Entering and transiting Australia
Entering Australia by air
Follow the steps below to enter Australia by air. If you are entering by sea, information is available at Entering or transiting Australia by sea.
Transiting Australia
Transit of 72 hours or less
If you are transiting Australia you
must be able to secure an onwards ticket on a flight that departs Australia no more than 72 hours after your initial entry. If a suitable connecting flight is not available, transit through Australia
will not be possible.
You
do not need to apply for a travel exemption when transiting for 72 hours or less.
Visa requirements
To transit Australia you must hold a valid visa or be from an eligible country to
Transit Without a Visa (TWOV).
If you don’t hold a valid visa or are not eligible to TWOV you must apply for a visa to enter Australia. The Australian Transit visa (subclass 771) permits eligible persons to transit through Australia for up to 72 hours. You can use our visa finder to explore visa options to see what visa may be suitable for you.
Digital Passenger Declaration
You can start your Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD) up to seven days before your flight, but you must submit it before you depart for Australia. You should complete your DPD before travelling to the airport, in a place with a reliable internet connection.
The DPD requests critical health information. Providing this information is an enforceable requirement. It will help ensure you don’t experience unnecessary delays at the airport, or when you arrive in Australia. For more information see
Digital Passenger Declaration.
State and territory requirements
You must follow the transit requirements for the state or territory that you arrive in.
For more information see
State and territory arrival requirements.
More than 72 hours
If you will spend more than 72 hours in Australia before your connecting flight, you are
not considered to be transiting Australia.
You must meet all other entry requirements for Australia, including COVID-19 vaccination requirements, immigration, customs biosecurity clearance and mandatory health declarations. For more information see
Crossing the border.
You also need to meet
state and territory arrival requirements.
