How This Visa Works

This visa allows entertainment personnel to travel and work in Australia in the entertainment industry.

For this visa you will need to be sponsored and nominated by:

• an organisation
• a government agency
• a foreign government agency
  or
• an eligible individual in Australia.

Before you lodge your application, the organisation, agency or eligible individual must be approved as an entertainment sponsor or have lodged a sponsorship application. The sponsor will need to nominate you to fill a position by lodging a nomination.

The process for obtaining an Entertainment visa is summarised in the table below.

Who	Responsibility
Australian organisation, Australian government agency, foreign government agency or eligible individual	apply to be an Entertainment Sponsor to engage people from overseas nominate the position to be filled  nominate the person to fill the position act as a sponsor for the nominated persons listed in the nomination cooperate with department's monitoring requirements meet costs and other obligations as part of the program.
Nominated primary applicant	accept the offer of employment from the sponsor apply for a visa meet all conditions on their visa.

Validity periods

The validity period of:

• sponsorship is three years
• nomination is 12 months
• visa period is for the period specified in the nomination with a maximum of 2 years.

Film and television productions

If you are a performer in a film or television production, you will require a certificate from Office for the Arts (OFTA), Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Your application must be supported by the Arts Minister confirming that relevant Australian content criteria have been met. All enquiries must be directed to the desk officer in OFTA.
Email: foreignactors@arts.gov.au
Telephone: 02 6275 9631
See: Film – foreign actors for film or television

Bringing family

The following people may be included in your visa application:

• your partner
• your or your partner's dependent children
• other dependent relatives.

Secondary applicants who have not been listed in the visa application and who want to join you in Australia at a later time will need to lodge a separate visa application. A letter from your sponsor is required to be provided with the application confirming that the sponsor will accept responsibility for the secondary applicants for the period of their stay in Australia.

Australian quarantine requirements

To avoid delays to your performance, please contact the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service as soon as possible with details of your instruments, costumes and other equipment.
See: Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service

Definitions

There are definitions available that will help you understand the information on these pages.
See: Definitions