Under the Special Purpose visa framework, a Crew Travel Authority (subclass 942) is an electronic immigration record. Commercial airlines register crew members for Crew Travel Authorities to aid uplift. The registration is valid for the life of the passport. Commercial airlines can use the Carrier Portal to check that their international aircrew can legally enter Australia.

International airline flights include:

• commercial passenger flights or
• chartered passenger flights or
• freight or cargo flights

Crew members with Australian or New Zealand passports do not need Crew Travel Authorities.

If you are a New Zealand citizen further information regarding your entry requirements, entitlements and pathway to permanent residence and citizenship can be found at the New Zealand citizens webpage.

People operating private flights can't register for, or use a Crew Travel Authority (subclass 942) to enter Australia. The flight must be a commercial or chartered flight carrying passengers or cargo.

To see what other visas you might be eligible for use the Visa Finder. 

• visit Australia as part of your work as an international airline crew member or aircraft safety inspector who is employed by a foreign government
• arrive as a passenger (as an airline positioning crew member) on a commercial aircraft to move an international aircraft from Australia
• arrive in Australia as an aircraft safety inspector, if you hold a valid government identity document showing you are employed by a foreign government, or if you hold an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Safety Inspector Certificate

If you are an international airline crew member or aircraft safety inspector, you can stay in Australia for up to 30 days.

If you are an airline positioning crew member, you can stay in Australia for up to 5 days.

If you are a New Zealand citizen crew member who arrives in Australia and do not hold another visa (such as a permanent residence visa) and you wish to remain in Australia longer than the above periods, you should not enter Australia via SmartGate. Instead, you should approach a border clearance officer and make an application to be granted a Special Category visa (subclass 444) by:

• completing an incoming passenger card and
• presenting your New Zealand passport

The SCV will allow you to live, visit, work and study in Australia.

When you leave Australia, your SCV will end. Next time you enter Australia, you will apply for a new SCV.

Entering Australia on a Special Purpose visa as a crew member rather than an SCV may impact your status as a resident for social security purposes.

If you apply for the SCV after you arrive in Australia, you will need to apply online and attend an appointment. For further information see New Zealand citizens

You can't stay in Australia as the holder of a Special Purpose visa longer than allowed. You must apply for another type of visa if you want to stay longer.

Free

You must obey Australian laws. You cannot use a Crew Travel Authority to:

• travel as a passenger to Australia, unless you are an airline positioning crew member or
• work on more than one domestic leg in Australia, this domestic leg must be part of an international arrival or departure flight

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want when working as an airline aircrew member or as an airline safety inspector, while the Crew Travel Authority is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the Crew Travel Authority.

The Crew Travel Authority registration is valid for the life of your passport and is based on your passport expiry date.

We will digitally link your Crew Travel Authority to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

You can't include family on this travel authority.

• arrive and depart Australia by sea as a crew member of a non-military ship
• stay in Australia while you are a crew member of a non-military ship that is in Australia, provided the ship has not been imported
• only perform work in Australia as a crew member that meets the normal operational requirements of your ship

 With this visa you can't and must not: 

• enter Australia by air only holding this visa, you will need another visa to enter
• stay as a visitor or tourist, or permanently. You may consider applying for a Visitor visa if you wish to make visits to or tour Australia while you are not working as crew on a ship. You can hold a Visitor visa at the same time as you hold a Maritime Crew Visa to do this
• be involved in offshore resource activities unless you are a crew member onboard a petroleum export tanker  undertaking an international voyage (e.g. departing from an overseas port, recovering product from an offshore production and/or storage facility for export, and departing directly for an overseas port)
• work in Australia in port or out at sea doing work that is indirectly related to the operation of the ship as a member of crew

To find a suitable visa for these circumstances see Explore visa options.

You must be outside Australia when you apply. You may be inside or outside Australia, when your visa is decided.

You must not arrive in Australia without a visa.

