Travelling without an Australian visa label
Fact sheet for visa holders
Australia’s visa label policy
The Australian Government does not require holders of Australian visas to have a ‘visa label’ in their passport.
Development and enhancement of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s (DIBP) electronic systems means many of the department’s services no longer involve the physical exchange of paper documentation. This reflects a government-wide agenda to make services more accessible and convenient for clients by providing them with secure online alternatives.
Visa holders can now travel to and reside in Australia without a visa label in their passport.
Electronic visa record
Australian visas are issued and recorded electronically. All visa records are stored on a central database in Australia which enables online checking of visa details by visa holders, registered Australian organisations and airline staff. Your visa is linked to your passport through its unique identifying number. This number is required by you and other parties when doing a visa check online.
Before you travel
When you receive your Australian visa you are issued with a visa grant notification letter that explains the conditions of your visa, including period of validity and entry requirements. You should retain this for your own reference and you may wish to carry it with you when you travel as it contains important information about your visa. The information contained within the visa grant notification letter will help you to check your visa status online using the department’s Visa Entitlement Verification (VEVO) system.
At the airport
Airlines that fly to Australia must provide details of all passengers to Australia’s immigration and customs authorities ahead of their arrival in Australia.
When you check-in for your flight to Australia, airline staff will use your passport details to check if you have a valid visa to travel to Australia before allowing you to board the aircraft. This typically only takes seconds to complete. This is completed electronically and there is no need for a visa label in your passport.
Feeder airlines which do not fly directly to Australia and do not have access to Australia’s passenger processing system can contact the connecting airline with whom you are flying to Australia to request they conduct the check as a means of confirming you have a valid visa when you check in.
Global acceptance of electronic visas
Most countries now accept travellers without an Australian visa label in their passport. The vast majority of people travelling to and residing in Australia do so without a visa label in their passport.
However, most countries have specific entry, exit and visa requirements. If you are transiting or exiting through another country, it is your responsibility to check with the relevant government authorities about their departure or transit requirements. The Australian Government cannot advise on other countries’ requirements. Some foreign governments recommend that you carry your visa grant notification letter and travel itinerary when you travel.
Information on local arrangements relating to visa labels is available from Australian Immigration Offices outside Australia.
Online options available
Online options are available should you wish to provide details of your Australian visa to a third party, including foreign governments. You can:
• send details about your visa status directly from the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system to any email address. VEVO emails are sent directly from the VEVO system.
• retrieve your visa details from VEVO on your smartphone (if available) and show this information to foreign officials.
Checking your visa status online using VEVO
VEVO is a secure and free service available to you anywhere, anytime.
VEVO allows you to check your current visa details online and it provides more information about your visa conditions and entitlements than a visa label. Information provided in VEVO includes:
• your visa type
• visa grant and expiry dates
• period of stay
• visa grant number
• entries allowed
• all conditions that apply to your visa.
Accessing VEVO is a two-step process.
For the first step, you will need to enter one of the following:
• Transaction Reference Number (TRN) – we give you a TRN if you applied for your visa online
• Visa Grant Number - you can find this on your visa grant notification letter
• Visa Evidence Number - you can find this on your existing visa label, if you have one
To finish, you must provide all of the following in the second part of the access process:
• your date of birth
• your passport number (used in your visa application)
• country of passport
Using VEVO is a secure and effective method to check the ‘real time’ details of your visa.
Important things to remember when planning your travel
• If you have been issued with a new passport since your Australian visa was granted, you must notify the department of your change of passport details to ensure your record is up-to-date prior to travel. Failure to do so may delay your travel to Australia. Please complete Form 929 if your passport details have changed. Refer www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/929.pdf
• Your visa grant notification letter contains important information that will help with using VEVO. It is important that you retain this letter for your records.
• While travelling without an Australian visa label is widely accepted, we recommend you confirm with local authorities before you travel.
• It is Australian Government policy to charge for visa labels. The cost for a visa label is called the Visa Evidence Charge (VEC). Refer to www.immi.gov.au/fees-charges
Further information can be found at the department’s website. See: www.immi.gov.au/visa-labels