The Australian Immi App is a free government app. It lets some visa applicants submit their face photo and passport details from their phone, so there is no trip to a biometric collection centre. Two things have to be true first: you have given Australia your fingerprints in a past application, and you have an invitation waiting in your ImmiAccount.
The Australian Immi App lets eligible visa applicants submit facial biometrics and passport details via smartphone, eliminating the need to visit a biometric collection centre
Available in 34 countries including Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and many others (as of November 2025)
Eligibility requirement: You must have previously provided fingerprints and a facial image to the Department of Home Affairs
Cost: Free to download and use, saving applicants the time and expense of visiting a collection centre
Not the same as the ETA app: The Australian ETA app is for applying for an Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601), a different product entirely
If you have been asked to give biometrics for your Australian visa, you might picture the old routine: book an appointment, travel to a collection centre, wait around for hours. For applicants in 34 countries, that routine is gone.
The Australian Immi App lets eligible applicants submit their face photo and passport details straight from their phone. It is free. It works at any hour. And it clears one of the most tedious steps in the whole visa process.
This guide covers what the app does, who can use it, how to send your details, and how it differs from the Australian ETA app. The two get mixed up all the time.
What is the Australian Immi App?
The Australian Immi App is an official Department of Home Affairs mobile app that lets eligible visa applicants submit identity information digitally instead of attending an Australian Biometric Collection Centre (ABCC).
Specifically, it captures:
Your passport details (biographic page and electronic chip data)
A live facial image taken with your phone's camera
The app sends this information securely to the Department and links it to your visa application file.
Key fact: The Australian Immi App is now available in 34 countries.
The Immi App does not replace the visa application itself. You still apply through ImmiAccount as normal. The app only handles the biometric collection step for applicants who have already provided fingerprints in a previous application.
Who is eligible to use the Australian Immi App?
You can use the app only if all three of these are true. You are in one of the 34 eligible countries. You have given Australia your fingerprints before. And you get an Immi App invitation in your ImmiAccount with a visa lodgement number that starts with "AUI".
1. Are you in an eligible country?
As of 24 November 2025, the Australian Immi App is available to applicants in 34 countries and regions:
Tern Tip
If your country is not listed, you will still need to attend an Australian Biometric Collection Centre in person.
2. Have you previously provided biometrics?
This is the key rule that many applicants miss. You can only use the Immi App if you have already given the Department both your fingerprints and a face photo in an earlier visa application.
If this is your first time giving biometrics to Australia, you must go to an ABCC in person. The app cannot take fingerprints. It can only update your face photo for later applications.
3. Have you received an invitation through ImmiAccount?
You cannot just download the app and start using it. Once your visa application has been submitted, a "Requirement to provide personal identifiers (biometrics)" notification appears in your ImmiAccount. That notification is what tells you whether you can use the app or have to go to a collection centre.
Tern Tip
Check the visa lodgement number (VLN) on your section 257A letter. If it starts with "AUI", you're eligible to use the Australian Immi App for your biometrics. If your VLN starts with anything else, you'll need to attend an Australian Biometric Collection Centre (ABCC) in person instead.
How does the Australian Immi App differ from the Australian ETA App?
They are two different apps. The Immi App submits biometrics for a visa application already made through ImmiAccount. The ETA App is the visa application, all on its own, for the Subclass 601 Electronic Travel Authority. Both come from the same Department, and the near-identical names cause endless confusion.
If you hold a passport from the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brunei, or Taiwan, you likely need the Australian ETA App to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority, not the Immi App.
If you hold a passport from the Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan, or other countries requiring a Subclass 600 visitor visa, and you have been asked to provide biometrics, you may be able to use the Immi App instead of visiting a collection centre.
How do I use the Australian Immi App step by step?
There are five steps: download the app, link it to your ImmiAccount notification, scan your passport with NFC, take a live selfie, and submit. Start to finish, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes in a quiet, well-lit room.
What do I need before I start?
Make sure you have:
A smartphone with iOS or Android and NFC capability
Your valid passport (physical document)
Your ImmiAccount notification confirming you can use the app
Location services enabled on your phone
Good lighting for the facial photo
How do I download the app? (Step 1)
The Australian Immi App is free to download:
iPhone: Search "Australian Immi App" in the App Store
Android: Search "Australian Immi App" in Google Play
Only download from official stores. The publisher should be "Australian Government Department of Home Affairs."
How do I set up the app? (Step 2)
Open the app and follow the initial prompts:
Accept the terms and conditions
Enable location services when prompted
Allow camera access
Connect to the notification you received in ImmiAccount
How do I scan my passport? (Step 3)
The app will guide you through scanning your passport:
Place your passport's biographic page (the photo page) face-up on a flat surface
Use your phone's camera to capture the page
If your passport has an electronic chip (look for the chip symbol), hold your phone against the passport to read the chip via NFC
Verify that the captured information matches your passport
Tern Tip
If the chip scan fails, try removing your phone case and holding the phone steady against different areas of the passport cover. Chip placement varies by passport type.
