Visa policy of Australia

Visa rules are set out in the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations, which are administered by the Department of Home Affairs.

There is a large range of visas that may be applied for, for a variety of purposes, including:[12][13][14]

• Visitor visa – for people who need to come to Australia for a short duration for tourism or business purposes. They are issued for periods up to three, six or twelve months. Selected Chinese citizens can be issued ten-year visas from the end of 2016 when applying from China.[15][16]
• Transit visa (subclass 771)[lower-alpha 1] – for people who wish to transit through Australia for less than 72 hours and who do not qualify for transit without a visa or people travelling to Australia to join a vessel as crew.[17]
• Medical treatment (subclass 602)[lower-alpha 2] – for people to have medical treatment or medical consultations, donate an organ or support the person who is having medical treatment in Australia but not to have medical treatment for surrogate motherhood.[18]
• Working holiday visa (subclass 417)[lower-alpha 1] – for people 18 to 30 years of age, who are interested to have an extended holiday while supplementing their funds with short-term work of up to 12 months (with a maximum of 6 months with one employer)[19] and who come from Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan or the United Kingdom.[20]
• Work and holiday visa (subclass 462)[lower-alpha 1] – for people 18 to 30 years of age, who are interested to have an extended holiday while supplementing their funds with short-term work of up to 12 months (with a maximum of 6 months with one employer)[19] and who come from Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the US, Uruguay or Vietnam.[21]
• Student visa (subclass 500)[lower-alpha 2] – for people to study full-time in a recognised education institution.[22] This single type of visa replaced student visas with subclass numbers 570 to 576 on 1 July 2016.[23]
• Partner, Fiancé and Family Members visa – for family members (partners, parents or children) of Australian citizens or permanent residents or of eligible New Zealand citizens. Including Provisional Partner visa (subclass 309[lower-alpha 1] and subclass 820[lower-alpha 2]) and Migrant Partner visa (subclass 100[lower-alpha 1] and subclass 801[lower-alpha 2]), Fiancé, Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300). Family Member visas including Child, Parent, Aged dependant relative, Remaining relative and Carer.[23]
• Permanent residency visa – authorises the permanent resident to remain in Australia indefinitely and to work, as well as many other benefits such medical health coverage under Medicare.
• Resident Return Visa (RRV) (subclasses 155 and 157) – allows current and former permanent residents to travel to another country and re-enter the Australian migration zone as a permanent resident. RRVs allow the holder to re-enter Australia as often as they wish during the validity of the visa. RRVs may be issued with five years' or three months' validity.[24]
• Special Category Visa (subclass 444) – issued under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement to citizens of New Zealand who present a valid New Zealand passport and authorises the holder to enter Australia, live and work indefinitely. The visa is subject to the following conditions: no criminal convictions, no untreated tuberculosis and have not been deported, excluded or removed from any country. The visa is given on arrival at any Australian port, unless they already hold another type of Australian visa.[25][26]
• Special categories for residents of Norfolk Island:
  On 1 July 2016, Norfolk Island became a part of the Australian migration zone. All Norfolk Island immigration permits are no longer valid. Instead, its non-citizen residents are accorded the following categories of visa depending on their previous status (except for New Zealand citizens who were automatically given the Special Category Visa):
  • Provisional Resident Return visa (subclass 159) – issued to former holders of Norfolk Island immigration permits (Temporary Entry Permit (TEP) or General Entry Permit (GEP)). Holders of this visa may live and work on Norfolk Island and live in other parts of Australia only for education purposes. They may apply for the Confirmatory (Residence) visa after they meet the residence requirements on Norfolk Island.[27]
  • Confirmatory (Residence) visa (subclass 808) – issued to former holders of Norfolk Island immigration permits who were either holding an unrestricted entry permit (UEP) or who held a TEP or GEP and have fulfilled the residence requirements. Holders of this type of visa are Australian permanent residents and may live and work in Australia indefinitely, and they may freely leave and enter Australia within the visa's validity (same with the Resident Return visa). This type of visa replaced the UEP, and the Permanent Resident of Norfolk Island visa (PRNIV) which was issued to permanent residents of Norfolk Island at an Australian airport.[28]
• Ex-citizen visa – issued under section 35 of the Migration Act 1958 to persons whose Australian citizenship has been cancelled while physically within the Australian migration zone.[29][30] The person need not be told that they have lost Australian citizenship nor that they hold this visa, which entitles the visa holder to remain permanently in Australia. However, the visa ceases to have effect when the person leaves Australia, and to re-enter needs a Resident Return Visa or other permanent visa. When leaving the country they may not be aware that they hold this visa, and may have difficulties returning.[30]

