If you apply for an Australian visa while in Thailand, the Department of Home Affairs may ask you to provide biometrics or complete an identity check. Read the request carefully: it explains what you must do and the deadline for completing it.
Some eligible applicants can use the Australian Immi App. Others must attend an Australian Biometrics Collection Centre. Do not assume that every applicant follows the same process, even if you have applied before.
Need help with an Australian visa application?
Thai Visa Express can help you prepare your application and understand the biometrics instructions. Tell our Pattaya team your travel plans and whether you have already received a request.
Ask us on WhatsAppWhat are biometrics?
Biometrics are personal identifiers used to help confirm your identity. Depending on the process requested, these may include a facial image and fingerprints.
The Australian Immi App follows a different process from an in-person collection appointment. Eligible applicants use it to provide passport information and a live facial image.
Biometrics collection is one part of the application. Completing it does not mean that your visa has been approved.
Start with your request letter
After submitting your visa application, monitor your ImmiAccount and the contact details used for the application. If Home Affairs requests personal identifiers, read the full letter before taking action.
Check:
- The applicant’s name and application details.
- The Visa Lodgement Number, usually called the VLN.
- The deadline for providing the information.
- Whether the instructions permit the Australian Immi App or require an appointment.
Where several family members are applying, check each person’s request separately. Each applicant may have their own reference and requirements.
Can you use the Australian Immi App in Thailand?
Thailand is included in the countries where eligible applicants can use the Australian Immi App. Eligibility is linked to the request you receive, rather than simply where you live.
Home Affairs states that you need a valid passport and a biometrics request letter with a VLN beginning with AUI to use this process. If your VLN does not begin with AUI, its guidance says you must attend an Australian Biometrics Collection Centre.
Check the current official Australian Immi App guidance before starting.
What does the app involve?
The process includes entering your VLN, scanning your passport, checking the captured information, taking a live facial image and submitting the identity check.
Use a compatible phone and follow the official device instructions. Check the applicant’s details carefully and make sure you reach the successful submission confirmation.
If you successfully complete all the required steps, Home Affairs says you do not need to attend a collection centre unless it sends further instructions. Keep monitoring your application for any additional requests.
If you need an in-person appointment
Follow the booking instructions in your request letter. Home Affairs contracts VFS Global to provide Australian biometric collection services in Thailand.
Use the official Home Affairs Thailand service listing to reach the current provider information.
Check the available locations, address, opening hours and appointment arrangements before travelling. Old articles may contain previous centre addresses or outdated fees.
Book promptly after receiving the request, particularly if the deadline is close or public holidays could affect your plans.
What should you take to the appointment?
Check both the Home Affairs request and the collection centre’s appointment instructions. You will normally need to prepare:
- Your current original passport.
- The letter requesting your biometrics.
- Your appointment confirmation.
- The applicable collection service fee or payment confirmation.
- Any additional documents specified for the applicant.
If a child is attending, check the accompanying adult and consent requirements before booking. Do not assume that the arrangements for an adult apply to a younger applicant.
How much does biometrics collection cost?
An in-person collection service fee may be payable separately from the Australian visa application charge. Check the provider’s current Thailand fee and payment arrangements when booking.
Optional services may cost extra. Read what is included before paying, and do not assume that buying an optional service changes the visa decision or speeds up Home Affairs processing.
What if you cannot meet the deadline?
Do not ignore the request. Contact Home Affairs through the channel specified in your letter or application before the deadline and explain the difficulty.
If you are requesting more time, include relevant evidence, such as appointment availability, a booking confirmation or documents explaining why you cannot attend.
An extension is not automatic. Keep checking for a response and follow any further instructions. The collection centre cannot make the visa decision or change a Home Affairs deadline on its own.
Do you need to provide biometrics again?
Follow the request for your current application, even if you supplied biometrics for a previous visa. Do not assume that earlier collection means you can disregard a new request.
If the instructions are unclear or appear inconsistent with your circumstances, ask Home Affairs for clarification through the appropriate application channel.
What happens after completion?
Keep any appointment receipt or app submission confirmation. Continue checking ImmiAccount for outstanding documents, health examinations or other requests.
There is no fixed countdown from biometrics to a visa decision. Processing depends on the visa category and the individual application, and Home Affairs may need further information.
Use ImmiAccount to monitor your application rather than treating an appointment receipt as evidence of approval.
How Thai Visa Express can help
Our Pattaya team assists with Australian visa application preparation and can help applicants understand request letters, appointment arrangements and supporting documents.
The applicant must personally complete the required identity process. Thai Visa Express cannot provide biometrics on your behalf, grant a visa or guarantee a decision date.
Message us on WhatsApp with your proposed travel dates and the stage of your application, or visit our passport and visa forum.