Migrate to Australia: Character Requirements
25 May 2015 by News Desk
Everyone who wants to enter Australia must be of good character and will be assessed against the character requirements. As part of a visa application, you might be required to provide a police clearance certificate or other evidence to satisfy the character requirements.
How character is assessed
You will not pass the character test if: you have a substantial criminal record, meaning you have been sentenced to 12 months or more in prison, or multiple sentences that add up to more than 12 months in prison. A suspended sentence is considered a prison sentence.
You will not pass the character test if: you have been convicted of escaping from immigration detention, or convicted for an offence that you committed: while you were in immigration detention; during an escape from immigration detention; after an escape, but before you were taken into immigration detention again.
You will not pass the character test if: you are or have been a member of a group or organisation, or had or have an association with a person, group or organisation that the Minister for Immigration reasonably suspects of involvement in criminal conduct.
You will not pass the character test if: the Minister for Immigration reasonably suspects that you have been involved in people smuggling, people trafficking, genocide, a war crime, a crime against humanity, a crime involving torture or slavery, or a crime that is of serious international concern, whether or not you have been convicted of such an offence; your past and present criminal or general conduct shows that you are not of good character
You will not pass the character test if: there is a risk that while you are in Australia you would: engage in criminal conduct; harass, molest, intimidate or stalk another person; vilify a segment of the Australian community; incite discord in the Australian community or in a part of it or be a danger to the Australian community or a part of it.
You will not pass the character test if: you have been convicted of, or found guilty or had a charge proven for one or more sexually based offences involving a child, you are subject to an adverse security assessment by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and if you are subject to an Interpol notice, from which it is reasonable to infer that you a direct or indirect risk to the Australian community, or a segment of the Australian community.
Applying for temporary or permanent migration
For the Australian Government to determine whether you are of good character, you might be asked to provide police certificates for each country you have lived in for 12 months or more, over the last 10 years, since turning 16 years of age.
You must declare all recorded offences to us. If you do not declare an offence and we become aware of this it might have a negative impact on your application.
Do not finalise any travel arrangements until after the grant of your visa. This is because visa processing times can vary depending on the visa type and your personal circumstances.
Statutory declarations
As part of the character assessment, you might be asked to complete a Character Statutory Declaration. In some instances you might also be required to provide personal details to allow additional character checks to be undertaken. Your case officer might ask you to complete the following form:
Form 80 – If you are applying for a visa outside Australia, you do not have to provide this information with your application. You will be advised when it is required. If you are applying in Australia, you should provide this information with your application.
Applying for Australian citizenship
If you are applying for Australian citizenship you will be assessed under good character requirements. Information about Good character and offences for Australian citizenship is available on the application forms and the citizenship website. You might be required to provide a number of documents to prove you are of good character.