How do I take the live facial photo? (Step 4)
The app will then prompt you to take a selfie:
Find a well-lit area with a plain background
Hold your phone at eye level
Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed
Remove glasses, hats, or anything covering your face
The app will automatically capture when positioning is correct
The photo must match passport standards: clear, front-facing, with your full face visible.
How do I review and submit? (Step 5)
Before final submission:
Check that your passport details are correct
Review the facial image quality
Confirm all information matches your visa application
Once you submit, the app will display a confirmation screen. Your ImmiAccount will be updated within 24 hours.
What happens after I submit my biometrics?
ImmiAccount usually updates within 24 hours to confirm your biometrics arrived, and there is no collection centre visit to make. From there, your visa application carries on as normal. The Department only gets back in touch if something is wrong with what you sent.
ImmiAccount update: Your account will show that biometrics have been received (usually within 24 hours)
No ABCC visit required: You do not need to attend a collection centre
Processing continues: The Department will continue assessing your visa application
Contact if needed: If there are any issues with your submission, the Department will contact you through ImmiAccount
What are the benefits of using the Australian Immi App?
The app has four main benefits. It saves you the time and travel of visiting an ABCC. You can submit within minutes of getting your ImmiAccount invitation, at any hour of the day. And it is free, while the ETA app charges AUD $20. Together they strip out one of the most frustrating steps in the visa process.
How does the app save time?
Traditional biometric collection requires booking an appointment, travelling to a centre, waiting, and completing the process. With the app, you can submit from home in under 10 minutes.
How does the app save money?
Depending on where you live, reaching an ABCC can mean a long, expensive trip. The app cuts that transport cost to zero. And the app itself is free, while the ETA app charges AUD $20.
Can I submit biometrics immediately?
Instead of waiting for the next available appointment (which can be weeks away in busy periods), you can submit your biometrics as soon as you receive your ImmiAccount notification.
Is the app available 24/7?
The app works any time. No need to take time off work or arrange travel during business hours.
What are common Immi App issues and how do I fix them?
Four problems come up most often: you cannot find the invitation in ImmiAccount, the NFC chip will not scan, the app keeps rejecting your photo, or the app says you are not eligible even though you gave biometrics before. Most of these have a simple fix before you fall back to visiting an ABCC.
What if I cannot find the invitation in my ImmiAccount?
Check your messages section in ImmiAccount. If no biometric request appears, you either:
Have not yet reached the biometric stage of processing
Are not required to provide biometrics for this visa
Must attend an ABCC (not eligible for the app)
What if the passport chip will not scan?
Remove your phone case
Try different positions on the passport (front cover, back cover, data page)
Ensure NFC is enabled in your phone settings
Some older passports do not have chips. You can still proceed without the chip scan
What if my facial photo keeps being rejected?
Improve lighting (natural daylight works best)
Use a plain background
Remove glasses and head coverings
Ensure your entire face is visible and centred
Keep your expression neutral
What if I previously provided biometrics but the app says I am not eligible?
The system may not have your previous biometrics on record, or there may be a data matching issue. In this case, you will need to attend an ABCC. Contact the Department through ImmiAccount if you believe this is an error.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Australian Immi App free?
Can I use the Immi App for my first Australian visa application?
Which visas can I use the Immi App for?
Is the Immi App the same as the ETA App?
What if I renew my passport after using the app?
How long does it take for my biometrics to be processed?
Can someone else submit biometrics on my behalf using the app?
How does the Immi App fit Australia's digital visa transformation?
The Australian Immi App is part of a wider shift towards handling immigration online. Year by year, the Department of Home Affairs has added technology that cuts down on in-person visits, speeds applications up, and makes the whole process easier to get through.
For visitors from countries that require biometrics, this is good news. A step that once meant an international trip to a collection centre now happens in your living room. That cuts real cost and real stress.
The app does not change how your visa is judged, though. You still have to meet every requirement, provide your supporting documents, and show that you are a genuine temporary entrant (that you really plan to leave when your visa ends). All the app removes is one painful step.
If you are planning to visit Australia:
Check whether you need an ETA, eVisitor, or Subclass 600 visa based on your passport
If you need a Subclass 600 and are asked for biometrics, the Immi App may save you time
Use our Visa Time Checker to estimate how long your application will take
Ready to apply? Start your visitor visa application with Tern. Our platform guides you through your documents, flags problems before submission, and reviews every application before it goes to the Department.