You can enter Australia by sea as a member of a non-military ship as many times as you want while the visa is valid

You can stay in Australia as long as you are a crew member of a non-military ship that is in Australia. 

This visa lasts 3 years unless it ends for one of the reasons below.

If you enter Australia by air to join a ship, you will need this visa and another visa to enter. You might apply for a Transit visa (subclass 771) or Explore visa options.

If you arrive in Australia on a Maritime Crew visa and sign off your ship, and you don't have another valid visa to stay in Australia, you need to:

• sign onto another non-military ship or
• apply for another type of visa, see the Visa Finder or
• leave Australia within 5 days or your Maritime Crew Visa will end

Other circumstances that may also cause a Maritime Crew visa to end include:

• while in Australia, you do work other than to meet the usual operational requirements of the ship
• you arrive in Australia by air on a Transit visa (subclass 771), hold no other visa (other than a Maritime Crew visa) and do not sign on to your ship within 5 days
• you hold another visa and the other visa is cancelled for a reason other than a character ground
• you sign off your ship and, within 5 days, you do not leave Australia, apply for another type of visa, or sign on to another non-military ship
• you leave a vessel on arriving in Australia without being immigration-cleared by us, or
• we deem or declare your ship to be ‘imported' and, within 5 days, you do not leave Australia, get another type of visa, or sign on to another non-military ship 
• your ship has been imported or brought to Australia for sale and was registered in the Australian International Shipping Register but has ceased to be registered and you do not leave Australia within five days, obtain another type of visa or sign on to another non-military ship in that time. 

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. You must apply for another visa.

Members of the family unit can apply for Maritime Crew visas if they are travelling on the same ship as you with permission from the vessel master. They must lodge separate application forms.

The Maritime Crew visa held by members of your family unit will end if:

• your Maritime Crew visa ceases
• they enter Australia on a ship but without you and hold no valid visa other than the Maritime Crew visa, or
• they stop travelling with you and do not leave Australia or get another suitable visa

Family members are not permitted to work in Australia on a Maritime Crew visa.

You can enter Australia by sea as a member of a non-military ship as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

Free

• 25% of applications: Less than 1 day
• 50% of applications: Less than 1 day
• 75% of applications: Less than 1 day
• 90% of applications: 5 Days

You and members of your family unit  must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

You are personally liable for all your healthcare costs while you are in Australia. Medical insurance helps limit your financial liability.

Learn more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

Reciprocal healthcare agreements

Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal healthcare agreements.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

• work as a crew member on a superyacht
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid

A superyacht is a high-value luxury sailing or motor vessel that:

• is 24 metres or longer
• doesn't carry cargo
• is used for sport or recreation

This is a temporary visa. We grant the length of stay based on the activity we approve you to do on the visa.

We usually do not grant a visa stay period of more than 12 months for this activity. The maximum stay for this visa stream is 2 years. 

The visa is granted with multiple entry. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

If you are outside Australia when the visa is granted, the visa stay period starts on the day that you enter Australia. If you are in Australia, the visa starts on the day that it is granted.

Your visa grant letter will tell you how long you can stay.

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa.

If you need to stay longer to complete your superyacht activities, you will need to submit a new application for this visa.

The visa usually costs from AUD325 for the main applicant. 

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.

• 25% of applications: 4 Days
• 50% of applications: 42 Days
• 75% of applications: 16 Months
• 90% of applications: 20 Months

Your application can take longer to process if:

• you do not fill it in correctly
• you do not include all the documents we need, or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

We can't process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.

You and your family must meet all visa conditions and follow Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

Your activities must not harm the work, training or job conditions of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

If your sponsor or supporting organisation or individual stops your activity or employment, you must do one of the following:

• if eligible, apply for a new visa; or
• leave Australia within 28 days of stopping work for your sponsor/supporter, or earlier if your visa is expiring

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

If we grant you a visa, we will send you a grant notification letter containing the visa grant number. You can use this number to access your digital visa record.

