FICPI 2012

KEY DATES

Early Registration Closes
Friday 3 February 2012

Standard Registration Closes
Sunday 8 April 2012

Online Registration Closes
Monday 9 April 2012

DEADLINES

Accommodation
Thursday 15 March 2012

Social Program
Friday 16 March 2012

Tours
Friday 16 March 2012

CONFERENCE DATES 
15 – 21 April 2012

Venue and Host Region:
Crown Towers, Melbourne, Australia

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Congress Managers

arinex pty limited
ABN 28 000 386 676

arinex pty limited (formally Tour Hosts) has been appointed as the official PCO (Professional Conference Organiser). arinex is the largest total service provider for conferences, events, business travel and exhibitions in Australia. It is the only Australian partner of INCON, an exclusive international network of the world's top conference organisers and event managers. It is ideally placed to combine international know how and local expertise to this Congress and looks forward to working with FICPI and all its members to produce the best Congress in its history.

Address for Communications

FICPI 2012 Congress Managers
arinex Pty Ltd
91-97 Islington Street
Collingwood VIC 3066
AUSTRALIA

Tel: +61 3 9417 0888
Fax: +61 3 9417 0889
Email: ficpi2012@arinex.com.au

Passport & Visa

All visitors to Australia must have a valid visa to travel to and enter Australia.

IMPORTANT:  Check with your local travel agents about which visa you are entitled to.  Delegates applying for a non-ETA (non-Electronic Travel Authority) visa may present their paid confirmation letter to an Australian visa office to support their application. No other letters will be issued for this purpose. As a conference delegate, you are not guaranteed to be granted a visa.

Note: New Zealand and Norfolk Island passport holders do not usually need to lodge a visa application prior to their home-land departure unless they have health and/or character concerns.

For the best possible chance of obtaining a visa to travel to Australia, you should:

• Determine which visa you should apply for
• Apply for your visa at least 6–8 weeks before your intended date of travel to Australia as visa processing times may vary
• Consider Australia's health and character requirements, which you will have to meet as part of the visa application process.
• Delegates applying for a non-ETA visa may present their paid registration confirmation letter to an Australian visa office to support their application. No other letters will be issued for this purpose. As a FICPI 2012 Congress delegate, you are not guaranteed to be granted a visa.
• Visit the website of the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC): www.immi.gov.au  which has helpful information about Australian missions overseas, how to apply for visas and further details on visa applications, customs clearance, and quarantine regulations.

Visa options
If you are planning to visit Australia for a business event such as a conference, meeting or seminar, you need to apply for a business visa. The passport which you hold determines whether you can apply online, or if you need to lodge a paper-based application. The following information will help you identify the right visa and application process applicable to you.

Online applications
Passport holders from eVisitor eligible countries are able to apply online for a visa to travel to and enter Australia. The most common visa for these passport holders is the eVisitor (Business stream).

eVisitor eligible countries
EU passport holders are able to apply individually online for authorisation to travel to and enter Australia. The most common visa for these passport holders is the eVisitor.

Andorra *	Hungary	Poland	Greece *
Austria *	Iceland *	Portugal *	Norway *
Belgium *	Ireland *	Romania
Bulgaria	Italy *	Republic of San Marino *
Cyprus	Latvia	Slovak Republic
Czech Republic	Liechtenstein *	Slovenia
Denmark *	Lithuania	Spain *
Estonia	Luxembourg *	Sweden *
Finland *	Malta *	Switzerland *
France *	Monaco *	United Kingdom – British Citizen *
Germany *	The Netherlands *	Vatican City

Further information can be found at http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/evisitor/

Applications can be made at http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/evisitor.htm

eVisitor applications are free. A separate online application form is required for each family member who holds a passport from an EU eligible country and wishes to travel with you to Australia, including children under the age of 18 who are included on your passport.

* eligible passport holders also have the option of applying for an ETA through your travel agent, airline, specialist service provider or an Australian visa office outside Australia. Note, travel agencies may choose to impose a fee to arrange an ETA on your behalf.

An ETA is equivalent to a visa, but there is no stamp or label in your passport and there is no need for you to visit an Australian diplomatic office to submit an application. Applications for ETAs can be submitted through travel agents or airlines.

ETA eligible countries
Passport holders from Electronic Authority Travel (ETA) countries are also able to apply for a visa online to travel to and enter Australia.

* A Hong Kong Document of Identity (HKDI) cannot be used to apply for an ETA. Residents of Hong Kong require a citizen passport to apply for this visa.

** Holders of Taiwanese passports can only be processed for an ETA if residing and applying in Taiwan. Applications can be lodged with an approved ETA travel agent in Taiwan, or Australian visa services office in Taipei.

Further information can be found at http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/eta.htm

Applications can be made at http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/

There is no visa application charge for this visa but a service fee of $AUD20 is charged for online applications and travel agencies may choose to impose a fee to arrange an ETA on your behalf. A separate online application form is required for each family member who holds a passport from an ETA-eligible country and wishes to travel with you to Australia, including children under the age of 18 who are included on your passport.

Paper-based applications
All other passport holders need to submit a paper-based application for a Business (Short Stay) visa (subclass 456).

• on Form 456 Application for a Business (Short Stay) visa: see
  http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/456.pdf
• with the relevant documentation: see
  http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/business/_pdf/456-checklist.pdf
• at the Australian visa office nearest to your current place of residence: see http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/index.htm

A visa application charge of $AUD105 will need to be paid when applying for this visa.

More information on this visa is available at www.immi.gov.au/skilled/business/456/