Visa formats in Australia have changed over the years. Australia was possibly one of the first countries to replace ink-based stamps with more secure stick-on labels in the 1970s.[31]

In 1987, the then-Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs initiated a scheme which saw the utilization of computers to process visitor visa applications in overseas Australian missions for the first time.[31]

In 1990, a second generation of the Immigration Records and Information System (IRIS II) was introduced as a replacement of the original 1987 scheme. At the time, IRIS II was the most advanced visa processing system in the world, simplifying immigration clearance processes at airports and enabling across-the-counter visa issue at the Australian diplomatic missions.[31]

In 1996, the Electronic Travel Authority system (ETA) was launched. The system allows visas to be issued electronically and linked to the applicant's passport, eliminating paper application forms.[32] Australia was the first country in the world to launch electronic visas.[31]

Australia officially ceased the issuance of visa stickers on 1 September 2015, and all visas are issued and recorded electronically.[10]

From July 2017, the use of outgoing departure cards ceased. Passengers were previously required to complete paper declarations upon departing Australia. Instead, the same information is now sourced automatically through electronic systems.[33][34][35]

The Departure card - used from the 1960s until July 2017

By the end of 2017, all wet-ink passport stamping had ceased as a matter of course at the primary line for arrivals and departures at manned counters. Evidence of travel stamps can still be requested at a secondary manned counter typically immediately after the primary line (including if you have used SmartGate for automated passport processing). [36]

Physical arrival cards were replaced with a Digital Passenger Declaration mobile phone app in February 2022. In July 2022 physical paper cards were brought back and the app was scrapped due to poor user experience and difficulties it created for the travellers who were unable to use a suitable electronic device.[37]

All Australian visas are electronic visas since 2015, with details stored only in the Australian immigration database. Visa details are electronically linked to passport details. Physical labels or stamps are no longer needed.[38][10] Nearly all Australian visas can be applied for online.[39]

Short-term travelers with certain passports benefit from reciprocal visa waiver agreements with Australia. These travelers still technically require a visa but obtain them through a streamlined online process, when staying for 3 months or less. Eligible visitors apply online for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) or eVisitor visa depending on their nationality. Visitors eligible for an ETA may also apply through some travel agents, airlines and specialist service providers. Many applications are granted in minutes, whereas others require further checking of information.[39]

eVisitor (subclass 651)

The eVisitor was introduced on 27 October 2008, replacing an older eVisa system, to create a reciprocal short stay travel arrangement for nationals of Australia and the European Union, while still maintaining the universal visa system. On 23 March 2013 the business and tourist purpose eVisitors visas were merged into a single application.[40]

The eVisitor is issued free of charge and allows the holder to visit Australia for unlimited times, up to 3 months per visit, in a 12-month period for tourism or business purposes. Applicants must also satisfy the health and character requirements as for other visas.[40]

Holders of passports of the following countries may apply for eVisitor:[40]

European Union member states:  Austria  Belgium  Bulgaria  Croatia  Cyprus  Czech Republic  Denmark  Estonia  Finland  France  Germany  Greece  Hungary  Ireland  Italy  Latvia  Lithuania  Luxembourg  Malta  Netherlands  Poland  Portugal  Romania  Slovakia  Slovenia  Spain  Sweden Other European countries  Andorra  Iceland  Liechtenstein  Monaco  Norway  San Marino   Switzerland  United Kingdom[lower-alpha 3]   Vatican City

The grant rate of eVisitor has been consistently high over the years, never dropping below 97.7%. In the second quarter of 2018 the lowest approval rates for tourism applications were for the nationals of Romania (75%), Bulgaria (84.8%), Latvia (86.8%), Lithuania (88.5%) and Croatia (88.9%) with all other countries having a grant rate above 95%.[41] The eVisitor in the last quarter of 2013 was granted automatically to 85.8% of applicants but the rates differed significantly among countries. The lowest automatically granted rates in the 4th quarter were for nationals of Bulgaria (16.2%), Romania (18.3%), Czech Republic (58.6%), Lithuania (59.3%), Latvia (62.4%) and Slovakia (66.3%) with all other countries having an automatic grant rate above 70%.[42]

In 2014, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania notified the European Commission that they considered that Australia required a visa for their nationals.[43] The notification was dismissed in 2015 after Australia lifted a transit visa requirement for Bulgarians, Cypriots and Romanians and made some clarifications.[44]

The European Commission ruled that the eVisitor's 'autogrant' treatment is not an equivalent to the Schengen visa application procedures. Applications for high risk countries, i.e. not ETA, are routinely processed manually rather than via 'autogrant' and they are subject to additional documents prior to arrival, which is typical for a proper visa.[45] Grant rate for eVisitor countries is less than 100%, which indicates manual processing.[46] Additionally, Australia's SmartGate entry system for automatically processing through passport control can only be used for countries on ETA list, not by countries on eVisitor list.[47] According to HPI (Henley Passport Index) methodology pre-departure government approval, like eVisitor manual processing is not considered as visa free.[48]

In 2018, the European Union planned to introduce their own electronic travel authorisation, called ETIAS, needed for visa-exempt countries like Australia.