• work in the entertainment industry in Australia as a performer, production or support staff
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid
• include members of the family unit in your application

Entertainment activity categories

You apply for this visa under one of these categories:

• performing in a film or television production subsidised by government
• performing in a film or television production not subsidised by government
• performing other than in film or television
• working in a production role other than as a performer
• working as support staff for an entertainer or group of entertainers
• working as a performer or support staff for a non-profit engagement
• working on a documentary or commercial for an overseas market

Examples of eligible work

Eligible work could include:

• acting in a television or film production
• making a celebrity cameo appearance
• a contestant or worker on a reality tv program who receives a salary
• stand-up comedian
• international musician or support staff
• live theatre performer or support staff
• singer 
• classical musician
• internet video performer
• cultural performer
• documentary presenter
• celebrity appearance in a commercial
• non-performing production or technical crew
• journalist or other media personnel covering an event
• choreographer giving a dance workshop that includes a ticketed public closing performance

Other visas that might suit you

Consider a different Temporary Activity stream or a different visa if you are planning to work as:

• an entertainer attending a promotional event only, without performing – see the Invited Participant stream of this visa
• an artist creating visual art or holding exhibitions of their work - see the Invited Participant stream of this visa
• an author at a writer's festival presenting work in front of an audience - see the Invited Participant stream of this visa
• a dance choreographer conducting a dance workshop that includes a closing non-ticketed performance - see the Invited Participant stream of this visa
• a journalist or other media personnel covering events for a non-Australian audience – see Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa (subclass 400)
• a competitor in a non-sporting competition for dance, music or online gaming - see the Invited Participant stream of this visa
• a contestant of a reality show not receiving a salary - see the Invited Participant stream of this visa or Visitor visas

This is a temporary visa. We grant the length of stay based on the activity we approve you to do on the visa.

The maximum stay for this visa stream is 2 years.

The visa is granted with multiple entry. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The visa starts on the date we grant it.

If we grant the visa, we will let you know how long you can stay.

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Explore your visa options.

You can:

• include members of the family unit in your application when you apply, or
• add family members to your application at any time before we make a decision

Family members who apply for the visa with you must also meet our health and character requirements.

If you apply for this visa from outside Australia, family members who are not coming to Australia might also have to meet our health requirements.

Subsequent entrants

If we grant you the visa, your family members might be able to apply to join you in Australia later as a subsequent entrant.

The visa costs AUD325 for the main applicant.

There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

Visa Application Charge concession

If your sponsor/supporter organisation is included by the Minister in a legislative instrument, you may be eligible for a Visa Application Charge concession. The organisation must be:

• any registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission
• any foreign government agency, embassy or consulate
• any state, territory or Commonwealth government agency; or
• another organisation that has been listed by name in the instrument as they are managing an event that receives significant government funding.

You will not receive a concession if you are also contracted to other organisations that are not listed in the instrument for other events during your stay.

Check with your sponsor if you might be eligible for a visa application charge concession. If you are, ask them for evidence of this to submit with your application.

We might not process your application if you ask for a concession but don't provide evidence you are eligible for one. 

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.

• 25% of applications: 2 Days
• 50% of applications: 5 Days
• 75% of applications: 8 Days
• 90% of applications: 13 Days

Your application might take longer to process if:

• you don't fill it in correctly
• you don't include all the documents we need, or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

We can't process your application if you don't pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.

You and your family must meet all visa conditions and follow Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

Your activities must not harm the work, training or job conditions of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

You must not change the times and places of engagements specified in the application. If you need to do so, you must ask the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs for permission before you make any changes.

You must ask permission from the Temporary Specialist Entry Centre to make any changes to your itinerary. This includes new events, changes in times or new venues. Send an email to entertainment.visas@homeaffairs.gov.au or let us know in ImmiAccount.

