INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS

VISA OPTIONS

Participants, attendees, speakers and exhibitors may be eligible to apply for the following visa options:

 

NB: Eligibility for an eVisitor visa and ETA will be determined by the country of passport that the applicant holds.

Visitor (subclass 600) Business visa applicants should include as much information as possible to support their visa applications (see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/visitor-600/business-visitor-stream#HowTo).  In addition, visa applicants should include the following information:

  • evidence of any international travel outside of their own country (for example, copies of visas and passport pages containing entry and departure stamps)

  • information and evidence of attendance at similar events of this type/nature.

LETTER OF INVITATION FOR VISA APPLICATIONS

Invitation letters can be downloaded from your registration dashboard. This letter assists with your Visa application.
You will be able to download an invitation letter once you have paid for your registration fee in full and have entered in your passport details.

How to download the invitation letter:

  • Log on to the registration dashboard as a returning delegate by entering your email and password.

  • Scroll the menu to the 'Document' section and select the button 'Enter Details'.

  • Every field must be filled in for a Visa letter to be generated. Once all details have been filled in, click 'GO'. You will be taken back to the main screen and now a button 'Download Letter' will appear and by clicking this it will generate a PDF visa letter.

Please email the Conference Secretariat if you are having difficulties downloading a Letter of Invitation from your dashboard.

PASSPORT & VISA INFORMATION

Biometrics and Entering Australia

Visa applicants outside of Australia will need to provide biometrics when they apply for a visa that is part of the Australian biometrics program, or where they are from a country, or located in a country at time of application that is part of the Australian biometrics program.

For information regarding Australia’s biometric program including visas and countries that are part of the program, please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/biometrics

Travellers should familiarise themselves with Australia’s border and entry requirements.  For further information, see ‘Entering and leaving Australia’ at: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/entering-australia

Health and Character Requirements

Most visa applicants must meet minimum health standards before they can be granted ​a visa, and the department may assess your health as part of the visa application process.  This is referred to as 'meeting the health requirement'.  For more information regarding health requirements please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/health

Applicants must be of good character and must meet the character requirements in order to be granted ​a visa to Australia.  For further information regarding character requirements please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/character

Do not bring any food or plants to Australia, you may be met with heavy fines.

This includes, but is not limited to fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry, pork, eggs, dairy products, live plants or seeds. These products could introduce serious pests and diseases into Australia, devastating our unique environment. Please adhere to biosecurity protocols to avoid gettign fined, having your visa cancelled or being refused entry into Australia and held in immigration detention pending departure from Australia.

If you are unsure of an item, do not bring it.

BOOKING YOUR FLIGHTS

The conference will be held in Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

The Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) is the closest airport to the venue and have regular domestic flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Cairns, Brisbane and Auckland (seasonal).

The two main Australian domestic airlines are Virgin Australia & Qantas.

The best flight routes for international travelers to the Sunshine Coast are from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide to Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY).

Air New Zealand also offers non-stop flights from Auckland to MCY from July to October.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT AUSTRALIA

  • Queensland is ten hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC +10:00).

    The conference will take place during Spring time, the perfect time to soak up the Mooloolaba sun without breaking too much of a sweat!

    The average daily temperature is often between 24°C and 27°C during this time.

  • The official currency of Australia is the Australian Dollar (AUD).

    Currency exchange is available at banks, hotels and international airports. Cirrus-compatible ATMs are everywhere, banks line most main streets, and credit cards are widely accepted. Keep in mind, there’s an AUD$10,000 limit for bringing cash into the country (if you bring more, you’ll have to declare it at the border).

    You can find current exchange rates here.

    Tipping in Australia is not expected. 
    Instead, a service charge will normally be added to your bill. The service charge will usually be declared on the menu if you're in a cafe or restaurant.

  • Australia uses Plug Type I which is the plug that has three flat pins in a triangular pattern. View an example here.

  • Local SIM cards can be purchased round-the-clock at convenience stores. Delegates may also consider buying a local SIM card the Airport upon landing. Most common brands used are Vodafone, Telstra and Optus.

  • Check out the Visit Sunshine Coast website for travelling tips. It includes a list of the different forms of transport you can use during your trip!