Australia 189 Visa Document Checklist for Indian Applicants 2026

Once you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for the Subclass 189, you have 60 days to lodge the complete application. Missing or incorrect documents are the primary cause of delays and refusals. This checklist is built for Indian applicants specifically — it covers not just what is required, but the India-specific nuances that affect how each document must be obtained and presented.

Identity Documents

Passport: Current valid passport, all pages including blank pages. If your passport was renewed since your EOI was lodged, include both current and previous passports.

Birth certificate: Issued by the relevant Indian Municipal Corporation. If no formal birth certificate exists (common for applicants born before 1969 or in rural jurisdictions), obtain a Non-Availability of Birth Certificate (NABC) from your local Nagar Nigam or Gram Panchayat, supported by:

• 10th standard marksheet showing date of birth
• Affidavit from a parent or senior relative who was present at birth
• Any hospital records if available

Marriage certificate: If applicable, the certificate issued by the Sub-Registrar of Marriages in India. In states using the Hindu Marriage Act, the certificate may be called a "Marriage Registration Certificate" rather than a "Marriage Certificate" — both are acceptable.

Name discrepancy affidavit: If your name appears differently across documents (e.g., "K.S. Rahul" in the passport versus "Karamala Sanjeev Rahul" on the degree certificate), a "One and the Same Person" affidavit notarized by a first-class magistrate or public notary is required. This is the single most commonly missed document for South Indian applicants whose names follow initials conventions.

Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)

India PCC: Issued by the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Regional Passport Office (RPO). Apply in person at the PSK with your passport. The PCC is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

Apply for the PCC after receiving the ITA, not before. The validity clock starts from issue, not from visa application. Applying too early risks the PCC expiring before the visa is granted, which forces the grant's Initial Entry Date to align with the (earlier) expiry — meaning you must enter Australia sooner than planned.

If you have lived outside India for 12 or more months at any time in the last 10 years, you need a PCC from each such country:

• UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia: Apply through the respective embassy or online clearance systems in that country
• Singapore: Singapore Police Force online portal
• UK, USA, Canada: Country-specific processes through national police databases

Indian applicants living in Australia: Apply for the Indian PCC through the Indian Consulate (in Sydney, Melbourne, or other cities with consular services). Consular PCCs coordinate with Indian authorities and typically take 4-6 weeks.

Medical Examination

All applicants must undergo a medical examination at an approved panel physician. In India, panel clinics are located in major cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Kolkata.

The medical examination includes:

• General health assessment
• Chest X-ray (TB screening — critical given India's TB rates)
• Blood tests (HIV, hepatitis B/C for some applicants)
• Urinalysis

Results are submitted electronically directly to the Department of Home Affairs. You do not receive a physical copy — a "eMedical Reference Number" is issued to include in your visa application.

Health insurance: The Subclass 189 does not require private health insurance as a condition of grant. However, as a permanent resident, you will be covered by Medicare from the date of grant. There is no separate "Australia PR health insurance requirement" for the 189 itself — the Medicare entitlement is automatic.

Note: If you arrive in Australia before the visa is granted (on a bridging visa or another temporary visa), Medicare eligibility depends on your specific situation. Review this with a healthcare administrator on arrival.

Degree Recognition and Education Documents

Australian-equivalent degree recognition: The ACS, Engineers Australia, or other assessing authority has already evaluated your degree as part of the skills assessment. For the visa application, you need to upload the original documents that formed the basis of the assessment:

• University degree certificate (original or certified copy)
• Official academic transcripts (sealed by the university)

VTU transcripts: If you studied under Visvesvaraya Technological University or a VTU-affiliated college, transcripts must be obtained directly from VTU's registrar office — not from your college. VTU issues sealed transcripts on request. Processing takes 2-4 weeks. Third-party services can facilitate collection for a fee if you are no longer in Karnataka.

Anna University transcripts: Similar process. Apply through Anna University's transcript portal. Colleges affiliated with Anna University cannot issue transcripts on the university's behalf.

Degree certificate: The degree certificate (convocation certificate) from your university. If you have not collected your original, apply for a duplicate through your university registrar with an affidavit of loss.

Employment Evidence

Reference letters: On company letterhead, signed by an authorized HR or line manager, detailing your position title, employment dates, and key responsibilities aligned with your ANZSCO occupation. ACS requires this to be specific to technical duties, not generic.

Where HR policies prohibit detailed letters: A Statutory Declaration from a senior colleague or direct manager is acceptable to ACS. It must be notarized on stamp paper in India and must list specific duties in bullet points aligned with the ANZSCO description.

Payment evidence (required by ACS, advisable for visa):

• Salary slips for the claimed employment period
• Bank statements showing salary credits
• Form 16 (withholding tax certificate from employer)
• EPF statements from the EPFO portal

For former employers who no longer exist (defunct startups or companies): Provide Statutory Declaration from a former colleague plus company dissolution records from the Registrar of Companies (ROC). Use Form 16 and bank statements as primary corroborative evidence.

Skills Assessment Outcome

The ACS, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, or other authority assessment letter is a required document. Upload the positive outcome letter exactly as issued — do not alter or annotate it.

English Language Test Results

PTE Academic or IELTS score report. Upload the official score report from your test record.

Financial Evidence (Recommended, Not Mandatory)

The Department of Home Affairs does not require proof of funds for the 189. However, including Income Tax Returns (ITR-V) for the last 3 years strengthens the application by demonstrating that employment was genuine and that declared income was consistent with the experience being claimed. This is especially important for applicants with employment gaps or periods of self-employment.

Application Lodgement

All documents are uploaded through your ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website. Documents should be:

• Clear, legible scans — not photographs taken on a phone in poor light
• In PDF format where possible
• Consistent in naming (use the exact name shown on your passport throughout)

The India to Australia Skilled 189 Guide includes a detailed document assembly checklist with India-specific notes on procurement timelines and how to handle common complications — name discrepancies, defunct employers, and VTU transcript delays.

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