Australia
Australia Free movement by treaty
Trans-Tasman travel: Special Category visa (subclass 444) for New Zealand citizens
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Free movement by treaty is a long-stay route for Australia. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Only for passports from New Zealand
What you'll need
Who can apply5
- New Zealand citizens with a valid New Zealand passport do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Australia.
- The applicant must remain a New Zealand citizen and continue to meet the character requirements while holding the visa.
- The visa can be refused to a behaviour concern non-citizen, for example with a prison sentence of a year or more or a past removal.
- A person who declares tuberculosis on arrival may be assessed as a health concern non-citizen.
- The visa cannot be granted on entry to someone who already holds another temporary visa, a permanent visa or a visa with a no further stay condition.
Documents1
- Show a valid New Zealand passport and a completed incoming passenger card to an officer on arrival.
Steps3
- Apply for the Special Category visa on entry to Australia; the health and character questions can be answered on SmartGate.
- There is no application charge, and the visa is linked digitally to the passport.
- The visa ceases when you leave Australia; a new Special Category visa is granted each time you enter.
After you arrive2
- Since 1 July 2023, Special Category visa holders can apply directly for citizenship by conferral without first holding a permanent visa.
- Holders can also apply for a permanent visa if they are eligible.
When you become tax resident
How Australia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
Residence is determined by the resides, domicile, 183-day and Commonwealth superannuation tests.
- Foreign-source income
Temporary residents
Temporary residents who are Australian tax residents generally do not pay Australian tax on most foreign-source income; Australian-source income stays taxable.
- Special regime
Temporary resident exemption · Tax relief
All tax rules for Australia Tax records checked
Full official text
New Zealand citizens with a valid NZ passport need no visa before travelling. They are granted a free Special Category visa on arrival that lets them visit, work and study in Australia. 1 2 3 4
Requirements
- New Zealand citizens with a valid New Zealand passport do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Australia. 2 1
- The applicant must remain a New Zealand citizen and continue to meet the character requirements while holding the visa. 1
- The visa can be refused to a behaviour concern non-citizen, for example with a prison sentence of a year or more or a past removal. 1
- A person who declares tuberculosis on arrival may be assessed as a health concern non-citizen. 1
- The visa cannot be granted on entry to someone who already holds another temporary visa, a permanent visa or a visa with a no further stay condition. 1
- Show a valid New Zealand passport and a completed incoming passenger card to an officer on arrival. 1
- Apply for the Special Category visa on entry to Australia; the health and character questions can be answered on SmartGate. 1
- There is no application charge, and the visa is linked digitally to the passport. 1
- The visa ceases when you leave Australia; a new Special Category visa is granted each time you enter. 1
- Since 1 July 2023, Special Category visa holders can apply directly for citizenship by conferral without first holding a permanent visa. 2 3
- Holders can also apply for a permanent visa if they are eligible. 1 2
Stay
- No fixed limit: stay as long as you remain a New Zealand citizen; the visa ceases when you leave and is granted again on each entry.
Nationality
New Zealand citizens. Open to: New Zealand.
Work
The visa lets holders visit, work and study in Australia.
Family
Each family member makes their own Special Category visa application; family members who are not New Zealand citizens need another visa, and a New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (subclass 461) visa may be available.
Official sources
- Special Category visa (subclass 444) · Department of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- New Zealand citizens · Department of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-12
- Entitlements for New Zealand citizens · Department of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-12
- New Zealand citizens and your family · Department of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-12
Free movement by treaty and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free movement by treaty | – | – | – |
| GCC citizens United Arab Emirates | – | – | – |
| Visa-free stay (6 months) Hong Kong | – | 6 mo | No |
| Free movement by treaty New Zealand | – | – | Yes |
| Free movement by treaty Nepal | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Free movement by treaty?
No fixed limit: stay as long as you remain a New Zealand citizen; the visa ceases when you leave and is granted again on each entry.
Can I work on the Free movement by treaty?
The visa lets holders visit, work and study in Australia.
Can I bring my family on the Free movement by treaty?
Each family member makes their own Special Category visa application; family members who are not New Zealand citizens need another visa, and a New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (subclass 461) visa may be available.
Who can apply for the Free movement by treaty?
New Zealand citizens. Open to: New Zealand.
Is there a tax break for Free movement by treaty holders in Australia?
Temporary resident exemption for most foreign-source income: Temporary residents who are Australian tax residents generally do not pay Australian tax on most foreign-source income; Australian-source income stays taxable. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Temporary resident exemption for most foreign-source income
Tax relief
Details
- On: Most foreign-source income (exempt)
- Who: Hold a temporary visa
Temporary residents who are Australian tax residents generally do not pay Australian tax on most foreign-source income; Australian-source income stays taxable.
Taxed on
Most foreign-source income (exempt); Australian-source income and capital gains on taxable Australian property remain taxable.
Who it applies to
- Hold a temporary visa.
- Neither the individual nor their spouse (if any) is an Australian resident under the Social Security Act 1991 (not an Australian citizen, permanent resident or protected Special Category visa holder).
Exclusions
- Income from employment or services performed overseas while a temporary resident can still be taxed in Australia, depending on facts and any tax treaty.
- Not available to someone who has at any time after 6 April 2006 been an Australian resident without a temporary visa and with an Australian-resident spouse.
Tax residence
A temporary resident can be an Australian resident or a foreign resident for tax purposes; the four statutory residency tests (resides, domicile, 183-day, Commonwealth superannuation) decide residence separately.
Visas
Requires a temporary visa; no particular subclass carries the exemption itself.
Other taxes
Foreign tax paid on income declared may qualify for a foreign-source income tax offset; foreign-source income and deductions are converted to AUD.
Checked against official sources on Change log
Similar visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Special Category visa (subclass 444) · Department of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- New Zealand citizens · Department of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-12
- Entitlements for New Zealand citizens · Department of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-12
- New Zealand citizens and your family · Department of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-12
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.