Guide to Visa-Free Travel for Australian Passport Holders: Countries, Requirements, Policies (2024 Guide)

Got an Australian passport? Get ready to see more of the world with ease. Australian passport holders can visit 189 countries without applying for a visa beforehand. That includes 139 visa-free countries, 42 countries that issue visas on arrival, and 8 countries that require Australian passport holders to use Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

In addition, 14 countries offer e-visas for Australian citizens, which means you can apply and get a visa online.

Want to know where you can go visa-free with an Australian passport? Read on to learn more and what to expect at immigration when carrying an Australian passport.¹

We'll also talk about paying for your expenses abroad, and introduce Wise travel card as a convenient way to manage your money internationally.

Types of Entry Without Prior Visa

Australian passport holders don’t need to get a visa before travelling to 189 countries. But that doesn’t mean you always won’t need a visa at entry. Let’s look into the different types of entry without a prior visa.

Visa-Free Entry Countries for Australians

Australian passport holders can enter 139 countries visa-free. This means you can show your passport and enter the country without a visa, upon approval at immigration. The exhaustive list where this applies includes popular countries like China, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, many nations in the European Union, and the United Kingdom. The entire list is available here.²

There are caveats: visa-free entry is generally only for tourism, including seeing family and friends, and most countries have a limit on how many days you can stay. Check with your destination’s embassy or consulate locally for more information.

Visa On Arrival Countries for Australians

Visa-on-arrival (VOA) lets Australian passport holders travel to 42 countries without a visa beforehand, but receive one upon arriving at the entry port. You will need to show your passport and be approved for a VOA by immigration at your destination. The visa will typically be added to your passport and detail what is allowable and not, including the length of your stay.

You can find the full list of countries that offer VOA to Australian passport holders. Some of the countries include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Cambodia, Nepal, the Maldives, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.³

Electronic Travel Authorization Countries for Australians

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is another way to simplify entry for Australians to specific countries. With an eTA, you apply for travel authorization online before travelling. Eight countries currently offer the eTA facility for Australians:⁴

• The USA,
• The US Virgin Islands
• Sri Lanka
• Puerto Rico
• Pakistan
• Kenya
• Canada
• American Samoa

You will still be given an entry decision by a border agent but the eTA makes the process faster. The most important thing is to make sure you apply for the eTA before you travel.

Special Arrangements for Australians

Australia has a special relationship with New Zealand and both offer citizens special immigration rights. This means that Australian passport holders don’t need a visa to visit New Zealand, and vice versa.

Trans-Tasman Agreement

Australia and New Zealand signed off on the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, a mutual treaty that came into effect in 1973 and offers citizens on both sides unrestricted movement. Australians travelling to New Zealand can benefit from this special arrangement. For more information, check out our ultimate guide for Australians to travel to New Zealand.

Australia introduced the Special Category Visa for New Zealanders in 1994. This means that New Zealand citizens don’t require visas to enter, study, reside, and work in the country. Similarly, New Zealand has extended this facility to Australian PR (Permanent Residency) holders and Resident Return Visa holders.⁵

APEC Business Travel Card

Business travellers can find it time-consuming to frequently apply for visas to visit partners in other countries. The regional cooperative forum, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), of which Australia is a member, has helped business travellers by introducing initiatives like the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC).

ABTC offers various benefits, such as visa-free travel, fast-track immigration at major international airports, and permission to remain in the foreign country for 60 to 90 days. Work travel can get much easier for Australian passport holders with an ABTC card.

Australia is also among the 10 participating nations that offer a virtual ABTC, which can be easily accessed online.⁶

Dive deeper into how it works and how to get one in our article about the APEC business travel card.

Important Considerations for Visa-Free Travel

While Australian passport holders have visa-free entry to 189 countries, each has specific rules depending on their mutual agreements with Australia. You may not be allowed entry if your passport expires soon or you intend to enter for income-earning activities, for instance. So, it's a good idea to check the individual country’s policies before travelling and make sure your passport is up-to-date and valid.

Travellers heading to a country that accepts Australian visitors with eTA need to apply for one before leaving.

In all cases, you can be penalized if you overstay or perform activities that are not allowed.

Duration Restrictions for Visa-Free Travel

While many countries have open doors to Australian visitors, the total time you can stay depends completely on the country itself. Not all countries have the same restrictions on how long you can stay.

For example, most European nations in the Schengen Area allow for a maximum stay of 90 days in the region. While free to visit any Schengen state, Australian citizens are not allowed to stay in any individual member state for more than 90 days within 180 days.⁷

At the same time, the UK has different requirements. Australian citizens can visit the UK for up to six months without a visa, but their stay is restricted to three months if they enter from Ireland. Currently, the UK offers visa-free entry to Australians but, starting on 8 January 2025, you will need an eTA.⁸

Australian citizens can visit specific Asian countries like Singapore, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman without a visa. However, the period of stay differs from one country to the other. Generally, Asian nations offer visa-free stays between 30 and 90 days.

The US Visa Waiver program allows Australian citizens to stay up to 90 days, whereas Caribbean nations generally allow 3 to 6-month stays. The best bet is to check with your destination’s stay restrictions and plan your trip accordingly.

Documentation Requirements for Visa-Free Travel

When you’re getting ready for your trip, make sure you have the right documents with you - even if you are going visa-free. Australian passport holders will typically need:

• A valid passport with a validity period that is at least six months beyond your trip
• A confirmed return ticket within the validity period of the visa-free stay
• Sufficient money to cover the stay in the country
• Information about where you will be staying in the destination country
• Confirmation of your eTA, if applicable
• Travel insurance covering the entire stay period, if desired

In some countries, you may be asked to present additional documents at the border so check online for everything that you need before you leave Australia.

Travel Advisories for Australian Citizens

The world can be an exciting place to discover, there are certain things to keep cautious of. The Australian government provides a warning about countries that are safe to travel to, and those that can put citizens at risk- even if they offer visa-free travel. For example, Israel offers visa-free entry, and Lebanon offers visas on arrival. However, the Australian government cautions citizens not to travel to these places because of the current unrest. As an Australian traveller, you should heed these warnings and try to avoid countries that can put your life in danger.

You can check out the travel advisories by visiting the official website for more information.

Paying for Expenses Abroad

Using your credit or debit card for foreign spending may make sense if you don’t get charged international transaction fees and have a favourable exchange rate. Many providers also place a markup on the mid-market exchange rate — the currency conversion rate you usually see on Google, and the one used by Wise.

Meet Wise: Your Smart Travel Money Card

Wise offers a convenient travel card and money transfer services that make managing your finances abroad a breeze. The Wise card lets you spend like a local in over countries, with

• Excellent exchange rates: Always get the mid-market exchange rate – the same one you usually see on Google – so you get the most out of your money.
• Low, transparent fees: Say goodbye to hidden charges and hefty markups. Wise keeps its fees low and transparent, so you know exactly what you're paying.
• Convenient card and app: Use your Wise card to swipe like a local in supported countries. Manage your money, track spending, and even freeze your card if needed, all through the Wise app .
• Cash withdrawals: Easily withdraw cash from supported ATMs abroad with low, transparent fees. But be mindful that ATM providers may charge their own cash withdrawal fees.
• International transfers: Send money abroad with the same mid-market exchange rates and low fees.