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Australia · Free movement

Australia Special Category visa (SCV) (Subclass 444)

11 facts quoted from the official source

This temporary visa allows you to visit, study, stay, and work in Australia, if you are a New Zealand citizen and meet the eligibility criteria. It is usually applied for each time you enter Australia.

Route type
Free movement
Can bring
—
Not stated in the official source
Requirements
2
each quoted below
Who qualifies

Who this route is for

Every item below is the government’s own wording, quoted from the official source. Whether you personally qualify depends on your full profile.

2 requirements quoted from the official source.

The conditions that decide it
  • Nationality Or Passport RequirementIf 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 c
  • Nationality Or Passport Requirement 2We 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.
Also stated by the source
  • Eligibility summaryIf 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 c
  • Official Rights Textenter 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
  • Official source basisIf 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 c
  • Report summaryIf 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 c
  • Visa SubclassThe official page identifies this route as subclass 444.
Family

Who you can bring

— Not stated in the official source. The official page for this route does not address dependent-family rights, so we do not publish a claim either way.
Costs & timelines

What the source prices

Fees
1 proven from the official source.
  • Official Cost TextFreechecked 2026-07-26
Validity
2 proven from the official source.
  • Not Have A No Further Stay Visa ConditionYou can't apply for this visa if you currently hold a visa that has a 'no further stay' condition.
  • Official Stay TextFrom 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.
Processing time
1 proven from the official source.
  • Processing timeIf 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.
How it works

From here to a yes

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Apply with the official sourceThe application itself always happens with the government — the enacting authority linked below. The report points you straight at it.
FAQ

Straight answers

01Who qualifies for the Subclass 444 to Australia?
The official source states: This temporary visa allows you to visit, study, stay, and work in Australia, if you are a New Zealand citizen and meet the eligibility criteria. It is usually applied for each time you enter Australia.

Every answer is quoted from the official immi.homeaffairs.gov.au page for this route, last read 2026-07-26.

We checked 11 points against the official source; 11 are quoted on this page. The other 0 are either not addressed by the source or not yet backed by a quote — we would rather show you the edge of the record than fill it with a plausible guess.

See the 0 open points

Not stated in the official source — the official source names no exclusion for this route.

The source

Where every quote comes from

Official government source immi.homeaffairs.gov.auLast read 2026-07-26 Every quote on this page is from this Australia government page.
Compiled from official sources · pending independent re-check · Last checked 2026-07-26 · Our methodology
 · Compiled by António Mira · How we verify · Not legal advice — rules change; confirm with the official source before deciding.
Same category, elsewhere

Free movement routes in other countries

107 other countries publish at least one free movement route. Nearest first.

New Zealand1 free movement route Norway33 free movement routes Ireland20 free movement routes Italy15 free movement routes Denmark13 free movement routes Hungary13 free movement routes

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