Accra, Feb. 14, GNA- The Australian government has opened its Visa Application Centre in Accra to provide Ghanaian applicants a convenient, fast and accessible way to apply for Australian visas.

The new visa services, which had been operational since February 8, 2012, was in response to the increasing visa service demands by Ghanaians who want to travel to Australia for work, study, visit and for holidays.

Speaking at the ceremony on Tuesday, Mr William Billy Williams, Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, said the visa centre would enable Ghanaian clients to lodge visa applications in Ghana.

“Previously, Ghanaians visa applicants were required to send their applications directly to the Australian High Commission in Kenya.”

He noted that the establishment of the Centre would further help strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

He noted that under the new visa application arrangements, clients were required to submit their applications in persons at the Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC), where they would also be made to provide a fingerprint and facial scan as part of their biometric data collection.

“Biometric data is an important tool in identity management globally, helping countries to facilitate the arrival of travellers and to combat fraud.”

Prospective applicants could visit www.ghana.embassy.gov.au for more information on the Australian Visa Application Centre.

The Centre shares the premises of the United Kingdom Visa Application Centre located at Lenshie Crescent at the Labone Estate would provide services to prospective travellers to Australia from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Mr Nino Sekyere-Boakye, Chief Executive Officer of All world Migration Services, which provides services to prospective migrants to Australia, appealed to travellers to Australia to seek professional advice on migration to that country to increase their chances of getting visas.

“The right knowledge would also stop them from falling prey to the works and tricks of fake travelling agents”.