Australia Names 9 African Countries That Must Submit Fingerprints, Face Scans to Get Visas
- Australia's Department of Home Affairs published a list of countries whose nationals must provide fingerprints and face scans as part of the visa application process
- Nine African countries appear on the list, with Australian Biometrics Collection Centres already operating across multiple cities on the continent
- Applicants must book appointments at designated centres run by VFS Global and pay a service fee to complete the biometrics requirement
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Australia's Department of Home Affairs confirmed that nationals from nine African countries must submit fingerprints and a facial scan when applying for an Australian visa, as part of the country's biometrics identification requirement.
Under the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, visa applicants from certain countries are required to provide what the department calls "personal identifiers," which include digital scans of all 10 fingertips and a photograph of the face taken with a digital camera.
Source: UGC
The 9 African Countries on Australia's Biometrics List
According to the department's official biometrics page, last updated in October 2026, the nine African countries with Australian Biometrics Collection Centres (ABCCs) are:
1. Algeria (Algiers)
2. Egypt (Alexandria, Cairo)
3. Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)
4. Ghana (Accra)
5. Kenya (Nairobi)
6. Nigeria (Lagos, Abuja)
7. South Africa (Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth)
8. Uganda (Kampala)
9. Zimbabwe (Harare)
Nigeria and South Africa each have more than one collection centre, with Nigeria hosting centres in both Lagos and Abuja, and South Africa operating five locations across the country.
How the Biometrics Collection Process Works
VFS Global is contracted by the Australian government to run the ABCCs across all listed countries.
Applicants must book an appointment in advance and are required to bring a valid travel document, such as the passport linked to their visa application, to the appointment. A service fee is charged for each biometrics collection session.
At the appointment, staff use a digital finger scanner to capture all 10 fingertips and a digital camera to photograph the applicant's face.
The face must be fully visible from the chin to above the eyebrows, including both cheeks and ears.
In some cases, glasses or religious head coverings may need to be removed, though the process can be conducted in private or with a same-gender staff member upon request.
The department states that biometrics are used to protect applicants from identity fraud, verify criminal and immigration histories, and strengthen border security. Collected data is stored in a secure database accessible only to authorised departmental officers, in line with Australia's Privacy Act.
Applicants who are in a country without an ABCC may need to travel to a neighbouring country to complete the requirement before their visa can be processed.
Australia lists conditions for priority visa processing
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia published guidelines under Ministerial Direction 117 explaining how partner visa applications can receive priority processing.
The government stated that applicants must prove special circumstances of a compassionate nature before their case can be moved up the queue.
Source: Legit.ng
