© Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Australia visa: applicants in India may now have to give fingerprints and a face photo
From 26 October, people applying in India for an Australian visa may be asked to give fingerprints and a facial image. Applications lodged earlier and visas already granted are not affected.
What has changed
People applying in India for an Australian visa may now be asked to give their fingerprints and a photograph of their face as part of the application. The Australian High Commission in New Delhi says the requirement applies to applications lodged on or after 26 October 2026 (as quoted by Connected to India, 26 October). High Commissioner Philip Green said on 26 October that the new requirements apply only to new visa applications and will not affect applications already lodged. Visas already granted are also unaffected.
Not every applicant will be asked. Home Affairs says it will tell you whether you need to provide biometrics, and which ones.
How it works
Home Affairs says applicants outside Australia will be told either to attend an Australian Biometrics Collection Centre in person or that they can use the Australian Immi App instead. The centres are run by VFS Global for the department. You need an appointment, the centre charges a service fee, and you must bring the passport linked to your visa application, or the biometrics generally cannot be collected. At the appointment, staff photograph your face and scan all ten fingertips. Children who are minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The department lists 16 centre locations in India: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram, plus Panaji and Puducherry as pop-up centres with reduced hours.
What Indian travellers should do
If you applied before 26 October: nothing changes for your application.
If you are applying now: build in time for a possible biometrics appointment, especially if you live far from a centre, and apply early if you are travelling for the Australian summer holidays.
Wait for instructions: do not book a biometrics appointment until Home Affairs tells you to. The instruction will say whether you can use the Immi App instead.
Take the right passport: bring the one linked to your application. If your hands have mehndi or another temporary decoration, Home Affairs says to check with VFS Global whether your fingerprints can still be taken.
Visa basics are unchanged: Indian passport holders still need a visa before travel, usually the Visitor visa (subclass 600) for a holiday.
Sources
This report is based on the following published sources. Rules and schedules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you travel.
- Biometrics — Department of Home Affairs, Australia, 26 October 2026
- Post by High Commissioner Philip Green on new visa applications (2/2) — Australian High Commission, New Delhi, 26 October 2026
- Indian applicants for Australian visa “may need to” submit biometric data from Oct 26 — Connected to India, 26 October 2026
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