Australia Visa Biometrics in India from 26 October 2026

Published 2026-10-27 · 7 min read · By the Travlys visa team

Australia now collects fingerprints and a facial image from visa applicants in India. Here is who gets asked, where to go, what it costs and how it affects your timeline.

From 26 October 2026, Australia may ask visa applicants in India to give fingerprints and a facial image. It applies only to applications lodged on or after that date, and only if the Department of Home Affairs sends you a biometrics request letter after you lodge. You then attend one of 16 VFS-run centres in India, including Ahmedabad, for a ₹1,425 service fee, or, if your letter allows, use the free Australian Immi App.

At a glance: Start date: applications lodged from 26 October 2026. What is collected: a digital facial image and a scan of all 10 fingertips (children under 5 give a photo only). Who: only applicants who receive a biometrics request letter from Home Affairs. Where: 16 Australian Biometrics Collection Centres (ABCCs) in India run by VFS Global. Fee: ₹1,425 per applicant, taxes included; ₹4,000 extra for walk-ins. Free option: Australian Immi App, if your letter's Visa Lodgement Number starts with AUI. Not affected: applications lodged before 26 October 2026.

What changed on 26 October 2026

The Australian High Commission in New Delhi announced on 26 October 2026 that Australia is expanding biometric collection to nearly 60 countries, including India. Until now, the High Commission's biometrics page listed only Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal from this region. Indian applicants mostly lodged online and never visited a centre.

The legal basis is the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, which let Australia require 'personal identifiers' (your fingerprints and an image of your face). Home Affairs says it uses them to confirm identity, prevent identity fraud and check criminal and immigration history with other agencies.

The rule was widely reported in Indian media on 26 October 2026. The details below come from the High Commission notice, the Home Affairs biometrics pages and the VFS Global India site.

Which visas are covered

The official notices do not list specific visa subclasses. They say applicants in India may be required to provide biometrics, and that Home Affairs will tell you if you are. So a visitor visa (subclass 600), student visa (subclass 500), work visa such as the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) or a family visa lodged from India can all trigger a request. Whether you personally have to go depends on your letter, not on the visa type.

Do not book a centre appointment just in case. VFS says its biometric service applies only after you have lodged online through ImmiAccount and received a Biometrics Requirement Letter from Home Affairs.

Who is not affected

• Applications lodged before 26 October 2026. The High Commission says these are not affected.
• Visas already granted. Nothing changes for a visa you already hold. You may be asked for biometrics the next time you apply.
• Applicants who get no letter. No letter means no appointment.
• Children under 5 (partly). They must still attend but do not give fingerprints. There is no published age at which children skip the appointment entirely.

How the process works

• Lodge your visa online in ImmiAccount and pay the visa application charge as usual.
• Watch for the letter. Home Affairs sends a 'Requirement to provide personal identifiers (biometrics)' letter by email or through your ImmiAccount, or to your authorised agent.
• Check the letter against your passport. Name, date of birth and passport number must match exactly. If not, update your details in ImmiAccount and ask the Global Service Centre for a corrected letter before you go. VFS will not collect biometrics on a mismatched letter.
• Choose your route. If the Visa Lodgement Number starts with AUI, you can use the Immi App. Otherwise, book an ABCC appointment on the VFS site and pay the fee.
• Attend with your original passport (the one linked to your application) and the letter. Arrive 15 minutes early.

Option 1: the Australian Immi App (free)

India is on the Home Affairs list of countries where the Australian Immi App can be used. You need a request letter with an AUI number, a valid passport and a smartphone with NFC, camera access and location services turned on. The app scans your passport data page and chip, then takes a live photo. It does not take fingerprints. ImmiAccount is updated within 24 hours. The High Commission adds that applicants who have given biometrics at an ABCC before and hold a valid passport may be able to use the app at no cost.

Option 2: a collection centre

Home Affairs lists these Indian ABCCs as of October 2026: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram, plus pop-up centres in Panaji and Puducherry. Regular centres open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Panaji opens on Wednesdays and Puducherry on Fridays, as published weekly. The Ahmedabad centre is at Shree Balaji Agora Mall on SP Ring Road, Motera.

Staff take a digital photo of your face and scan all 10 fingertips on an inkless scanner. Your face must be visible from chin to above the eyebrows, including both ears. You may be asked to remove glasses. If you wear a religious head covering, you can ask for collection in private by someone of the same gender.

What it costs

VFS Global lists a biometric collection service fee of ₹1,425 per applicant, including taxes (Ahmedabad centre page, checked 27 October 2026). It is paid online when you book or at the centre by card or QR code, and it is not refundable. Turning up without an appointment adds a ₹4,000 walk-in fee. A family of four attending together pays ₹5,700 in service fees.

This is on top of the Australian visa application charge. Home Affairs does not list any separate government charge for biometrics. The Immi App route costs nothing. Optional VFS extras, such as help with the online form (₹455 for 30 minutes), are not required.

Deadline and timelines

The official pages we checked do not publish a fixed number of days for Indian applicants to attend. Your letter sets the timeframe, so read it the day it arrives. The High Commission says processing times are not expected to change if you complete biometrics promptly.

In practice, the change adds one more step between lodging and decision: waiting for the letter, finding a slot and attending. How long that takes depends on slot availability in your city and how fast you act. Home Affairs has not published new processing times for India, so build in a buffer. If you travel soon:

• Lodge now. Applications lodged later wait longer for the letter and the appointment.
• Keep your passport with you. Do not hand it to another embassy, for example for a Schengen or UK visa, while you wait for the Australian letter. VFS needs the original.
• Book the first slot you can. If your nearest city is full, another centre can be quicker for a short trip.
• Skip mehndi. VFS asks that fingertips be free of henna, cuts and bandages. In wedding season this catches many applicants out. If you have a temporary injury, you can upload a written request for more time to ImmiAccount.

Common mistakes

• Booking on look-alike websites. Use only the VFS Global India page for Australia and links from Home Affairs.
• Bringing a photocopy or an old passport instead of the original passport linked to the application.
• Sending a relative or agent in your place. You must attend in person.
• Carrying a large bag. Only one cabin-size bag is allowed, and the centre cannot store prohibited items.

How long biometrics stay valid

Australia does not publish a fixed validity period like the Schengen 59-month rule. Home Affairs stores your biometrics in a secure database. It may take them again when you arrive in Australia or apply for another visa and compare them with the stored record. For repeat travellers, the main benefit is that a later request may let you use the Immi App instead of visiting a centre, but that is not guaranteed.

Who should plan for this now

• Students applying for early 2027 intakes. Add the biometrics step to your CoE-to-visa timeline. See our Australia student visa rules update of 2 October 2026.
• Parents visiting children for summer or graduations in Australia. Apply early and keep a weekday free for the appointment.
• Business travellers with short notice trips. You cannot control when the letter comes, so lodge as soon as the trip is likely.

How Travlys helps

Travlys files Australia visas from ₹4,950 in service fees (government and VFS fees extra). We prepare and lodge your application, check that your details match your passport so the biometrics letter is correct, and tell you which route the letter allows. If you need a centre visit, we help you book the nearest slot, including the Ahmedabad ABCC in Motera. We have filed 5,000+ visas with a 98% approval rate. Message us on WhatsApp at +91 82009 18967.

Last checked: Rules, centre list and fees were checked on 27 October 2026 against the Australian High Commission India notice, the Home Affairs biometrics and Immi App pages, and the VFS Global India pages listed below. VFS fees can change, so confirm on the VFS site when you book.