Australia National Innovation visa

People with exceptional and outstanding achievement in a profession, sport, the arts, or academia and research.

• Receive an invitation

  You must be invited to apply and lodge your visa application within 60 days of the invitation.

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• Show exceptional achievement

  You must have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in a profession, sport, the arts, or academia and research. Your area must be recognised and accepted in Australia and have international standing.

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• Remain active in your field

  You must still be prominent in your area, with recent exceptional achievements.

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• Benefit Australia

  You must be an asset to the Australian community and contribute to the nation as a whole.

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• Establish yourself in Australia

  You must demonstrate that you could find work or become independently established in your area of expertise in Australia without difficulty.

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• Have an eligible nominator

  At application, you must provide a completed, signed Form 1000 from a nominator with a national reputation in your area. The nominator must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, eligible New Zealand citizen, or Australian organisation.

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• Meet the age-related condition

  You can apply at any age. If you are under 18 or are 55 or older when you apply, you must be of exceptional benefit to the Australian community.

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• Show functional English or pay

  Applicants aged 18 or older at application must provide evidence of at least functional English or pay the second instalment of the visa application charge.

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• Meet the health requirement

  You and family members applying with you must meet the health requirement. Family members not coming to Australia may also need to meet it.

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• Meet the character requirement

  You and family members aged 16 or older who apply with you must meet the character requirement. Family members not coming to Australia must also meet it.

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• Resolve Australian government debt

  You and your family members, including those not applying, must pay any outstanding debt to the Australian government or have a payment arrangement in place before the visa can be granted.

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• Sign the values statement

  If you are 18 or older, you must have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet and sign an Australian Values Statement.

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• Apply from an eligible location

  You may be in or outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is decided, but you must not be in immigration clearance. If applying in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or Bridging visa A, B or C.

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• Meet any regional visa holding period

  If you currently hold, or your last substantive visa was, a subclass 491 or 494 visa, you must have held that visa for at least 3 years when you apply.

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• Main applicant visa application charge, from; concessions apply in limited circumstancesResearched just now · being double-checkedSource$6,235 per person
• Second instalment for an applicant aged 18 or older with less than functional English, payable only if requested before grantResearched just now · being double-checkedSource$4,890 per person

1. Get ready

   • Check that you meet the visa criteria

     Check your achievement, ability to establish yourself in Australia and any age-related condition before submitting an Expression of Interest.

   • Prepare your Expression of Interest documents

     Prepare your passport bio-data page, CV and evidence of your highest qualification in English or with English translations.

     You’ll need: Passport bio-data page, CV, Evidence of highest qualification, English translations, if needed

   • Obtain a signed nomination

     Ask an eligible nominator with a national reputation in your area to complete and sign Form 1000 for your visa application.

     You’ll need: Signed Form 1000, Evidence of the nominator's reputation and eligible status

   • Gather your visa evidence

     Gather identity documents and evidence of the achievements named in your invitation, your ability to establish yourself in Australia, and applicable English and character documents.

     You’ll need: Passport, Achievement evidence, Evidence of ability to establish yourself, Functional English evidence or statement of intent to pay the second instalment, Applicable police certificates

2. Apply

   • Submit an Expression of Interest

     Complete the National Innovation visa Expression of Interest form and attach its required documents; submitting it does not guarantee an invitation.

     You’ll need: Completed Expression of Interest, Required supporting documents

   • Wait for an invitation

     If invited, use the reference identifier and invitation code in the email and submit your visa application within 60 days.

     You’ll need: Invitation email

   • Apply online and pay

     Use ImmiAccount to pay the application charge, attach your supporting documents and submit the application within the invitation period.

     You’ll need: Invitation details, Signed Form 1000, Supporting documents

3. Visa

   • Respond to any further requests

     Check ImmiAccount for requests and complete health examinations or provide biometrics if the Department asks you to.

     You’ll need: Any requested health, biometric or additional documents

   • Keep your visa decision

     The Department will give you its decision in writing; if the visa is granted, keep the notice showing its grant number, start date and any conditions.

     You’ll need: Visa decision notice

4. Travel

   • Enter Australia on your visa

     If you were outside Australia when granted the visa, your permanent residence for citizenship purposes starts when you enter Australia on it.

     You’ll need: Passport, Visa grant notice

Permanent residence, with the ability to apply for Australian citizenship if eligible.

• immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/visas-for-innovati…Official
• immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/gl…Official
• immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/visas-for-innovati…Official
• Subclass 858 National Innovation visaimmi.homeaffairs.gov.auOfficial

Japper is an AI immigration assistant. It gives general information from official sources, not legal advice, and it can be wrong. For your own case, ask a licensed advisor.