Latest Announcements
- Welcome back to Australia! From 15 December, Australia welcomes all fully vaccinated international students. The Australian Government Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, issued a statement regarding the COVID-19 Omicron variant and changes to international travel arrangements.
- Passport fees will increase on 1 January 2022. From 1 January 2022, the fees for:
- a 10-year passport for people 16 and over will cost $308
- a 5-year passport for people under 16 or 75 and over will cost $155
- emergency and replacement passports will cost $193
- the priority processing fee will be $225
- the overseas surcharge for adult and senior applicants will be $138
- the overseas surcharge for child applicants will be $67.
(Note: the overseas surcharge is not charged for emergency or replacement passports.) Click here, for full list of travel documents and relevant fees applicable.
- Important Annoucement ➡️ Media Statement: Pause to further easing of border restrictions
- New arrangements for fully vaccinated eligible visa holders: From 1 December 2021, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can now travel to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption.
Details ➡️ https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/vaccinated-travellers#toc-7
- Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) recognises Covaxin (manufactured by Bharat Biotech, India) for the purpose of establishing a traveller's vaccination status. Details ➡️ COVID-19 vaccinations | Smartraveller
- Steps to support Australians travelling abroad: https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/marise-payne/media-release/further-steps-support-australians-travel-abroad
- Link to the latest Qantas announcement on flights to India: Press Conference - Sydney, NSW | Prime Minister of Australia (pm.gov.au)
- Updated advise on visas to Australia: Immediate family of Australian citizens or permanent residents or New Zealand citizens usually resident in Australia | COVID-19 and the border (homeaffairs.gov.au)
COVID-19
On 1 October, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australia is ready to take its next steps to safely reopen to the world, with changes coming to the international border. The government will set out the framework for how international travel will look in coming months. Details ➡️ Next steps to reopen to the world
#AustraliaStandsWithIndia
Australia's support package for India
"India is a great friend of Australia and a comprehensive strategic partner. We share so much in common as peoples, as democratic nations, and we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences and our support to the nation of India and the people of India and the Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister Modi."
— Prime Minister Scott Morrison
On 27 April, 2021 Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced an initial support package for India, standing with India - a friend & strategic partner – to respond to the impacts of COVID-19. Australia will provide India with an initial 500 ventilators, 1 million surgical masks, 500,000 P2/ N95 masks, 100,000 surgical gowns, 100,000 goggles, 100,000 pairs of gloves, and 20,000 face shields, said the Prime Minister in his Press Conference. Details ➡️ Press Conference | Prime Minister of Australia (pm.gov.au).
So far, Australia has delivered over 30 tonnes of essential medical supplies, including 3,000 ventilators and 250 oxygen concentrators to India.
Important updates for those wishing to return to Australia
National Cabinet announced that from 14 July international passenger arrival caps will halve. This reduction will remain in place until 31 August and be reviewed before being lifted.
Key decisions announced at the Australian National Cabinet meeting on 05 January 2022 - National Cabinet | Prime Minister of Australia (pm.gov.au)
Important information for Australians
For up-to-date information on India, please refer to the Smartraveller website.
We can all help slow the spread of COVID-19. To protect yourself and others you must:
- practise good hygiene
- practise social distancing
- limit contact with other people
- understand how to isolate if you need to
- look after your mental health
If you need urgent consular assistance (for example you have been attacked, arrested) please call the Australian High Commission in New Delhi on +91 11 4139 9900, or the 24 hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 (within Australia) or +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas).
Register with us for updates
If you have not yet done so, please register with the Australian High Commission: https://covid19.dfat.gov.au. If you have already registered, please ensure your details are up to date. Please include as much information about your personal circumstances as possible, including when you are intending to return to Australia.
Click Here for information on Loans, Hotels, Visas, Charter Flights, Quarantine and International students
The Australian High Commission, New Delhi is now accepting passport and notarial services by appointment only
The Australian High Commission, New Delhi is now accepting passport and notarial services by appointment only. To make an appointment, please email [email protected].
