- On this page:
- Types of Australian visas
- Leaving Australia
A visa is a document that gives permission for someone to enter a country they are not a citizen of. You will require different visas depending on your reason for entering a country, such as tourism, study, work, or as a refugee.
The Australian Government Home Affairs have a comprehensive list of visas available. You may also want to get support from a local legal service for trans and gender diverse people.
Types of Australian Visas
Australia has many different kinds of visas, and are based on why you want to enter the country, and how long you intend to stay.
To visit or travel:
For holidays, tourism, visiting friends or family, or attending conferences.
Study:
To study or learn a trade or profession.
Work:
For the purpose of employment.
Join partner or family:
To join loved ones who are Australian, or who are in Australia.
Live here permanently:
To become a permanent resident or citizen.
Stay longer in Australia:
When you have a visa and are in the country but want to stay longer.
Refugee & humanitarian:
These include refugee visas, if you are experiencing or afraid of persecution in your home country, and humanitarian visas, if you are experiencing or afraid of discrimination or human rights abuses.
If you are an asylum seeker and are seeking support, you can visit the following services:
- Forcibly Displaced People Network (FDPN)– Australia’s first LGBTIQA+ refugee-led organisation (National)
- Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) – RACS provides free advice to people in NSW looking to seek asylum. They have a dedicated LGBTQI+ clinic (NSW).
- Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) – STARTTS provides culturally relevant psychological treatment and support, and community interventions, to help people and communities heal the scars of torture and refugee trauma and rebuild their lives in Australia.
To figure out what visa might be right for you, you can visit the Australian Government Home Affairs page here and find out more about each of these visa options.
Leaving Australia
Visas to enter a country are managed by that country.
Australian citizens can travel to over 100 countries without applying for a visa, including New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and more. However, there may be a cost associated with entering that country. A full list of countries that Australian citizens can travel to is available here.
Australian passports require a gender marker on them, but can display ‘M’, ‘F’, or ‘X’. For more information explore our resource on passports.
When travelling for surgery, it’s important to know the legal and medical requirements before your trip. This may include obtaining a visa, getting vaccinations, getting a letter from your health professional about carrying medication or medical supplies internationally, and more.
Having a regular doctor or GP in Australia that you trust and who knows about where you’re going and what you’re doing can be a good idea too. They can help coordinate your care and look after you and your health needs once you return to Australia.
References & Links
Explore visa options - Department of Home Affairs
Going overseas for a medical procedure (medical tourism) - SmartTraveller
Advice for LGBTI travellers - SmartTraveller
Sex and gender diverse passport applicants - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
FDPN – Forcibly Displaced People Network
USA Travel Alert – Equality Australia
