Some Australian airports have limited transit facilities. Airport limitations may mean that you will require an Australian visa such as a Transit (subclass 771) visa in order to clear immigration, even if you have met all other ‘transit without a visa’ (TWOV) requirements. The below information may assist you to decide whether you will need to clear immigration during your transit through Australia and will therefore need an Australian visa.
Sydney (SYD), Cairns (CNS), Gold Coast (OOL)
Do not operate on a 24 hour basis and overnight stays are not permitted. Passengers transiting overnight will need an appropriate visa for Australia to leave the airport to access overnight accommodation.
There are airport transit lounge facilities that allow TWOV eligible passengers to connect to their onwards flight.
Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane (BNE)
There are airport transit lounge facilities that allow TWOV eligible passengers to connect to their onwards flight.
Perth (PER)
There are airport transit lounge facilities that allow TWOV eligible passengers to connect to their onwards flight provided they arrive and depart from the same terminal.
In every case a passenger’s departing flight leaves from a different terminal from the terminal they arrived at, an Australian visa is required to clear immigration.
Darwin (DRW)
There are airport transit lounge facilities that allow TWOV eligible passengers to connect to their onwards flight.
There are no inter-aircraft baggage transfer arrangements at this airport. Therefore in all cases you are boarding an onwards flight that is a different aircraft from the aircraft you arrived on, you will also need to clear immigration to collect and transfer baggage. You will need an Australian visa such as a Transit visa to clear immigration.
Adelaide (ADL)
Does not operate on a 24 hour basis and overnight stays are not permitted. Passengers transiting overnight will need an appropriate visa for Australia to leave the airport to access overnight accommodation.
Transit facilities are only available for passengers arriving and departing on the same aircraft. The transit lounge will be made available for TWOV eligible passengers if the airline provides advance notice.
Canberra (CBR), Sunshine Coast (MCY)
Do not operate on a 24 hour basis and overnight stays are not permitted. There are no airport transit lounge facilities to facilitate transit of TWOV eligible passengers. All passengers transiting through these airports will require an Australian visa such as a Transit visa.
Important note
The need to collect and transfer baggage onto, and/or to board, an onwards flight are common reasons for needing to clear immigration. You must have a visa to clear immigration. You should check with your travel agent and/or airline to confirm the details of your transit arrangements through Australia before considering visa options. If you are still not sure whether you are TWOV eligible, you should consider applying for a Transit visa.
Circumstances at airports change from time to time and the above information is only intended as a guide. Airport specific websites may provide more up to date and further information that may also assist, such as airport operating hours and accommodation options.