Norfolk Island passport stamp

• Australian Antarctic Territory – an environmental authorisation must be obtained, based on an environmental impact assessment (EIA) submitted by the organiser of the activity. In some cases, where an activity organised in another country party to the Treaty and Protocol, Australia will recognise an authorisation provided by that country. As well as an environmental authorisation, permits are required for certain activities.[59]
• Christmas Island – Passports and visas are not required when travelling from the Australian mainland. However, photographic identification must be produced for clearance through Customs and Immigration. Normal Australian Customs and Immigration procedures apply when entry is made from outside Australia.[60]
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands – Passports and visas are not required when travelling from the Australian mainland. However, photographic identification must be produced for clearance through Customs and Immigration. Normal Australian Customs and Immigration procedures apply when entry is made from outside Australia.[61]
• Heard Island and McDonald Islands – a permit to enter and undertake activities in the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands is required and is issued by the Australian Antarctic Division.[62]
• Macquarie Island – a written authorisation of the Director of National Parks and Wildlife is required.[63][64]
• Norfolk Island – From 1 July 2016 all movements between Norfolk Island and Australian mainland are considered as domestic movements, however all passengers are still required to carry passports or, for Australian citizens, some type of photographic identification and pass Customs and Immigration.[65] Normal Australian Customs and Immigration procedures apply when entry is made from outside Australia.[66] Passengers not carrying their passports are not eligible to purchase duty-free goods on Norfolk Island.[67]

SmartGate is an automated border processing system introduced by the Australian Border Force and New Zealand Customs Service. The SmartGate is available to eligible holders of electronic passports of age 16 years or older issued by the following jurisdictions:[68]

Holders of passports issued by the following countries who possess an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) containing the "AUS" code on the reverse that it is valid for travel to Australia can enter visa-free for business trips for up to 90 days.[70]

ABTCs are issued to nationals of:[71]

The number of temporary entrants and New Zealand citizens physically present in Australia is estimated every three months by identifying those who have entered Australia and those who have neither left nor granted permanent residency.[72]

Foreign nationals who remain in Australia after their visa has expired are termed overstayers. Official government sources put the number of visa overstayers in Australia at approximately 50,000. This has been the official number of illegal immigrants for about 25 years and is considered to be low. Other sources have placed it at up to 100,000, but no detailed study has been completed to quantify this number, which could be significantly higher.

The government calculates a "Modified Non-Return Rate" of the people who arrive on a Visitor visa granted outside Australia, but do not depart before their visa expires. It is considered when assessing visa applications as an indicator of Visitor visa compliance.[73]

On 1 June 2013, the Migration Amendment (Reform of Employer Sanctions) Act 2013 commenced and put the onus on businesses to ensure that their employees maintain the necessary work entitlements in Australia. The new legislation enables the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to levy infringement notices against business (A$15,300) and individual (A$3,060) employers on a strict liability basis – meaning that there is no requirement to prove fault, negligence or intention.[74][75]

Whilst nationals of all member states of the European Union and Schengen associated countries were entitled to use the eVisitor system since 27 October 2008, the European Commission assessed whether the eVisitor visa fully satisfied reciprocity requirements. In its Seventh report on certain third countries' maintenance of visa requirements in breach of the principle of reciprocity from 2012, the European Commission found that in principle, the eVisitor provided equal treatment of the nationals of all member states and Schengen associated countries. However, while the average autogrant rate was high (86.36%), the quarterly reports on eVisitor application statistics showed that applications by nationals of some member states were mainly processed manually. Autogrant rates for Bulgaria and Romania were at just 18% and 23%, as the majority of applications were sent for additional examination. The Commission therefore engaged to continue to closely monitor the processing of eVisitor applications. The Commission would submit its assessment of whether eVisitor was equivalent to the Schengen visa application process in a separate document in parallel with the assessment of the Final Rule on ESTA.[76] The Schengen Area does not have visa requirements in place for short-term stays of Australian nationals.[77][78] The United Kingdom and Ireland are exempt from this particular EU policy, but still do not impose any short-term visa requirements on Australians.[79][80]