If your sponsor, supporting organisation or individual stops your activity or employment, you must do one of the following:

• if eligible, apply for a new visa; or
• leave Australia within 28 days of stopping work for your sponsor/supporter, or earlier if your visa is expiring

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

If we grant you a visa, we will send you a grant notification letter containing the visa grant number. You can use this number to access your digital visa record.

• take part in a structured sports training program at the national or international level
• play for, coach, instruct or adjudicate for an Australian sporting team or sporting organisation for a season
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid
• include members of the family unit in your application

You can't do any work other than the approved sporting activity.

If you are coming to Australia as a member of an overseas sports team, you could apply for a Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) Invited for Other Social and Cultural Activity.

This is a temporary visa. We grant the length of stay based on the activity we approve you to do on the visa.

If you are a sportsperson participating at local or regional competitions, then you will normally be expected to depart Australia at the end of the sporting season. The maximum stay for this visa stream is 2 years. 

The visa is granted with multiple entry. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

If you are overseas when the visa is granted, the visa stay period starts on the day that you enter Australia. If you are in Australia, the visa starts on the day that it is granted.

Your visa grant letter will tell you how long you can stay.

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Explore your visa options.

You can:

• include members of the family unit in your application when you apply, or
• add family members to your application at any time before we make a decision

Family members who apply for the visa with you must also meet our health and character requirements. 

Subsequent entrants

If we grant you the visa, your family members might be able to apply to join you in Australia later as a subsequent entrant.

The visa costs AUD325 for the main applicant.

There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

You can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.

• 25% of applications: 2 Days
• 50% of applications: 6 Days
• 75% of applications: 19 Days
• 90% of applications: 34 Days

Your application might take longer to process if:

• you don't fill it in correctly
• you don't include all the documents we need, or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

We can't process your application if you don't pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.

You and your family must meet all visa conditions and follow Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

Your activities must not harm the work, training or job conditions of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

If your sponsor, supporting organisation or individual stops your activity or employment, you must do one of the following:

• if eligible, apply for a new visa
• leave Australia within 28 days of stopping work for your sponsor/supporter, or before your visa expires if that happens sooner

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

If we grant you a visa, we will send you a grant notification letter containing the visa grant number. You can use this number to access your digital visa record.

• do full-time religious work for a religious institution in Australia
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid
• include members of the family unit in your visa application

The work you do must directly serve the religious aims of a religious institution in Australia. You can't do secular work, like administration or aged care, for the institution.

Religious work could include:

• providing spiritual leadership
• conducting worship
• teaching or offering guidance on religion
• providing pastoral care
• proselytising
• other high-level specialist work relating to these things

This is a temporary visa. We grant the length of stay based on the activity we approve you to do on the visa.

The maximum stay for this visa stream is 2 years.

The visa is granted with multiple entry. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

If you are overseas when the visa is granted, the visa stay period starts on the day that you enter Australia. If you are in Australia, the visa starts on the day that it is granted.

Your visa grant letter will tell you how long you can stay.

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa.

As a religious worker, you can apply for a second Temporary Activity visa. But you can't stay in Australia for more than 4 years in total on the first and second visa.

Explore your visa options.

You can:

• include members of the family unit in your application when you apply, or
• add family members to your application at any time before we make a decision

Family members who apply for the visa with you must also meet our health and character requirements. 

Subsequent entrants

If we grant you the visa, your family members might be able to apply to join you in Australia later as a subsequent entrant. 

The visa costs AUD325 for the main applicant.

There is also a fee for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.

• 25% of applications: 6 Days
• 50% of applications: 19 Days
• 75% of applications: 55 Days
• 90% of applications: 3 Months

Your application might take longer to process if:

• you don't fill it in correctly
• you don't include all the documents we need, or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

We can't process your application if you don't pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.