Latest news
Request for Information (RFI) for the provision of administrative services for the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
The Australia Government Department of Home Affairs has released an RFI today on AusTender titled Service Delivery Partners: Delivering Administrative Services for the Department of Home Affairs (HOMEAFFAIRS/2083/RFI). The RFI seeks information on best practice service approaches and technologies to support and extend the Department’s overseas service delivery. It aims to identify opportunities that will enable the Department to meet increasing future demand for services.
Reopening our border during COVID-19 will see an increase in demand for departmental services along with evolving integrity threats and traveller expectations for more efficient, digitally enabled services. To meet these challenges the Department is examining opportunities to increase the involvement of Service Delivery Partners in the delivery of its overseas transactional and administrative services.
If you are a supplier of application support, biometric collection and/or verification services (as well as other services as described in the RFI), the Department is keen to hear from you. The RFI is not a procurement. Whilst the Department has not yet committed to any future procurement activity, next steps may include a procurement process commencing in 2022.
High Commissioner visits Odisha
High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell paid another visit to Odisha - an important partner state for Australia both strategically and economically - to continue engagement in education and sports sector. He visited Centurion University of Technology & Management and awarded degrees to graduating students together with the Governor of Odisha Prof Ganeshi Lal. He also visited KIIT - Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences to explore further institutional collaborations and partnerships under the Australia-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and India's National Education Policy.
High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell with Governor of Odisha Prof Ganeshi Lal
Australia announces new Consulate General in Bengaluru and a Centre of Excellence to boost tech ties with India
Australia is strengthening its technology partnership with India through the establishment of a new Consulate-General in Bengaluru and a Centre of Excellence for Critical and Emerging Technology Policy, also to be based in India. As announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the Bengaluru Tech Summit, the new consulate would focus on deepening Australia’s ties with Indian innovators, technologists and entrepreneurs as well as support Australian businesses in India’s cybertech hub. The Centre of Excellence for Critical & Emerging Technology Policy will bring together Australian and Indian technologists, policy practitioners, academics, researchers & thought leaders and will help guide the responsible development and use of critical technologies.
Click here for Prime Minister’s remarks at the Bengaluru Tech Summit
Media Release: Strengthening our technology partnership with India
Prime Minister Scott Morrison delivered the key note address at the Bengaluru Tech Summit
High Commissioner visits Gujarat and Pune
High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell and our Mumbai Consul-General Peter Truswell visited Gujarat - a major trade and investment partner for Australia. They met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Australian alumni and business leaders, and discussed ways to deepen the Australia India economic cooperation. In Pune, High Commissioner met with Mayor Murlidhar Mohol and discussed opportunities for collaboration in urban planning, water management and transport. They also met with Serum Institute of India’s Adar Poonawalla to discuss the crucial role Indian manufactures are playing in the vaccine rollout. High Commissioner also met accomplished Australian alumni and members of the Indo Australian Chamber.
High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell and Mumbai Consul-General Peter Truswell met with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel
Australia and India trade deal
Australia's Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, concluded a successful visit to India. Minister Tehan met his Indian counterpart Minister Piyush Goyal and agreed to resume negotiations for the Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Both the Ministers committed to conclude the negotiations on a full CECA by the end of 2022, including to reach an interim agreement by December 2021, to liberalise & deepen bilateral trade. Minister Tehan also met the Indian Education Minister, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, and discussed ways to strengthen the strategic partnership, especially in the education and skill development sectors.
Joint Media Release: https://www.trademinister.gov.au/minister/dan-tehan/media-release/australia-and-india-trade-deal
Australia's Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon Dan Tehan MP with India's Trade Minister Piyush Goyal
India Economic Strategy
The Australian Government is committed to growing the Australia-India economic, trade and investment relationship. In response to the independent report to the government, the India Economic Strategy, the Australian Government has agreed to implement a number of its recommendations. The full independent report is available at indiaeconomicstrategy.dfat.gov.au or watch this video: Capturing India’s economic transformation Read more: India Economic Strategy
News and Media
Latest Press Coverage
- AUKUS is good for entire Indo-Pacific region: Australian envoy Barry O’Farrell - The Print
- India’s last-minute RCEP exit smart & shrewd move, former Australia PM Tony Abbott says - The Print
Latest Speeches by the High Commissioner
