It is common for the passport number on an Australia visa to contain an extra digit. In many cases it is an automatically added digit that is also on the passport. If you correctly filled in your passport number, this is not a problem and your visa will remain valid. Always check whether you have filled in all details correctly.

Visa only valid with the correct passport details

If you apply for your eVisitor visa for Australia through e-Visa.ie, you are asked to check carefully the information you entered in the online application form. The important details that are asked for in this form, including your passport number, have to be completely correct for the visa to be valid. An advantage of submitting your application through e-Visa.ie is that your application is automatically checked for common errors. For instance, the site will check for errors such as mistaking a letter 'O' for the number '0'

Special characters in your name?

If your first or last name has multiple special characters, such as letters with accents (e.g. ü, ä, ö or é), these will automatically be converted to the spelling of your name as it is written at the bottom of the information page of your passport, without these special characters. This is because that is the correct spelling for the processing of your visa application. As long as your name on the visa is spelled the same as in the machine-readable zone of your passport (the two lines with many "<<<" symbols at the bottom of the information page), you do not need to worry.

Passport number on the eVisitor visa for Australia

When applying for the eVisitor visa for your trip to Australia, you should also take great care in correctly filling in your passport number. This is because the validity of the visa is checked against the passport number on the visa. There may be an extra digit after the passport number on the visa, even if you did not fill in this extra digit in the application form. This is usually not a problem, but this full number, including the extra digit shown on the visa, must be found on the passport. You can also check this in the machine-readable part at the bottom of the information page of your passport.

Keep in mind that you should never add an extra digit to the passport number when applying for the visa. Not even if this extra digit is added to your passport number in the machine-readable zone of your passport. You must always enter your passport number correctly yourself, i.e. as it appears on your passport under ‘document number’. Check this carefully before submitting your application.

Not the same passport number on your passport and visa?

Has an extra digit been added to your passport number on your visa? In this case it is usually an extra addition and in that case the extra digit is not a problem. However, you should always check whether the same extra digit can be found behind your passport number in the machine-readable zone at the bottom of the information page of your passport. If you cannot find the complete passport number as it appears on your visa, including the extra digit, the passport number on your visa is incorrect and you made an error yourself when completing the online application form. In this case, the visa is invalid, even if the eVisitor visa itself states that it is valid.

Similarly, if the passport number is incorrect on the visa for other reasons and therefore does not match the passport number as indicated on the passport, the visa is invalid. You can correct errors in the passport number or other important details by applying for a new visa online with the correct details.

Checking visa link to passport number yourself

An error in the passport number always leads to the visa to be invalid. The presence of an extra digit behind the passport number is not the only reason why a visa can become invalid. When applying for your visa you should therefore always make sure that you fill in your passport number carefully. Once your visa is granted, you can check yourself if a visa is linked to your passport number via the website of the Australian immigration service. You can find your visa in the system with the ‘Visa Grant Number’ that is on your visa.

Always check correctness of the details

In addition to the passport number, there are other details that must be 100% correct on your Australia visa for it to be valid. These include the other passport details, such as your first and last name, birthdate and gender, among others. Furthermore, always keep in mind the validity period of the visa and the permitted maximum duration of stay in Australia.

Once the visa is granted, you can print it out, so that you can shop a copy of it at passport control, but it is also sufficient if you can show it in digital form on the screen of your laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Please note: this news article about the visa for Australia is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for Australia.