Special Category visa

Stay

From the time you are granted the visa until you leave Australia, unless it ceases because of other reasons. These may include if we grant you a permanent visa, you become an Australian citizen, or we cancel the visa. When you leave Australia your visa will cease. You must apply for a new SCV if you want to enter Australia again.

Cost

Free

Processing times

If you apply on arrival in Australia, your application will be processed at the airport or seaport.

If you apply inside Australia, your application may take longer to process depending upon your individual circumstances.

With this visa, you can

• enter and stay in Australia for as long as you are a New Zealand citizen
• visit, work and study in Australia
• apply for a permanent visa if eligible

See all conditions

Check your eligibility

You must

• remain a New Zealand citizen
• continue to meet the character requirements.

With this visa you can

How long you can stay

Include family

Cost

Apply

Your obligations

Health insurance

Travel

Travelling as a permanent visa holder

Eligible New Zealand citizen (or Protected SCV holder)

Visa label

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With this visa you can

• enter and stay in Australia for as long as you are and continue to remain a New Zealand citizen
• visit, work and study in Australia
• apply for a permanent visa if eligible

How long you can stay

The visa starts on the date we grant you the visa.

The visa ceases on the date you leave Australia, unless it ceases because of other reasons. These may include if we grant you a permanent visa, you become an Australian citizen, or we cancel the visa. When you leave Australia your visa will cease. You must apply for a new SCV if you want to enter Australia again.

Include family

Each family member needs to make their own SCV application. They can do this by showing a valid New Zealand passport and completed incoming passenger card to an officer. They can also answer the health and character questions on SmartGate. 

If family members are not New Zealand citizens, they need to apply for another visa.

Cost

There is no application charge for this visa.

Apply

You usually apply for this visa when you enter Australia.

In some cases, you may be able to apply for this visa after you have entered Australia. This might be the case if you:

• became a New Zealand citizen and passport holder after you entered Australia
• entered on a passport that is not a New Zealand passport
• entered on another temporary visa, or
• had a New Zealand citizen baby born in Australia.

In these cases you can apply by completing our online form. If we grant you the SCV after you have entered Australia the grant date will be the date of the decision. We can't backdate it to your original entry date.

If you had a child born in Australia to an SCV holding parent on or before 30 June 2022, ensure that the child has been registered as a New Zealand Citizen and has received a New Zealand citizenship certificate and/or a New Zealand passport. For further information see New Zealand citizenship.

Once you receive the New Zealand citizenship certificate and/or passport you can submit an onshore SCV application via the Onshore visa application form.

If you had a child born to an SCV holding parent on or after 1 July 2022 your child may have acquired Australian citizenship automatically by operation of law at the time of their birth. Children who meet these circumstances can apply for their proof of citizenship.

For further information see You had a baby.

Check if you already hold a visa

Before submitting an application check if you already hold a visa or get a copy of it by using VEVO. To access VEVO you will need a reference number.

Your obligations

You must remain a New Zealand citizen while you hold this visa. If your citizenship status changes, and you are no longer a New Zealand citizen, your SCV will cease. To remain lawful you must apply for and we must grant you a different visa.

You must obey Australian laws while you remain in Australia.

All visa holders must continue to meet the character requirements. If you don't, we may cancel your visa.

Health insurance

We recommend you take out health insurance to cover any unforeseen medical treatment you might need in Australia. You may be liable for your own healthcare costs while you are in Australia. Insurance can help limit your financial liability.

See what we consider adequate health insurance.

Learn more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

Learn more about Medicare for New Zealand citizens.

Reciprocal healthcare agreements

Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal healthcare agreements.

Travel

You can't travel outside Australia and return on this visa. If you leave Australia the visa will cease. If you return to Australia you must apply for a new SCV when you return.

Travelling as a permanent visa holder

We may manually process your entry into Australia. If you hold a permanent visa (with a valid travel facility), you need to tell us that you do not want an SCV. If you do not tell us, we may grant you the SCV. This may later affect your eligibility for a Resident Return visa.

More information is in overseas travel as a permanent resident.

Eligible New Zealand citizen (or Protected SCV holder)

See Eligible New Zealand citizen (or Protected SCV holder) under Entitlements

More information is in overseas travel as a permanent resident.

Visa label

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

Have a valid New Zealand passport

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Not be a behaviour concern non-citizen

If we assess you are a behaviour concern non-citizen (BCNC), we may refuse to grant you an SCV. We may refuse your entry into Australia.

You could be assessed as a BCNC if you have been:

• convicted of a crime that has resulted in a sentence of death or imprisonment for at least one year
• convicted of two or more crimes resulting in sentences of imprisonment for periods that total at least one year
• charged with, and found guilty of a crime while of unsound mind. This also includes if you were found not guilty because the crime was committed while of unsound mind 
• removed or deported from Australia in the past
• removed, deported or excluded from another country in the past.

Note: Sentenced to imprisonment includes ordered to be confined in a corrective institution.

If you have concerns about your eligibility for the SCV, you can check by using our online webform before you travel: Enquiry Form – New Zealand passport holders travelling with a criminal conviction.

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Not be a health concern non-citizen

We may assess you as a health concern non-citizen if you declare when you enter Australia that you have tuberculosis (TB).

If you declare that you have TB we will ask you to give us more information.

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Not have a 'no further stay' visa condition

You can't apply for this visa if you currently hold a visa that has a 'no further stay' condition.

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Meet all these criteria? Check how to apply in our step by step guide.