You and your family must meet all visa conditions and follow Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

Your activities must not harm the work, training or work conditions of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

If you stop working for your sponsoring or supporting organisation,  you may no longer be eligible to hold this visa. If this happens you must: 

• if eligible, apply for a new visa, or
• leave Australia within 28 days of stopping work for your sponsor/supporter, or earlier if your visa is expiring

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

If we grant you a visa, we will send you a grant notification letter containing the visa grant number. You can use this number to access your digital visa record.

• take part in a community-based event for a cultural or social activity such as a sporting, religious, artistic or academic event, or a conference
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid
• include members of the family unit in your visa application

Examples of cultural or social events

You might be:

• an individual sportsperson or member of a sports team, or team support staff such as a manager, medic, coach, referee or official. But you are not eligible for this stream if you have been contracted to play for or coach an Australian team
• a minister conducting religious services or taking part in other religious activities as the guest of an Australian religious institution 
• working at a religious event 
• an academic invited by a tertiary academic institution to lecture, hold workshops or take part in research 
• a public speaker or lecturer
• speaking, presenting or lecturing at a trade fair, expo, exhibition, conference, workshop or seminar 
• an entertainer attending specific promotional events, but not performing 
• an artist making visual art or exhibiting your work 
• an author, presenting your work to an audience at a writers festival 
• a choreographer conducting a dance workshop that includes an unticketed closing performance

If you are a competitor in a non-sporting competition such as a dance competition, music competition, online gaming competition or student competition, you might also consider a Visitor visa. 

Other visa options

Depending on your reasons for travel, another stream of this visa or a different visa might be more suitable.

The Entertainment stream must be used if you are:

• an entertainer or performer working in the Australian Entertainment industry 
• production crew for a competition being filmed in Australia 
• a journalist or other media personnel covering an event for an Australian audience 

The Sports stream might be more suitable if you are:

• a sportsperson contracted to play for or coach an Australian sporting team 
• a sports trainee taking part in a high-level structured sports training program of more than 3 months 

The Religious Work stream might be better for you if you are doing full-time religious work. 

The Research stream might be better for you if you are invited by a tertiary academic institution to take part in research for more than 3 months.

The Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) (subclass 400) visa might be more suitable if you are:

• a journalist or other media covering an event, where coverage is not intended for an Australian audience
• someone else working at the event,such as a project manager or specialised construction worker

A Visitor visa might be more suitable if you are:

• attending or taking part in a trade fair, expo, exhibition, religious or cultural event, conference, workshop or seminar, but you are not entertaining or being paid to contribute
• an amateur sportsperson training or taking part in a recreational match
• an unpaid volunteer supporting an amateur sportsperson or team

This is a temporary visa. We grant the length of stay based on the activity we approve you to do on the visa.

The maximum stay for this visa stream is 3 months.

The visa is granted with multiple entry. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

If you are overseas when the visa is granted, the visa stay period starts on the day that you enter Australia. If you are in Australia, the visa starts on the day that it is granted.

Your visa grant letter will tell you how long you can stay.

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Explore your visa options.

You can:

• include members of the family unit in your application when you apply, or
• add family members to your application at any time before we make a decision

Family members who apply for the visa with you must also meet our health and character requirements. 

Subsequent entrants

If we grant you the visa, your family members might be able to apply to join you in Australia later as a subsequent entrant.

The visa costs AUD325 for the main applicant.

There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.

• 25% of applications: 2 Days
• 50% of applications: 8 Days
• 75% of applications: 22 Days
• 90% of applications: 28 Days

Your application might take longer to process if:

• you don't fill it in correctly
• you don't include all the documents we need, or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

We can't process your application if you don't pay the correct visa application charge. We will let you know if this is the case.

You and your family must meet all visa conditions and follow Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

Your activities must not harm the work, training or job conditions of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

If your sponsor, supporting organisation or individual stops your activity or employment, you must either:

• apply for a new visa if eligible, or
• leave Australia within 28 days of stopping work for your sponsor or supporter, or before your visa expires if that happens sooner

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

If we grant you a visa, we will send you a grant notification letter containing the visa grant number. You can use this number to access your digital visa record.