In 2014, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania notified the European Commission that they considered Australia's low rate of automatically granted eVisitor authorisations for their nationals tantamount to a normal visa requirement for their nationals.[43] Implications were that if the notification were accepted the EU might suspend the visa exemption for certain categories of Australian nationals, and at the latest six months after publication of the regulation, the Commission might decide to suspend the visa-free access to all Australian nationals.[81]

Some countries regard the ETA as being equivalent to visa-free travel when deciding whether to grant the same to Australians wishing to enter their territory. The United States, for example, offers its Visa Waiver Program to Australian passport holders,[82] and one of the conditions for joining this scheme is that "Governments provide reciprocal visa-free travel for U.S. citizens for 90 days for tourism or business purposes".[83] However, the United States has required from January 2009 a similar ETA, called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, from nationals of Australia. As of December 1998, Japan also granted visa-free access to Australians.[84] Other ETA eligible countries and territories Canada,[85] Hong Kong,[86] Malaysia,[87] Singapore,[88] South Korea (90 days)[89] and Taiwan (30 days)[90] also grant visa-free access to Australians while Brunei grants Australians a 30-day visa on arrival.[91]

In 2014, Australia announced that among the countries discussed for visa waiver extension were the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.[92] In 2022, newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his intention to include Indonesia as eligible for the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601).[93][94][95]

• Visa and Passport stamps
• 
  Arrival stamp Melbourne Airport - 1970
• 
  Arrival stamp Sydney via ship - 1968
• 
  Departure stamp Sydney Airport - 1990
• 
  Arrival stamp Brisbane Airport - 1990
• 
  Arrival stamps Melbourne Airport - 1982
• 
  Arrival stamp Melbourne Airport - 1970

According to the data with the Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], in 2018–19, there were approximately 9.3 million international visitors that came to Australia on short trips.1

By a short trip is implied a trip that is of a lesser duration than 1 year. As per the ABS, the number reflects the total number of border crossings in the duration rather than the number of people travelling to Australia from overseas.

Among the international visitors in Australia in 2018–19, the maximum number were Chinese nationals. With more than 1.4 million visitors across Australia, China was the biggest source country for international tourists in the Land Down Under in 2018–19.

The primary reason for international travelers to come to Australia was for holiday. Around 47% stated their reason as holiday.

When in Australia, the international travelers spent an average of 11 days in the country. While travelers spend more time in South Australia [17 days], those who visited Queensland stayed for around 10 days on an average.

The record high number of 9.3 million visitors in 2018-19 was around 3.8 million over than the number of international visitors 10 years ago, and 272,300 more as compared to a year previously.2

Generally, there has been an increase recorded in the number of international visitors to Australia in the recent decades.

Surveys have revealed that a significant number of Indians that traveled to Australia for recreation preferred heading to South Australia.

Most visitors arriving to Australia were from the following countries of nationality:[96][97][98]

Country/Territory	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
China	1,432,100	1,356,800	1,208,300	1,023,600	839,500	708,900
New Zealand	1,384,900	1,359,500	1,347,400	1,309,900	1,241,400	1,192,800
United States	789,100	780,400	716,600	609,900	553,000	501,100
United Kingdom	733,400	733,000	715,700	688,400	652,100	657,600
Japan	469,200	434,700	417,900	335,500	326,500	324,400
Singapore	447,800	432,900	429,700	395,800	372,100	339,800
Malaysia	401,100	396,800	390,000	338,800	324,500	278,100
India	357,700	302,700	262,300	233,100	196,600	168,600
Hong Kong	308,700	281,200	247,900	219,700	201,600	183,500
South Korea	288,000	302,200	280,100	230,100	204,100	197,500
Total	9,245,800	8,815,300	8,269,200	7,428.600	6,868.000	6,382.300

During the COVID-19 pandemic, entry was previously not allowed for persons who had previously visited China, Iran, Italy or South Korea.[99] A general travel ban, with limited exceptions, on non-citizens and non-residents travelling to Australia and Australians travelling overseas was introduced on 20 March 2020.[100]

All COVID-19 related border measures have been fully lifted since 3 July 2022.[101]

Entry and transit is refused to  Somalia nationals, even if not leaving the aircraft and proceeding by the same flight.[102]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ashmore and Cartier Islands.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Australia.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Christmas Island.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Norfolk Island.

• Visa requirements for Australian citizens
• Tourism in Australia
• Australian migration zone
• Immigration to Australia
• Passenger Movement Charge

• Department of Home Affairs
• ETA:
  • Australian Government - Electronic Travel Authority
  • Department of Home Affairs - ETA (Visitor) (Subclass 601)
• eVisitor:
  • Department of Home Affairs - eVisitor