ImmiAccount accepts a short list of file types, and choosing the right one for each document saves you from rejected uploads and requests to resubmit. Here's what uploads cleanly, which format to pick for each kind of document, and how to convert the files that arrive in the wrong format.
The formats that work: PDF, JPG, PNG
PDF is the standard choice and the right default for almost everything: multi-page documents, official letters, bank statements, certificates, and anything a case officer needs to read as a document. JPG/JPEG and PNG are image formats — appropriate for single photographs, such as a passport-style photo, where the content genuinely is a picture rather than a page.
Which format for which document
- Passport bio-data page, certificates, statements, letters, forms — PDF, one document per file.
- Multi-page documents — a single PDF containing all pages, not one image per page.
- Passport-style photographs — JPG or PNG as produced by the photographer.
- Both sides of a card (ID, licence) — scan both sides and merge into one PDF.
Converting everything else
Documents arrive in all sorts of formats: Word files from employers, phone photos in newer camera formats, statements exported as web pages. The universal fix is the same — print or export to PDF. Word, Pages and Google Docs all export PDF natively; on phones, sharing a photo to a PDF scan app (or using the built-in document scanner) produces a proper PDF instead of a raw camera file. Convert first, then check the size.
Scans vs photos: getting a clean PDF
A format that uploads is only half the job — the document also has to be readable at the other end. If you're capturing paper documents with a phone, use the document-scanner mode rather than the plain camera: it squares up the page, evens out the lighting, and outputs a PDF directly. Lay the document flat on a dark, non-reflective surface, capture in good light, and check that every field, stamp and signature is legible at 100% zoom before you file the scan away. A crisp black-and-white scan of a text document is usually both smaller and easier to read than a full-colour photograph of the same page.
What gets rejected
- ZIP, RAR and other archives — containers aren't documents; upload files individually.
- Password-protected or encrypted PDFs — unlock before uploading, or the file can't be opened at the other end.
- Anything over 5 MB — the per-file limit applies regardless of format; compress oversize PDFs rather than degrading the scan.
- Files that won't open on your own machine — a corrupted file fails everywhere; re-export from the source.
The practical workflow: build your visa document checklist first, attach each file to its item as you collect it, and let the built-in tools catch format and size problems early — VisaPacks flags files over the 5 MB ImmiAccount limit, detects locked PDFs, and merges multi-page scans into single PDFs.
When in doubt, make it a PDF. It's accepted, it keeps multi-page documents together, it preserves text sharpness, and it's what case officers handle all day.
FAQ
Does ImmiAccount accept Word documents (.docx)?
Export Word documents to PDF before uploading. PDF, JPG/JPEG and PNG are the formats that upload reliably, and PDF preserves your formatting exactly as a case officer will see it.
Should I upload each page as a separate image?
No — combine all pages of one document into a single PDF. One document per file keeps the application readable and avoids pages being missed or misfiled.
My phone saves photos in a format that won't upload — what do I do?
Use your phone's document-scanner (built into the camera or notes app on most phones) to capture the document as a PDF, or share the photo to a scan app that outputs PDF. Raw camera formats should be converted before upload.