
Thank you..
I would imagine we could, Jacob. Could you please complete a free visa assessment form on the site? Then I can see first if we CAN help you, and secondly give you costs and other details you need to know.
Can you help me even if I want to be a tourist with no partner in AU, like a tourist alone and no family member as well?
Only if you have a stable job and a significantly high income, Rach. Otherwise they will see you as a risk of overstaying. It won’t be until after the travel bans are lifted too.
Good afternoon,
I would like to apply for a visa for my friend who is in the Philippines , i will be applying from
Australia on his behalf . Are you able to help with a visa application in this case ?
Hello Scott. In most cases yes. But I need you to complete an online assessment form first. It will take you five minutes, and from that I can give you an honest opinion.
Hi I want to apply
Please complete the online visa assessment form and we can see if we’re able to help you.
why so hard apply visa for my sister copme to australia i am austalian citinzhip why,.
Because your Australian Citizenship doesn’t change the status of your sister. Her visa application will be assessed according to her own merits.
Hi! My boyfriend is planning to sponsor me all expenses to go to Australia. I’m unemployed for almost 2 years now. I’m hesitant to apply for visa on my own because of this. I’m wondering iff how much will it cost if i get an agent and the success is? I hope you could help me.
Possibly. Note that we deal with applicants from the Philippines. If you’re from Philippines, please complete a free online visa assessment form.
Hi Jeff, Just wanted to update you as always good to have update, My GF applied for her Australian Vista Visa on 31st 2019 July, She didn’t lie in it i gave letter of invitation in Australia, Today is the 19th Day and she was granted with ariving on 27th . It pays to be honest he always said we were in releationship and we had plenty of evidence of over last year traveling to other parts of world together, i was very stressful but people just hang in there. if you been honest you will get what you want.
Thanks Jeff for helping people answer questions so i thought i would update from 2019
Quick Question Jeff
When applying for subclass 300, do you need to set a date for wedding, obliviously that is very difficult as the waiting times could be 15 – 22 Months or do you just need to book something in that period or do you just need to meet requirements that if approved 10 months eg you get married or show you have booked it then.
You need to book something close-enough. You will find the marriage celebrant should understand your situation.
I have a boyfriend want to sponsor me for tourist but im still married to someone
That doesn’t come into it, Salvacion. Please complete a free assessment. I’m sure we can help you.
I am going to visit my son daughter and there six nephew’s i have a phillipina woman she wants to be with
Me for two weeks in Melbourne i am an awstralia citizen but i live in Malta i go to Australia every year for 4weeks and she wants to join me for two weeks .
What is the best way to apply to get her a Visa for two weeks to come to awstralia.
Sencerly Joseph
Hello Joseph
At the top of the page you will see a link to a visa assessment. Suggest you click on that and fill it out. I can then get back to you.
Hi Jeff, once tourist visa is granted how long does allowance time the immigration will provide if I couldn’t fly straight away to Australia. Like for example when my visa granted today and I couldn’t fly in 3 months that’s still okay?
Usually 3 months, but you need to wait for the visa grant to confirm
Thank you Jeff. One more question I could apply my wife’s visa online here in Australia through my own immigration account or I will make her own account instead?
We recently tried to sponsor my cousin for a visa under the family stream, only to get refused as apparently cousins are not considered as closed relative. The only reason we sponsored her is so she can be the full time carer of my filipino parents (who already have visas) when they come for a visa here in Australia… is there any other way we can get her to come? I really want my parents to come back as they are now getting old and this might be the last time that they will come back here.. any input from you will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance
You can’t bring a cousin to Australia to take care of your parents. That’s not what tourist visas are for. You will never be successful this way.
My Filipino lady was granted a tourist visa in 2018 and came for 3 days but had to return due to family illness. Can she use the existing visa if she can show her passport was stamped or if not can she reapply
No sorry Dave. Once she leaves Australia, the visa is as dead as a dodo. Need to reapply.
if my friend tourist visa is refused,can you help us with that and apply new tourist visa for her?
It’s possible, yes. Please ask your friend to complete a free visa assessment form on our website.
Do i need to update my intended travel dates and attached an updated invitation letter from my sponsor since the travel dates indicated on the letter and in my application was from December 2019 and it is January 2020 now and still there is no movement it still says “received” or do i just need to wait from them? thank you!!
I can’t advise you what to do with an application that I didn’t manage, sorry
Would like to ask if my tourist visa was refused because they were not satisfied even though i have a sponsor and with invitation letter. My sponsor is my cousin. They were not satisfied because of my minimal monthly income. Can i re-apply again? thanks!!
You can, but I recommend you get professional help or it will only be refused again. Please get a free online visa assessment done.
Hi Jeff
Could you please tell me the cost for a tourist visa application.
I’m in Australia and will be going to the Philippines as soon as Novavax is approved.
My partner is living in the Philippines.
Thanks Greg.
Please get an assessment and I can give you full details. It’s free and takes five minutes. https://assessments.downundervisa.com.au
Hi,
If I apply for a visit visa from the Philippines going to Australia, usually how long does it take for them to approve? If I am married to my Australian husband already?
At the moment between 1 and 2 months
Hello Jeff,
This is my third time getting an Australian visa, my previous visas are approved. However, this time I am working remotely (I have a foreign boss and I work at home). I can ask my foreign employer to provide a certificate of employment however since the address is overseas I wonder if will that work?
I can’t advise you here, sorry
Hello.. Are they also requiring tourist visa holders to be vaxxed? I have no vaxx ,I have med cert. Are they gonna force everyone to be vaxx so we could enter Australia? Otherwise we cannot enter then?
That’s correct
Hi Jeff, what happens if a visa is granted after the dates on the application.
Is it still safe for my friend to visit within the suggested dates .
ie after the date you said you would travel on the visa application? This is only an estimate and carries no weight. You can trust whatever the visa grant notice says.
can i sponsor my fiancee to Australia. I am NZ citizen but been living in Australia since 1999 and left back to nz for work from 2007 to 2009 and returned to Australia since then, working full time council compliance officer for 12 years
Already replied
Hi Jeff, I was thinking of surprising my boyfriend in OZ thru a visitor visa (this December for a 2-week stay only coz that’s the only time i have for my work vacation).
Is this even possible? If yes, is there any visa i could apply & with ur help, that does not need his sponsorship? Basically he would have no idea that i am applying or coming. Btw my boyfriend is currently holding a s/c 445 visa waiting for his (mum) PR visa approval. He arrived in oz last June 2022, we’ve been together for almost 8 yrs now.
Also, granting that I acquired the visitor visa, will this affect our future application for a SPONSORED (by him) TOURIST VISA – ONSHORE PARTNER VISA once his PR is granted? Thanks much would appreciate your prompt response. Have a great day ahead!
Most of what you suggested would not work, sorry to say. Please get an assessment of your case done and I can advise you properly. https://assessments.downundervisa.com.au
I receive a job offer from an Australian Company. What are the options on how can I get to Australia?
We dont do work visas, sorry
how to have tourist visa??
Please get an assessment and consider becoming our client if you want the best result.