Australian Consulate-General
Hong Kong, China
Address: 23/F Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong - Tel: +852 2827 8881 - Fax: +852 2585 4457

 
Media Release

5 June 2008

VISA APPLICATIONS SOAR FOR WORLD YOUTH DAY

More than 39,000 visas have been issued to pilgrims from around the world who are planning to attend to World Youth Day in Sydney (15-20 July).

An Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) spokesperson said officers in Hong Kong have been working with church groups and tour leaders to ensure that participants from Hong Kong and Macau have their visas processed in time to join more than 10,000 pilgrims from across Asia.

DIAC also has almost 13,000 applications still under assessment and organisers are expecting about 4,000 pilgrims from New Zealand who do not normally need to apply for a visa before they travel.

“To put this in perspective, World Youth Day now rivals the 2006 Commonwealth Games in terms of international visitors and the applications continue to flow in,” according to the spokesperson.

“Those intending to join World Youth Day should have already lodged their visa applications,” added the spokesperson, “but those who haven’t should apply now to the visa office in Hong Kong.”

World Youth Day pilgrims who hold HKSAR, BNO or Portugese passports are among those eligible for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) and may choose to apply for their visa at the same time as registering to attend World Youth Day on the official World Youth Day website: www.wyd2008.org.

Pilgrims from Macau and other countries not eligible for an ETA also need to register for the event but, in addition, they will need to complete a paper visa application form and send it to their nearest Australian Immigration Office. In Hong Kong the office is located at: 24/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wanchai.

Tourism Australia has created a Facebook site to keep pilgrims up to date with events (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Australia/11071120908) and details can also be found at www.australia.com/wyd08.

More information on how to apply for a visa is available through the World Youth Day registration system or on the Hong Kong Consulate-General website: www.hongkong.china.embassy.gov.au.

MEDIA RESOURCES

WYD08 is committed to providing media with the best possible services for the event. Details at: www.wyd2008.org/media or email media@wyd2008.org.


CONSULATE-GENERAL MEDIA CONTACT:
Mr Gavin McDougall Tel: +852 2585 4418 or 6473 8885
Ms Simmy Lam Tel: +852 2585 4482 or 9211 8937


 

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