PA/25/11                                                                                                                              27 May 2011



For the first time ever, the Australian High Commission in New Delhi has passed 100,000 visitor and temporary entry visas in a program year.  The 100,000th visa for the 2010-2011 program year was issued on 23 May in New Delhi.

This milestone underlines the fast expanding linkages between India and Australia in tourism and business.

The figure includes 19 different types of visa, including tourist and business visas. 

Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Peter Varghese, said “one hundred thousand visitor visas shows how fast the bilateral relationship between Australia and India is growing.  More Indians are travelling to Australia for business, tourism and to study at our universities.  And a growing number of travellers are reconnecting with family members in Australia.” 

The visitor visa application rate has increased by 17% this year and over 50% of visitor visa applicants were family members of Indian permanent residents or Australian citizens of Indian origin.

The business short stay visa application rate has increased by 15% this year, and will continue to grow as India-Australia economic and trade relations also grow.   

Two way trade between India and Australia has been growing at about 20% year on year for the past five years.  In 2010 two-way trade was approximately A$22 billion driven by the strong complementarities between the two economies.  Reflecting this dynamism on 12 May Australia and India agreed to launch negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (or FTA).

High Commissioner Varghese said “All these are very healthy signs of the growing partnership between our countries and people.  Quite simply, Australia and India are rapidly becoming more important to each other.”



For further information, please contact the Public Affairs Section on 011 4139 9900.