Can I go to Australia?
Australian passport holders do not need a visa to enter Australia. New Zealand passport holders can travel to Australia without a visa and obtain a visa on arrival at the airport.
More information is in
Entry requirements for New Zealand Citizens.
All other passport holders need the right visa to come to Australia. You also need to get your visa before you travel to Australia. You might also need a visa to transition through Australia to another destination.
Find the right visa
There are different visas depending on your travel purpose and length of visit. Each visa has conditions about what you can do in Australia. Having a visa to enter Australia does not automatically mean you can work, study or undertake other activites. Make sure you apply for the visa that matches what you want to do in Australia, and that you are eligible to apply for that visa.
Use our visa finder if you wish to
visit,
study or
work.
You may not be able to enter Australia if you do not meet our health and character requirements.
Meet our health requirements
You need to meet our
health requirement to get a visa to enter Australia. This applies to both permanent and temporary visa holders. You must be free from a disease or condition that:
Meet our character requirements
We will not grant you a visa to enter Australia if there is a risk you will:
- engage in criminal conduct
- harass, molest, intimidate or stalk another person
- vilify a segment of the Australian community
- incite discord in the Australian community
- be a danger to the Australian community
Learn more about meeting our
character requirements.
Enter Australia with a criminal record
As part of your application for a temporary or permanent visa, we will check for any criminal records. You may need to provide a police clearance from your country and your other countries of residence to us.
You will not pass the character test if you hold a
substantial criminal record. If you don't pass the character test, you will not get a visa to enter Australia.
New Zealand citizens, with any kind of criminal record, should check if you need to apply for a visa before you leave New Zealand. Contact the
Australian High Commission New Zealand well before you intend to travel to find out if you need to apply for a visa.
Ask us to waive your re-entry ban
We may not let you return to Australia for a set period of time if you overstay your visa. You can ask us to waive your
re-entry ban.
If you are applying for a new temporary visa, write to us to explain the compelling and compassionate reasons why you should be allowed to re-enter Australia. Submit your written statement as a supporting document when you lodge your visa application.
If you are applying for a permanent visa, we will look at your immigration history as part of our assessment of your application.
