If your visa is refused or cancelled it is very important to act in time. We at VisaEnvoy can assess your options to appeal the decision if you are eligible. Book a consultation today !
Can I go to Australia?
Australian passport holders do not need a visa to enter Australia. New Zealand passport holders can travel to Australia without a visa and obtain a visa on arrival at the airport.
All other passport holders need the right visa to come to Australia. You also need to get your visa before you travel to Australia. You might also need a visa to transition through Australia to another destination.
Find the right visa
There are different visas depending on your travel purpose and length of visit. Each visa has conditions about what you can do in Australia. Having a visa to enter Australia does not automatically mean you can work, study or undertake other activites. Make sure you apply for the visa that matches what you want to do in Australia, and that you are eligible to apply for that visa.
Use our visa finder if you wish to visit, study or work.
You may not be able to enter Australia if you do not meet our health and character requirements.
Meet our health requirements
You need to meet our health requirement to get a visa to enter Australia. This applies to both permanent and temporary visa holders. You must be free from a disease or condition that:
- is a threat to public health or a danger to the community.
- may result in significant health care and community service costs to the Australian community
- may require health care and community services that would limit the access of Australian citizens and permanent residents to those services as they are already in short supply
Meet our character requirements
We will not grant you a visa to enter Australia if there is a risk you will:
- engage in criminal conduct
- harass, molest, intimidate or stalk another person
- vilify a segment of the Australian community
- incite discord in the Australian community
- be a danger to the Australian community
Learn more about meeting our character requirements for partner visas.
Enter Australia with a criminal record
As part of your application for a temporary or permanent visa, we will check for any criminal records. You may need to provide a police clearance from your country and your other countries of residence to us.
You will not pass the character test if you hold a substantial criminal record. If you don’t pass the character test, you will not get a visa to enter Australia.
New Zealand citizens, with any kind of criminal record, should check if you need to apply for a visa before you leave New Zealand. Contact the Australian High Commission in Auckland well before you intend to travel to find out if you need to apply for a visa.
Ask us to waive your re-entry ban
We may not let you return to Australia for a set period of time if you overstay your visa. You can ask us to waive your re-entry ban.
If you are applying for a new temporary visa, write to us to explain the compelling and compassionate reasons why you should be allowed to re-enter Australia. Submit your written statement as a supporting document when you lodge your visa application.
If you are applying for a permanent visa, we will look at your immigration history as part of our assessment of your application.
Home Affairs has reviewed the high volume of student visa refusals, ART review applications, and remittals. ART applications for student refusals are currently in the mid-50,000 range, although growth is slowing, with 1,200 – 1,500 cases being cleared per month by the ART at this time. Home Affairs provided the following statistics:
- 20–25% refusal rate across total lodgements
- 50% of refusals proceed to ART (10–12.5% of total applications)
- 40–45% of those are remitted (less than 6% of total applications)
Visitor Visas for Internationally Qualified Nurses (IQNs) – OSCE
The assessment of visitor visas under the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement for IQN seeking to undertake the OSCE in Australia to gain Australian nursing registration must be completed onshore. This occurs despite significant workforce shortages and the inclusion of registered nurses on skilled occupation lists. Home Affairs acknowledged that, while program integrity must be maintained, some decisions appear overly harsh. It indicated that more favourable consideration and positive weighting will be given to these nurses, although factors such as country of origin will remain relevant.
What to do if your visa application is refused
- Read the decision record carefully. It explains which criteria you did not meet, whether you have review rights, and the time limit to apply for review.
- Check whether the decision can be reviewed. Most refusals made while you are in Australia, and some offshore refusals where there is an Australian sponsor or relative, can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). The time limit is generally 28 days from notification (7 days if you are in immigration detention) and cannot be extended. The ART application fee is $3,727 from 1 July 2026; see our ART fees page.
- Check your visa status. If you are in Australia on a bridging visa, it usually ends a set period after the refusal unless you apply for review. Make sure you do not become unlawful.
- Consider the section 48 bar. If you are in Australia, do not hold a substantive visa and have had a visa refused or cancelled, you may only be able to apply for a limited range of visas onshore.
- Decide between review and a fresh application. Sometimes a new, stronger application is the better path; in other cases only a review is available. Get advice before you act, because the choice can affect your other options.
See our visa refusal appeal page for more on the review process.
If your visa is cancelled or you receive a notice of intention to cancel
Home Affairs usually sends a notice of intention to consider cancellation (NOICC) before cancelling a visa. You will be given a short time to respond, so reply within the deadline with a clear explanation and supporting evidence. Common reasons for cancellation include:
- breaching a visa condition, for example work limits or course attendance requirements on a student visa
- providing incorrect or misleading information, or bogus documents
- no longer meeting the purpose of the visa, such as no longer being enrolled or no longer being in the relationship
- character concerns under section 501 of the Migration Act
A cancellation can lead to an exclusion period and limit the visas you can apply for later. Many cancellation decisions can be reviewed by the ART, but the time limits are short. For character cancellations, there may instead be a right to request revocation within a strict time limit. Read more on our visa cancellations page.
Can I apply for another visa after a refusal?
It depends on where you are and what visa you hold. Outside Australia you can usually apply again, but you need to deal with the reasons for the earlier refusal. In Australia, the section 48 bar may limit you to certain visas if you do not hold a substantive visa.
Do I have to declare a previous refusal or cancellation?
Yes. Visa applications ask about previous refusals and cancellations, in Australia and in other countries. Failing to declare them can be treated as providing false or misleading information.
What is PIC 4020?
Public Interest Criterion 4020 allows Home Affairs to refuse a visa if you give false or misleading information or bogus documents. It can lead to a 3 year exclusion period from many visas, or 10 years where your identity is not established.
How long do I have to appeal a refusal?
The time limit is set out in your decision letter. For most migration decisions it is 28 days from when you are taken to have been notified, and 7 days if you are in immigration detention. The ART cannot extend these limits.
Can I stay in Australia while my review is decided?
Usually yes, if you were in Australia when you applied and you held a bridging visa linked to your original application. Check your bridging visa conditions, as a Bridging visa A does not let you travel.
Will a refusal affect my future visitor visa applications?
A previous refusal is taken into account, but it does not stop you applying again. A new application should explain what has changed and include evidence that addresses the earlier concerns.