Step 1

Before you apply

If you had a child born in Australia to an SCV holding parent on or after 1 July 2022 your child may have acquired Australian citizenship automatically by operation of law at the time of their birth. Children who meet these circumstances can apply for their proof of citizenship. They do not need to apply for an SCV first.

Ensure you have a valid New Zealand passport before you travel to Australia.

You can't apply for this visa on your entry to Australia if you already hold another temporary visa. If you already hold a temporary visa you can apply for an SCV after you have entered Australia.

You can't apply for this visa if you currently hold a permanent visa or a visa that has a 'no further stay' condition.

Check your visa details and status

Before submitting an onshore SCV visa application check if you already hold a visa by using VEVO. To access VEVO, you will need a reference number.

Please see the Stay lawful section below for Bridging visa information.

Check your passport

You must have a valid New Zealand passport to be granted this visa.

Your visa will be linked to the passport number in your application. If you plan to get a new passport, do so before you apply.

Step 2

Gather your documents

Valid New Zealand passport

If you are applying for the SCV on or after your entry into Australia you will need your valid New Zealand passport with you.

Australian Birth Certificate

If you were born in Australia on or before 30 June 2022 and have not departed you will need to provide a copy of your Australian Birth Certificate with your onshore SCV application.

You will also need to provide evidence of your New Zealand citizenship. You may need to be registered as a New Zealand citizen first. For further information see New Zealand citizenship.

Provide accurate documents

Provide accurate information.

Translate

Have all non-English documents translated into English.

Provide original and translated documents in your application.

Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:

• full name
• address and telephone number
• qualifications and experience in the language they are translating

These details must be in English.

Note: You don't need to have any documents certified unless we ask you to.

Step 3

Apply for the visa

When you enter Australia show your completed incoming passenger card with your valid New Zealand passport to an officer. You can also answer the health and character questions on SmartGate.

If applying after you have entered Australia, you will need to apply online.

Provide accurate information

Provide accurate information.

Lodging an application after you have entered Australia

Apply online to request an SCV appointment. Once your information has been received by the Department, you will be contacted with a date and time for your appointment. The Department may also contact you about any additional documentation that you may need to submit.

Step 4

After you apply

We will usually process your visa application at the airport or seaport that you use to enter Australia.

If you apply after you have entered Australia, a decision may take longer.

Wait for us to contact you

For applications made after you have entered Australia, we will contact you with a date and time for your appointment. 

Status updates

We can't give updates on applications. Wait for us to contact you.

Stay lawful

If you apply for this visa after you have entered Australia, make sure you stay lawful. You can do this by holding a valid visa while we process your application.

If your current visa will expire before we decide your application, consider applying for a Bridging visa.

• If you hold a substantive visa at the time you lodge your application, you may be eligible for a Bridging visa A. You can stay in Australia on the Bridging visa A while we process your new visa application.
• If you do not hold a substantive visa at the time you lodge your application, you may be eligible for a Bridging visa C. You can stay in Australia on the Bridging visa C while we process your new visa application.

If we cancel your current visa or it ceases, and you do not hold a Bridging visa, you:

• will be staying in Australia unlawfully
• may not be eligible for a Bridging visa
• may not be eligible for a Bridging visa B. This allows you to leave and re-enter Australia while we finalise your visa application

Learn more about visa expiry.

Tell us if things change

Things you may need to let us know about after you have applied include:

• changes to your phone number, email, address
• changes to your citizenship (other than becoming an Australian citizen)
• the birth of a child
• if you want to withdraw your onshore application.

See how to tell us if your situation changes. 

Step 5

Visa outcome

We will tell you if we have granted your visa. How we tell you will depend on how and where you applied.

If you applied on entry to Australia

If you meet all visa and immigration requirements, you will be:

• granted the visa
• immigration cleared.

We will add your visa electronically to your passport.

You can check your visa status, conditions and expiry or get a copy of it in VEVO. To access VEVO, you will need a reference number.

If you applied after you entered Australia

We will let you know our decision about your visa application in writing. We will link your visa to the New Zealand passport number in your application and tell you:

• your visa grant number
• the date your visa starts
• your visa conditions.

Keep a copy of the decision for your records.

If we refuse your visa we will let you know in writing. We will tell you:

• why we refused your visa
• whether you have a right to a review of the decision.

In Australia

Leaving Australia

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In Australia

Tell us about a change in your situation

Things you may need to let us know about include:

• changes to your phone number, email, address
• changes to your citizenship (other than becoming an Australian citizen)
• the birth of a child

If you had a child born in Australia to an SCV holding parent on or after 1 July 2022 your child may have acquired Australian citizenship automatically by operation of law at the time of their birth. Children who meet these circumstances can apply for their proof of citizenship.

See how to let us know if there is a change in your situation.

What you can do on your visa

Check your visa status, conditions and expiry in VEVO.

Proving you have a visa

To prove you have a visa, show your visa conditions to someone, or get a copy of it, use VEVO. To access VEVO, you will need a reference number.

Working

As an SCV holder you have the right to work in Australia. To confirm your permission to work, use VEVO.

As you have permission to work on the SCV, you have the protection of Australia's workplace law. You must follow these laws. See your workplace rights and entitlements.

Leaving Australia

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.

At the border

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

After you leave

Get your super

If you worked in Australia you may have some money in a superannuation fund.

See how to access your super.

International Movement Record

To prove you have been to Australia, ask for your international movement records.