ImmiAccount file upload requirements

File size limit

ImmiAccount enforces a hard ceiling of 5 MB per individual file. There is no overall application size cap published by the Department, but each attachment is checked independently at upload time. If a file exceeds 5 MB, the system will reject it immediately and display an error before any upload begins.

This limit applies regardless of file type. A 6 MB JPEG photo will be rejected just as quickly as a 6 MB PDF. The system does not attempt partial uploads or offer to compress the file for you — the rejection is instant.

For documents that naturally run large (police certificates with security watermarks, medical scans, colour-heavy identity documents), you will almost certainly need to compress or re-scan before uploading.

Document count limits

Each application has a maximum number of attachments:

- Standard applications: 60 documents
- Partner visa applications (subclasses 820/801, 309/100): 100 documents

Once you hit the cap, the portal will not allow further uploads for that application. This limit includes every file attached at any stage — during initial lodgement and any documents added afterwards.

Plan your uploads carefully. If you have many supporting documents, consider combining related pages into a single multi-page PDF rather than uploading each page separately.

Filename rules

ImmiAccount filenames must follow strict character rules. Only these characters are permitted:

- Letters: A–Z, a–z
- Numbers: 0–9
- Dashes: `-`
- Underscores: `_`

Everything else is rejected. Spaces, apostrophes, brackets, hash symbols, ampersands, and non-English characters will all trigger an upload error. The portal does not sanitise filenames automatically — it simply blocks the upload.

Before uploading, rename files to remove any prohibited characters. For example:

`John's Passport (colour).pdf` — `Johns-Passport-colour.pdf`
`Police Check #2.pdf` — `Police-Check-2.pdf`
`Résumé — final.pdf` — `Resume-final.pdf`

Batch-renaming tools built into Windows and macOS can handle this quickly if you have many files to fix.

Accepted file types

The portal accepts the following formats:

- PDF (not encrypted, not form-fillable)
- JPEG / JPG
- TIFF / TIF
- PNG
- BMP
- Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) — accepted in some application types
- Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx) — accepted in some application types

PDF is the most reliable format across all application types. When in doubt, convert your document to a standard (non-encrypted, non-form-fillable) PDF.

Encrypted and form-fillable PDFs

ImmiAccount rejects two categories of PDF outright:

1. Password-protected or encrypted PDFs — files that require a password to open or that have any level of encryption applied, even if the password is blank.
2. Form-fillable PDFs — interactive PDFs with editable fields, checkboxes, or dropdown menus. These include many government-issued forms downloaded from official websites.

Both types will fail at upload, sometimes with a generic error that does not specifically mention encryption or form fields.

To fix either issue, "flatten" or "print to PDF" the document:

1. Open the PDF in any viewer (Adobe Acrobat, Preview on macOS, or a browser).
2. Use File → Print, then select Save as PDF or Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer.
3. Save the output with a compliant filename.

The resulting file will be a standard, flat PDF that ImmiAccount accepts.

How to compress files under 5 MB

When a file exceeds the 5 MB limit, try these approaches:

For scanned documents (PDF, JPEG, TIFF):
- Re-scan at a lower resolution. 200–300 DPI is sufficient for most identity and supporting documents.
- Switch from colour to greyscale if the document does not require colour (e.g., statutory declarations, employment references).
- Use a PDF compression tool to reduce file size without re-scanning.

For photographs (JPEG, PNG):
- Resize the image dimensions. Passport-style photos do not need to be 4000 × 3000 pixels.
- Reduce JPEG quality to 70–80%. This typically halves file size with minimal visible difference.
- Convert PNG files to JPEG where transparency is not needed.

For multi-page PDFs:
- Split the document into smaller files and upload each part separately, labelling them clearly (e.g., `Bank-Statements-Part-1.pdf`, `Bank-Statements-Part-2.pdf`).
- Remove unnecessary pages before uploading.

Always check the final file size before attempting the upload. The portal provides no partial-upload recovery — a failed upload means starting that file again from scratch.

Common upload errors and fixes

Error or symptom: Upload fails immediately with no progress; Likely cause: File exceeds 5 MB; Fix: Compress or split the file
Error or symptom: "Invalid file name" or filename error; Likely cause: Prohibited characters in filename; Fix: Rename using only A–Z, 0–9, dashes, underscores
Error or symptom: Upload appears to succeed but file is not listed; Likely cause: Form-fillable or encrypted PDF; Fix: Flatten the PDF using print-to-PDF
Error or symptom: "Maximum number of documents reached"; Likely cause: Hit the 60-document cap (or 100 for partner visas); Fix: Combine related pages into multi-page PDFs
Error or symptom: Upload stalls or times out; Likely cause: Browser issue or session timeout; Fix: Clear browser cache, try a different browser, or re-login to ImmiAccount
Error or symptom: File type not accepted; Likely cause: Unsupported format (e.g., HEIC, WEBP); Fix: Convert to PDF or JPEG before uploading

If an upload consistently fails after addressing all the above, try a different browser. ImmiAccount is optimised for recent versions of Chrome, Edge, and Safari. Browser extensions (particularly ad blockers and privacy tools) can interfere with uploads.

Can I upload HEIC photos from my iPhone directly?

No. ImmiAccount does not accept HEIC format. Convert the photo to JPEG before uploading. On iPhone, you can change the camera format in Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible, which saves photos as JPEG by default.

What happens if I upload the wrong document?

You cannot delete an uploaded document from a submitted application. If you uploaded an incorrect file, attach the correct version with a clear filename indicating it is the replacement. You can add a note explaining the correction if the application type allows it.

Does the 60-document limit reset if I withdraw and re-apply?

No. The limit applies per application. A new application starts with a fresh count, but a withdrawn application's attachments cannot be transferred.

Can I upload a ZIP file containing multiple documents?

No. ZIP, RAR, and other archive formats are not accepted. Each document must be uploaded individually as a supported file type.

Is there a maximum filename length?

The Department does not publish a specific character limit for filenames, but excessively long names (over approximately 80 characters including the extension) have been reported to cause issues. Keep filenames descriptive but concise.

Why does my PDF upload fail even though it is under 5 MB?

The most common reason is that the PDF is encrypted or form-fillable. Even PDFs with no visible password protection can carry encryption metadata. Flatten the file using print-to-PDF and try again. Also check that the filename contains only permitted characters.