Australia Names 9 African Countries Required to Submit Fingerprints for Visas

• Australia's Department of Home Affairs confirmed that nationals from nine African countries must provide biometric data when applying for a visa
• The nine countries include Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe
• VFS Global runs the Australian Biometric Collection Centres across all nine listed African countries, with Nigeria and South Africa hosting multiple locations

Australia's Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that visa applicants from nine African countries are required to submit biometric data, including fingerprints and a facial scan, before their applications can be processed.

The requirement is grounded in the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, which oblige applicants from specific nations to provide what the department calls "personal identifiers." These consist of digital scans of all 10 fingertips and a photograph of the face captured with a digital camera.

The 9 African countries on Australia's biometrics list

According to the department's official biometrics page, last updated in October 2026, the following African countries host Australian Biometric Collection Centres (ABCCs):

Read also

Australia names 13 conditions for foreigners seeking subclass 192 PR visa

1. Algeria (Algiers)
2. Egypt (Alexandria and Cairo)
3. Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)
4. Ghana (Accra)
5. Kenya (Nairobi)
6. Nigeria (Lagos and Abuja)
7. South Africa (Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Port Elizabeth)
8. Uganda (Kampala
9. Zimbabwe (Harare)

Nigeria and South Africa have multiple collection sites, with South Africa operating five locations across the country.

How Australia's Biometrics Collection Process works

VFS Global, contracted by the Australian government, manages the ABCCs across all nine countries. Applicants must schedule an appointment in advance and bring a valid travel document, specifically the passport linked to their visa application. A service fee applies to each biometrics session.

During the appointment, staff use a digital finger scanner to collect prints from all 10 fingertips and a digital camera to photograph the applicant's face. The face must be clearly visible from the chin to above the eyebrows, with both cheeks and ears in frame. Glasses or religious head coverings may need to be removed in some cases, although the session can be conducted privately or with a same-gender staff member upon request.

Read also

Australia lists 53 countries that will not get visas without fingerprint scans

The Australian government states that the biometric data serves three main purposes: protecting applicants from identity fraud, verifying criminal and immigration histories, and strengthening border security. Collected data is stored in a secure database accessible only to authorised departmental officers, in line with Australia's Privacy Act.

Applicants residing in a country without an ABCC may be required to travel to a neighbouring country to fulfil the requirement before their visa application can proceed.

Source: YEN.com.gh