Apply for a Visa

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Do I need a visa?

If you want to travel to Australia, and you are not an Australian citizen, you will need a visa to enter Australia.

 In most cases, before departing a country to travel to Australia, airport or maritime staff will check whether you hold a visa to enter Australia before letting you on a flight or ship.

 If you enter Australia without a visa (and you are not an Australian citizen), you have arrived unlawfully, and could be detained and removed from Australia. The same applies if you stay in Australia after your visa has expired or been cancelled. If you are not holding a visa while in Australia (unless you are a citizen), you will be an unlawful non-citizen liable to be put in immigration detention and removed from Australia.

What kind of visa do I need?

Visitor Visas

You may want to visit Australia to tour its great natural wonders and experience its vibrant cities. You might have friends or family in Australia that you would like to visit. Or you may have a conference or other business visitor activity that you wish to attend to in Australia.

 There are a number of different visitor visas available depending on your circumstances, which include:

  • Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the Tourist Stream;
  • Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the Sponsored Family Stream;
  • Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the Business Visitor Stream;
  • Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the Approved Destination Status stream;
  • Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the Frequent Traveller Stream;
  • eVisitor (subclass 651) visa;
  • Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) visa.

See our visitor visa page here

Partner visas

There are a range of options available for you if you seek to enter and/or remain in Australia as the partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. You could potentially apply for a:

  • Offshore Partner (subclass 309/100) visa,
  • Onshore Partner (subclass 820/801) visa,
  • Offshore Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa, or
  • Temporary New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (subclass 461) visa.

See our partner visa page here

Parent visas

If you are an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen residing in Australia, you may be able to bring your parents to Australia on a parent visa.

The parent visas available are:

  • Parent (subclass 103) visa
  • Aged Parent (subclass 804) visa
  • Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa
  • Contributory Parent (subclass 143) visa
  • Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (subclass 884) visa
  • Contributory Aged Parent (subclass 864) visa
  • Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) visa
See our parent visa page here

Work and Holiday visas

If you are a citizen of a country that has formed a partnership with Australia for the Work and Holiday Maker Program, you may be able to apply for a Work and Holiday visa.

The Work and Holiday visas allow a person to remain in Australia for up to three years and permits the person to work in Australia. The Work and Holiday visas are

  • Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa
  • Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa
See our Work and Holiday visa page here

Skilled work visas

There are skilled work visas where you can lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the visa and then the Australian Government or a State/Territory could invite you to apply for a visa. Invitations are based on your points. Points are accumulated based on a number of factors such as age, qualifications and work experience.

 The skilled work visas are:

  • Skilled independent (subclass 189) visa
  • Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
  • Skilled Work Regional (temporary) (subclass 491) visa
  • Global Talent (subclass 858) visa

See our Skilled Work visa page here

Employer sponsored visas

An employer may sponsor workers on temporary or permanent visas. The employer sponsored visas are:

  • Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) (subclass 400) visa
  • Temporary Work (International Relations) (subclass 403) visa
  • Training (subclass 407) visa
  • Temporary activity (subclass 408) visa
  • Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa
  • Skilled Employer Sponsored regional (subclass 494) visa
  • Employer Nominated Scheme (subclass 186) visa
  • Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) visa

See our Employer sponsored visa page here

Business and investor visas

An option for you to obtain permanent residency in Australia may be to run a business in Australia or to invest in Australia. The business and investor visas available are:

  • Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Investor Stream
  • Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Significant Investor Stream
  • Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Premium Investor Stream
  • Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Entrepreneur Stream
  • Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Business Innovation Extension Stream
  • Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Significant Investor Extension Stream
  • Business Innovation Investment (permanent) (subclass 888) visa

See our Business and investor visa page here

Refugee and asylum seeker visas

Australia offers visas for those who are in in humanitarian need and protection from harm, discrimination or human rights abuse. Depending on your circumstances, you could apply for a:

  • Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202) visa
  • Protection (subclass 866) visa
  • Refugee (subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204) visa
  • Temporary Protection (subclass 785) visa
  • Safe Haven Enterprise (subclass 790) visa

See our Refugee and Asylum Seeker visa page here

New Zealand citizen visas

New Zealand citizens can enter Australia and be granted a Special Category (subclass 444) temporary visa upon arrival (unless they have character concerns such as a criminal record). With this visa, New Zealand citizens can live, work, and study in Australia.

There is also the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) permanent visa available in the New Zealand stream.

 New Zealander’s wanting to become Australian citizens, must first become an Australian permanent resident.

See our New Zealand visa page here

Resident Return visas

Only Australian citizens are entitled to enter Australia at any time without a visa.

If you hold a permanent visa in Australia but need to travel overseas and return to Australia, you should ensure that you have the right to re-enter Australia. If your current permanent visa’s travel facility has ended, you’ll need to apply for another visa to re-enter Australia.

 If you are outside of Australia and you are a former permanent resident wanting to enter Australia, you will need to apply for a new visa. Resident return visas include:

  • Resident Return (subclass 155 or 157) visa
  • Former Resident (subclass 151) visa
  • Confirmatory (Residence) visa (subclass 808)
See our Resident Return visa page here

Family visas

There are a number of different visas available for family members or carers to come to Australia, which include:

  • Child (subclass 101) visa
  • Child (subclass 802) visa
  • Dependent Child (subclass 445) visa
  • Orphan Relative (subclass 117) visa
  • Orphan Relative (subclass 837) visa
  • Adoption (subclass 102) visa
  • Carer (subclass 836) visa
  • Carer (subclass 116) visa
  • Remaining Relative (subclass 835) visa
  • Remaining Relative (subclass 115) visa
  • Aged Dependant Relative (subclass 838) visa
  • Aged Dependent Relative (subclass 114) visa

See our Family visas page here

Bridging visas

If you in Australia and have applied for a new visa, you may be granted a bridging visa which will ensure that you remain lawful in Australia whilst the new visa you have applied for is processing. If you are in Australia, your visa has expired and you do not hold any other visa, you are an unlawful non-citizen liable to be put in immigration detention and removed from Australia. You may apply for a bridging visa to remail lawful in Australia.

 The different bridging visas include:

  • Bridging (subclass A) visa
  • Bridging (subclass B) visa
  • Bridging (subclass C) visa
  • Bridging (subclass D) visa
  • Bridging (subclass E) visa
See our Bridging visas page here

Other visas

  • Medical Treatment (subclass 602) visa
  • Transit (subclass 771) visa
  • Maritime Crew (subclass 988) visa
  • Crew Travel Authority (subclass 942) visa
  • Diplomatic (subclass 995) visa

See our other visas page here

Citizenship

Depending on the circumstances of your birth, and your connection with Australia, you could be eligible for Australian citizenship by:

  • Descent
  • Conferral
  • International Adoption

You may be an Australian citizen taking up citizenship in another country, wishing to renounce your Australian citizenship

In some cases, your citizenship may have been revoked by the Department of Home Affairs.

It is possible to cease being an Australian citizen, and to take up Australian citizenship again.

See our citizenship page here

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