New Zealand

Visa Information and Lodgement

Country coverage

The visa office provides immigration and visa services to clients in New Zealand and three other South Pacific countries including: Cook Islands, Niue and Pitcairn Island.

Lodging a visa application

At the Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) in person

The department has an agreement with TTServices to provide Australian visa and citizenship lodgement services in New Zealand through an AVAC.

You can lodge your applications at the AVAC located in Auckland. A fee will be charged for this service in addition to the scheduled fee charged by the Australian High Commission for all visa applications.

Further information on the AVAC and services provided is available from their website.
See: TTServices

By post or courier to the AVAC

Please ensure you have enclosed the additional service fee and appropriate visa application charge. Sponsors can also pay the visa application charge at any departmental office in Australia and include the official receipt with the application.
See: TTServices

At the Australian Consulate General in person

You can only lodge your application in person at the Australian Consulate General by appointment. However, you can lodge your application at the AVAC at any time during their business hours without an appointment.
Note: Appointments to attend the Australian Consulate General are made through the AVAC by phone, email or in person.
See: Contacts – New Zealand

Permanent entry visas

Permanent entry visa applications (except general skilled, business skills, Distinguished Talent (subclass 124), Former Resident (subclass 151) and parent subclasses) from countries included in the country coverage list above are processed and decided in Auckland.

General skilled migration applications are lodged at the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre.
See: General Skilled Migration Processing Centres

Business skills applications are lodged and processed at the Perth Business Skills Processing Centre.
See: Perth Business Skills Processing Centre

Applications under the Special Migration stream – Distinguished Talent (subclass 124) and Former Resident (subclass 151), are lodged and processed at the Perth Office.
See:
Perth Office
Distinguished Talent Visa Enquiry form

Contributory parent and parent migration applications are lodged and processed at the Parent Visa Centre.
See: Parent Visa Centre

Temporary entry visas

Temporary entry visa applications from countries included in the country coverage list above are processed and decided in Auckland.

416 Special Program applications are lodged and processed at the Hobart Special Program Processing Centre.
See: Hobart Special Program Processing Centre

420 Entertainment sponsorship and visa applications are lodged and processed at the Hobart Special Program Processing Centre.
See: Sydney Entertainment Processing Centre

442 Occupational Trainee sponsorship and visa applications are lodged and processed at the Adelaide Occupational Trainee Processing Centre.
See: Adelaide Occupational Trainee Processing Centre

Sponsored Family Visitor visa (subclass 679) applications must be lodged in Australia by the sponsor. 679 Sponsored Family Visitor visas will be processed at one of the Sponsored Family Visitor processing centres.
See: Sponsored Family Visitor Processing Centres

If you are sponsored by an Australian employer for a subclass 457 Business (Long Stay) visa, you may lodge your visa application online or at an Australian office of the department. If you are sponsored by an overseas business, you can lodge your visa application with the Australian Immigration Office responsible for applications in your country.
See:
Centres of Excellence
Online Applications

If you are sponsored by an Australian employer, you must lodge your visa application at the same office in Australia where your employer lodged papers to support your application. Please ask your employer which office they lodged these papers at.
See: Contact Us – Australian Offices

Citizenship

Applications for Citizenship by Descent can be lodged at either the AVAC or the Australian Consulate General, New Zealand.

All applications for Australian citizenship general eligibility and other situations, and applications to resume or renounce (give up) Australian citizenship should be lodged at the Melbourne CBD Office.
See:
Application process for Australian citizenship
Application process to resume Australian citizenship
Giving up your citizenship
Melbourne CBD Office

Special procedures

New Zealand citizens travelling on New Zealand passports do not need a visa to enter Australian unless there are health or character concerns.