Are you thinking of going to Australia for a holiday, business trip, or organ donation? Your stay in the country will depend on the validity of your Australian visa. You may also want to consider the purpose of your visit to the country and what visa you need. The reason for your visit will often determine the Australian visa you apply for and, therefore, your permitted stay in the country.
How Long Is An Australian Visa Valid?
Your application for an Australian visa will take five or fewer days to get approval. If the application is urgent, you will get your reply within 60 minutes of submitting your request.
The visa’s validity period starts as soon as you receive the visa. You can only enter Australia between the issue and expiry date, and doing so outside this period would land you in trouble with the Australian Immigration officers.
This section lists some Australian visas and their period of validity.
Medical Treatment Visa
The Australian medical treatment visa provides a temporary stay for those seeking medical treatment. The pass also applies to those supporting someone who holds this visa or donating an organ.
The medical treatment visa is valid for up to 12 months. If you apply for a visa from outside Australia, your permitted stay in the country can be up to 3 months.
Investor Retirement Visa
The Australian investor retirement visa applies to self-funded individuals who want to live in the country in their retirement years. However, all retirees must have no dependents. The visa is temporary and valid for up to four years, so you have to apply for another visa after this period.
The investor retirement visa allows you to work for up to 40 hours in two weeks and bring your partner to Australia, who must also have an investor retirement visa.
Transit Visa
The Australian transit visa is valid for up to 72 hours. This visa applies to those passing through the country by air or sea. For the transit visa to be valid, you must have a confirmed booking and permission to reach your final destination.
Maritime Crew members have a transit validity of up to five days from their arrival in the country.
Working Holiday Visa
The Australian working holiday visa is temporary and valid for 12 months. The pass allows multiple entries into the country. If you have this visa, you can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you wish within the 12-month validity period.
This period is continuous and will not pause when you are not in the country. You cannot extend the working holiday visa. But, you can apply for a second and third working holiday visa to extend your stay in the country.
You can also get a second and third Australian working holiday visa by taking up specific rural employment for 3 and 6 months, respectively. The second and third visas are valid for 12 months.
Business Visa
The Australian business visa is valid for three months, and the pass is only available to applicants outside Australia who are visiting the country for professional reasons.
These reasons include:
- Attending a trade fair, seminar or conference. This purpose would be invalid if the event organisers paid the visa applicant to participate in the event
- Investigating or negotiating business contracts
- Conducting activities as part of an official government visit
Tourist Visa
An Australian visitor visa allows you to stay in the country for a holiday. You can be part of a cruise or visit family and friends. If you are applying for a tourist visa from outside Australia, you can apply for a stay of three, six, or twelve months.
You can only get a 12-month Australian visitor visa if you apply within the country. Eligible parents of Australian citizens can get a more extended stay.
Visitor visa
The Australian visitor visa is available to all the country’s passport holders. The visitor visa allows for a stay of 3, 6, or 12 months for single and multiple entries into the country. There are also different categories of the visitor visa that vary with the purpose of the stay and the applicant’s validity.
For example, Chinese citizens who frequently travel to Australia can apply for a frequent traveller visor that allows for a 30-day consecutive stay within a 10-year validity period. Australian Immigration officials determine the exact period of your visitor stay.
Visitor Visa for Families
You can apply for the sponsored family visitor visa if you have an eligible family member who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident of the country. The visa is valid for 12 months.
You can also train or study for three months with a family visitor visa. But not if training or studying is your main reason for visiting Australia. The valid visit reasons include;
- Visiting your family members
- Going for a holiday, and
- Being part of a cruise
Student Visa
The Australian student visa is valid for up to five years. The pass allows international students to study, travel, work, and bring their family members to Australia. Students with approved permits can enter the country up to 90 days before their classes start. But the early entry into the country is only valid when the students inform their education providers about their residence.
Primary school children can also get a maximum validity period of 3 years so long as they are in years 1-4.
What Is The Maximum Length Of Stay Per Trip?
Most Australian visas offer 12-month validity. But the validity does not mean that you can stay in the country for 12 continuous months. The maximum period of visit in Australia is three months at a time.
It does not matter why you are in the country, and your arrival in the country must also fall within the validity period. If you arrive on your visa’s expiry date, you may still stay in Australia for three months.
If you are visiting the country as part of a cruise ship, you cannot leave Australia in the interim.
Your Visa Validity Might Expire Earlier Than Indicated
Yes. Your permitted stay can expire earlier than your visa’s expiry date. If you find yourself in this situation, the chance is that you did not meet some requirements that apply to your stay in Australia.
The best action to take is to reevaluate what changed in your situation. Some common scenarios that may cause your visa validity to expire earlier include:
- Contracting tuberculosis during your stay in the country
- Being convicted of a prison sentence
- Working when your visa does not allow you to work. Your pass may allow you to work but exclude some jobs in some cases
- Being in debt to the Australian government. This case applies to you or your family members
- Having an expired passport. If the passport you used to apply for the visa is no longer valid, your stay in Australia will also be invalid
Does Your Visa Validity Limit Your Stay?
Sometimes, your permitted stay is not long enough, meaning you need more time in Australia. If you are already in Australia, extending your visa or re-applying for the same visa is impossible. The best thing to do is consult with the immigration service to see how you can extend your stay.