Travelling between New Zealand and Australia
Please check the below for up to date information regarding travel between Australia and New Zealand
Australia requires that your passport must be valid only for the period of your intended travel in and out of Australia. There is no requirement for your passport to be valid for six months after your travel.
Visa Services
Visa applications are not accepted at the Australian High Commission, Wellington.
All visa and immigration services are undertaken at the Australian High Commission in Suva, Fiji. This applies to all clients in New Zealand, Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands.
The fastest and easiest way to apply for most Australian visas or citizenship matters is online, through ImmiAccount.
In New Zealand, VFS Global operates Australian Visa Application Centres (AVACs) in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown and Wellington. Please visit the VFS Global website at: https://visa.vfsglobal.com/nzl/en/aus/ for further information on the services available
Please note: There is no longer any requirement for your passport to be valid for six months after your travel. Your passport must be valid only for the period of your intended travel in and out of Australia. |
What if I am a New Zealand citizen and have a criminal history?
New Zealand citizens may be granted Special Category Visas on arrival in Australia if they:
· Hold, and have presented to an officer or SmartGate, a New Zealand passport that is current;
· Have presented a completed incoming passenger card; and
· Are neither a ‘behaviour concern non-citizen’ nor a ‘health concern non-citizen’.
If you have criminal convictions, no matter how long ago your convictions were, or whether they have been removed from government records, you are encouraged to obtain a pre-departure assessment of your criminal conviction history. This will determine whether you would be assessed as a ‘behaviour concern non-citizen’.
Convictions in New Zealand
Please complete the New Zealand passport holders travelling with a criminal conviction - online enquiry form
Use this form if you are a New Zealand passport holder with criminal convictions, seeking to travel to Australia. This form will provide guidance on whether you may be considered a “behaviour concern non-citizen”, which impacts your eligibility for a Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV).
Note that the decision whether to grant a SCV is made at the Australian border, by an Australian Border Force Officer, at the time of your entry into the country. Any pre-travel assessment regarding your eligibility for a SCV, or any advice included in the below information is guidance only and does not guarantee a particular outcome at the border.
The processing time for pre-travel assessment (submitted via the online enquiry form) is 25 working days from the date the completed form is received by the High Commission. Enquiries in relation to the progress of checks will not be responded to if they fall within the 25 working day period.
You will need to upload a copy of one form of photographic ID when submitting the online enquiry form e.g. Passport or Driver's Licence, that clearly shows your name and signature (if using your passport, the signature is on page 3). If you do not provide a copy of a form of ID, we will not process your request.
Please note that due to privacy legislation, the Department is required to communicate only with the subject of the criminal conviction history report regarding our assessment. If you are contacting us on behalf of someone else, we are only able to provide general information.
Please be aware the Australian High Commission will no longer be accepting forms submitted via email or post.
Convictions in any other country
If you have criminal convictions in any other country (including Australia), when you arrive in Australia you must declare your criminal convictions, regardless of how long ago the convictions occurred. This declaration is made on your incoming passenger card as part of the immigration clearance process. Your declaration will be assessed by an Australian Border Force Officer.
For further information about Australia’s character requirements and what supporting evidence you may be asked to provide, see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/character
Character assessments
If you apply for another visa subclass: ImmiAccount is the preferred and most efficient way to have your application assessed.
Initial processing of visa applications begins at the Australian High Commission in Suva.
Section 501 Character assessments are sent to the Visa Application Character Consideration Unit (VACCU) in Melbourne, Australia for assessment.
The time frame for a character assessment by VACCU will vary depending upon your individual circumstances, but may take up to, or longer than six months.
For advice on what medicines are allowed in Australia, please visit:
Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) | Australian Government Department of Health
New Zealand and Australia have a reciprocal health care agreement, which means that New Zealand citizens travelling to Australia are eligible for limited subsidised health services for medically necessary treatment while visiting Australia. The reciprocal health care agreement covers treatment that is medically necessary. Medically necessary treatment means any ill-health or injury which occurs while you are in Australia and which requires treatment before you return home.
Reciprocal Health Care Agreement Information
We still recommend people take out suitable insurance cover for the period of your travel. Reciprocal health care agreements do not replace the need for private travel health insurance.
For more information on the reciprocal health care agreement, please email [email protected], or you can also phone Medicare directly on 0061 2 9895 3333.
Helpful websites:
Australia
Australia Smart Traveller
Australia Department of Health
Australian Home Affairs
Australians who are seeking consular advice should contact the Australian High Commission
New Zealand
The Australian High Commission is unable to provide advice on New Zealand border entry requirements. Information can be found via the websites below.
New Zealand COVID-19.govt.nz
New Zealand Safe Travel
New Zealand Ministry of Health
New Zealand Immigration