For attending a conference in Australia, visitors typically need a visa. The specific visa type will depend on the purpose of the visit and the visitor's nationality. The Department of Home Affairs is the relevant authority for visa information and applications.
New Zealand citizens generally don't need a visa to enter Australia, as they are usually granted a Special Category visa (subclass 444) on arrival, provided they meet health and character requirements. However, it's still recommended to check the Australian Department of Home Affairs website for the most up-to-date information and to ensure you meet all entry requirements.
Participants, attendees and speakers that will not be working, performing or otherwise be paid to contribute at the event may be eligible to apply for the following visa options:
For eligible passport holders and more information click here.
eVisitor (subclass 651) Business stream visa
For eligible passport holders and more information click here.
Eligibility for an eVisitor visa and ETA will be determined by the country of passport that the applicant holds.
Visitor (subclass 600) Business visa applicants should include as much information as possible to support their visa applications (see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/visitor-600/business-visitor-stream#HowTo). In addition, visa applicants should include the following information:
A speaker, presenter, exhibitor, or other contributor that will be working, or otherwise be paid to contribute at the event may be eligible to apply for one of the following visa options:
Please note that a the letter of support from an Australian organisation is a legislative requirement for the Temporary Activity (subclass 408) Invited participant visa.
NB: These are the visa options available presently but the Department reserves the right to change regulations.
Biometrics:
Visa applicants outside of Australia will need to provide biometrics when they apply for a visa that is part of the Australian biometrics program, or where they are from a country, or located in a country at time of application that is part of the Australian biometrics program.
For information regarding Australia’s biometric program including visas and countries that are part of the program, please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/biometrics
Health and Character Requirements:
Most visa applicants must meet minimum health standards before they can be granted a visa, and the department may assess your health as part of the visa application process. This is referred to as 'meeting the health requirement'. For more information regarding health requirements please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/health
Applicants must be of good character to visa Australia, and must meet the character requirements in order to be granted a visa. For further information regarding character requirements please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/character
Visa Application Process and Processing Times:
Visa applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:
Processing times are impacted each month by cases that are complex, changes to volume of applications and changes to Ministerial Directions. More information about visa processing times please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/overview. For this reason, we would advise that visa applications be lodged at least 6 to 8 weeks prior to a person’s intended date of travel.
Australia has strict requirements on the food, plant materials or animal products that can enter or leave the country. Learn about those requirements on the following websites:
Know what to expect when you arrive in Australia. Click here for details.