Australia's Department of Home Affairs has published the full list of countries whose citizens can transit through Australian airports without a visa under the Transit Without Visa (TWOV) policy. The guidance, last updated on September 23, 2024, and applicable in 2026, names over 70 countries, but travellers must meet strict conditions, including an 8-hour departure window and staying within the airport transit lounge.
Who Qualifies for Visa-Free Transit in Australia
To be eligible for TWOV, a traveller must arrive in Australia by aircraft and hold a confirmed outbound ticket departing to a third country, also by aircraft, within eight hours of arrival. They must carry a valid travel document accepted for entry into their destination country. Critically, they must not need to pass through immigration or leave the airport transit lounge at any point before boarding their connecting flight.
The Home Affairs guidance specifically notes that travellers who need to collect baggage or board an onward flight from a different terminal that requires clearing immigration will not qualify under TWOV, even if they are citizens of an eligible country. The policy applies only to transit through Australian airports, not to entry into Australia itself.
Full List of 70 Eligible Countries
According to the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, the following nationalities are eligible for TWOV: Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom (including its colonies), United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, and Vatican.
Beyond this main list, residents of Hong Kong holding a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passport or a British National Overseas (BNO) passport are also eligible. Taiwan residents holding a passport issued by the authorities of Taiwan, as well as Indian official passport holders travelling on passports issued to Government of India officials, may also transit without a visa.
Exceptions and Exclusions
Diplomatic passport holders are generally eligible, with exceptions. Diplomatic passports from Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bahrain, Comoros, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen, and Zimbabwe do not qualify. Holders of Arab Non-National Passports are also excluded. The guidance does not apply to stateless persons or refugees.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Australia had named the only African country whose citizens can transit without a visa. South Korea has also named 42 countries eligible for Smart Entry Gate access, excluding Nigeria and others.
Australia Tightens Student Visa Rules
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia had updated its student visa rules. The Australian Government's Department of Home Affairs published the policy update, outlining measures it says are needed to manage population growth, protect workers, and strengthen the integrity of the visa system. The changes target several visa categories and will be rolled out progressively over the next 12 months.
