Australian Visa Biometrics 2026 - Who Must Provide Them, Where and How
Updated: 30 October 2026
Home Affairs can ask you for fingerprints and a facial image as part of an Australian visa application.
Whether you must provide them depends on where you apply from.
From 26 October 2026, Laos and India joined the locations with new biometrics requirements.
Key Takeaways
Home Affairs tells you if you must provide biometrics and which ones. Follow those instructions to book your appointment.
Biometrics mean a digital facial image and a scan of all 10 fingertips.
Laos: from 26 October 2026, visa applicants in Lao PDR are required to provide biometrics, according to the Australian Embassy in Lao PDR.
India: from 26 October 2026, applicants may be required to provide biometrics on new applications.
You attend an Australian Biometrics Collection Centre (ABCC) or, if eligible, use the Australian Immi App.
ABCCs charge a service fee, and you may need to travel to another country to reach one.
What biometrics mean for an Australian visa
Under the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, you may need to provide personal identifiers with a visa application.
Personal identifiers are your fingerprints and an image of your face. These are also called biometrics.
Home Affairs uses them to identify you, protect you from identity fraud, make travel to Australia safer and secure the border.
Source: Home Affairs - Biometrics.
What changed on 26 October 2026
Laos
The Australian Embassy in Lao PDR states that visa applicants in Lao PDR are required to provide a digital facial image and fingerprint scans from 26 October 2026.
You get notified of the requirement when you lodge your application in ImmiAccount.
The Home Affairs centre list shows an ABCC in Vientiane.
The Embassy notice does not say whether applications lodged before 26 October 2026 are exempt. Check the instructions in your own ImmiAccount.
India
The Australian High Commission in India says people lodging a new application from 26 October 2026 may be required to provide fingerprints and a facial image.
The High Commission says the change does not affect visas already granted or applications lodged before 26 October 2026.
It also says Home Affairs will tell you if you must provide biometrics, usually by email to you or your authorised agent.
Depending on your circumstances, you attend one of 16 ABCCs across India or use the Australian Immi App.
Where Australia has biometrics collection centres
The Home Affairs list, correct as of October 2026, shows ABCCs in these locations:
Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam
Pacific: Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu
Middle East and North Africa: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates
Sub-Saharan Africa: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe
Europe and Central Asia: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, Greece, Kazakhstan and Russia
Americas: Colombia, Mexico and Peru
Home Affairs tells you whether your application needs biometrics. In Laos, the Embassy states that applicants are required to provide them.
Check the Home Affairs biometrics page for the current city list and any temporary closures.
How to provide your biometrics
If you are outside Australia
Home Affairs tells you whether to attend an ABCC in person or use the Australian Immi App.
VFS Global runs the ABCCs for the department. You must book an appointment with VFS Global.
Bring the valid passport linked to your visa application. VFS will generally not collect your biometrics without it.
ABCCs charge a service fee. VFS Global does not answer questions about visa applications.
In some countries the nearest centre sits in another country, so you may need to travel.
Using the Australian Immi App
Some applicants can provide biometrics through the Australian Immi App instead of visiting a centre.
The High Commission in India says applicants who gave biometrics at an ABCC before and hold a valid passport may be able to use the app at no cost.
Eligibility also depends on the country you apply from. Home Affairs tells you if you are eligible. Do not assume you are.
The Laos Embassy notice mentions only an ABCC. It does not mention the app.
If you are in Australia
Onshore collection is by appointment only. Home Affairs sends you a letter or invitation.
Bring the appointment letter and your original passport or another valid travel document, such as a Certificate of Identity, ImmiCard, UNHCR Identity Card or Convention Travel Document.
If you applied offshore for a visa that needs biometrics and you are now in Australia, tell the office in the country where you applied. You may still need to travel offshore to an ABCC.
What happens at your appointment
Staff take an image of your face with a digital camera and scan all 10 fingertips.
Your face must be clearly visible from the bottom of your chin to above your eyebrows, including both cheeks and both ears.
Common situations and what to do
Glasses or a religious head covering: you may need to remove them. You can ask to do this in private and with someone of the same gender.
Temporary injury to your face or fingertips: wait until it heals. Or write to Home Affairs with your reasons and upload the request to your ImmiAccount.
Missing finger: ABCC staff collect the fingerprints of your remaining fingers.
Mehndi or other hand decoration: contact VFS Global before your appointment to ask if you can still give fingerprints.
A minor under the laws of the country where your biometrics are collected, or someone unable to understand what biometrics are for: a parent or guardian must attend with you.
How Home Affairs stores and uses your biometrics
Home Affairs stores your images and fingerprints in a secure database. Only authorised department officers can access it.
It may check your biometrics with other Australian or international agencies to verify your identity, criminal history and immigration history.
When you enter Australia or apply for another visa, it may take your biometrics again and compare them with the stored records.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to provide biometrics for an Australian visa?
It depends on where you apply from. In Laos, the Australian Embassy says applicants are required to provide biometrics from 26 October 2026. Elsewhere, including India, Home Affairs tells you if you must provide them and which ones.
What changed on 26 October 2026?
Biometrics requirements expanded to Laos and India. In Laos, applicants are required to provide biometrics. In India, applicants lodging new applications may be required to provide them.
Do the India exemptions for earlier applications apply to Laos?
The Embassy notice for Laos does not confirm any such exemption. The India statement says applications lodged before 26 October 2026 are not affected. Follow the instructions in your own ImmiAccount.
Can I use the Australian Immi App instead of visiting a centre?
Only if Home Affairs tells you that you are eligible. The High Commission in India says applicants who gave biometrics at an ABCC before and hold a valid passport may be able to use it at no cost. Eligibility also depends on your country. The Laos notice mentions only an ABCC.
How much does biometrics collection cost?
ABCCs charge a service fee. Check the current amount with VFS Global when you book.
Can I provide biometrics if I am already in Australia?
Yes, for onshore applications. Home Affairs sends you an appointment letter, and you attend with your original passport or another valid travel document.
Will biometrics delay my visa?
The High Commission in India says it does not expect the new requirements to affect processing times if applicants complete the step promptly. The Laos notice says nothing about processing times. Book as soon as Home Affairs gives you the instruction. See current visa processing times for your visa.
Need help with your visa application?
If Home Affairs asks you for biometrics and you are not sure what to do, a registered migration agent can check your instructions and your timing.
Applying for a visitor visa? Read our guide to the Visitor Visa subclass 600.
Not sure how to manage your ImmiAccount? See our guide to ImmiAccount multi-factor authentication.
Book a consultation with RACC. Our registered migration agents (MARN 1572961 and MARN 1172003) can help you plan your next steps.
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