You can check your Australian visa status for free using three official tools: VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) at online.immi.gov.au, the myVEVO mobile app, or your ImmiAccount portal. VEVO is the most reliable method and shows your current visa subclass, grant date, expiry date, conditions, and work entitlements. You'll need your passport details and either a visa grant number or transaction reference number.
Using VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online)
VEVO is the Department of Home Affairs' primary tool for checking visa status. It's free, available 24/7, and provides real-time information about your current visa entitlements.
To use VEVO, you'll need:
- Your passport number, country of issue, and date of birth
- Plus a reference number, such as your visa grant number or transaction reference number (TRN)
Step-by-step:
- Go to the Department of Home Affairs VEVO page at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Select "Check your own visa details with VEVO"
- Enter your passport details and reference number
- Complete the verification and submit
VEVO will show you:
- Your current visa subclass and stream
- The date your visa was granted
- The date your visa expires (or if it has no expiry)
- All visa conditions attached to your visa
- Your work entitlements (can you work? how many hours?)
- Your study entitlements
- Whether your visa allows you to leave and re-enter Australia
This information is pulled directly from the Department's systems, so it's always current.
Using the myVEVO App
The myVEVO app provides the same information as the website but on your phone. It's available for iOS and Android.
Advantages of the app:
- Save your visa details for quick access without re-entering information each time
- Show your visa entitlements to employers, landlords, or anyone who needs to verify your status
The app is particularly useful for showing employers your work rights. Rather than trying to explain your visa conditions verbally, you can open the app and show the screen directly. Many Australian employers now ask to see VEVO results as part of their hiring process.
Using ImmiAccount
If you applied for your visa through ImmiAccount (the Department's online application portal), you can log in and view your visa status there.
ImmiAccount shows:
- Your application status (received, in progress, finalised)
- Visa grant details and conditions
- Correspondence from the Department
- Any requests for additional information
ImmiAccount provides more detailed information than VEVO because it includes your application history and communications. However, it only shows visas you applied for through that specific ImmiAccount. If someone else (like a migration agent) lodged your application, the visa may not appear in your personal ImmiAccount.
To create or access your ImmiAccount, go to online.immi.gov.au.
Understanding Your Visa Conditions
When you check your visa through VEVO, you'll see a list of condition numbers. Here are the most common ones and what they mean:
| Condition | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 8101 | Must not work in Australia |
| 8104 | Work limitation — no more than 40 hours a fortnight, unless you are a family member of a Student visa holder |
| 8105 | Work limitation (student visa) — no work before your course starts, and no more than 48 hours a fortnight when your course of study or training is in session |
| 8201 | Maximum 3 months study — while in Australia you must not engage in any studies or training for more than 3 months |
| 8202 | Must meet course requirements |
| 8301 | Must satisfy any outstanding public interest criteria after you enter Australia |
| 8501 | Must maintain adequate health insurance (OSHC for students) |
| 8503 | Cannot apply for most other visas while in Australia (protection visas are an exception) |
| 8515 | Must not marry or enter into a de facto relationship before entering Australia |
| 8516 | Must continue to satisfy visa criteria |
| 8533 | Must tell your education provider your residential address within 7 days of arriving, and within 7 days of any change |
| 8534 | Cannot apply for most visas while in Australia |
| 8558 | Non Resident — cannot stay for more than 12 months in any 18 month period |
Condition 8503 is particularly important because it prevents you from applying for a new visa while you're in Australia. If this condition is on your visa, you generally need to leave Australia to apply for a different visa. You can ask Home Affairs to waive the condition, but only if there has been a major change in your situation that happened after your visa was granted and was outside your control.
Checking Someone Else's Visa
Employers, educational institutions, and other organisations can also use VEVO to verify a person's visa status. This requires the visa holder's consent and their visa details.
For employers: You have a legal obligation under the Migration Act to ensure your workers hold valid visas with appropriate work rights. VEVO is the official tool for this check. Employing someone without valid work rights carries serious penalties: employers who exploit migrant workers face large fines or even jail, and can be publicly named and banned from hiring more temporary migrant workers.
For educational institutions: VEVO can verify that a student holds a valid student visa with study entitlements.
For real estate agents and landlords: While not legally required, some property managers use VEVO to verify a tenant's visa status and right to remain in Australia.
The organisational VEVO access requires registration with the Department of Home Affairs.
What If VEVO Shows No Valid Visa?
If VEVO indicates you don't hold a valid visa while you're in Australia, this is a serious situation that requires immediate attention.
Possible explanations:
- Your visa has expired (check the expiry date)
- Your visa has been cancelled (you should have received notification)
- There's a system error or data mismatch (less common but possible)
- You entered incorrect passport or reference number details
What to do:
- Double-check that you entered your details correctly, including passport number and date of birth
- If the details are correct and VEVO shows no valid visa, contact the Department of Home Affairs immediately. Its phone line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, for problems that need it to access your details
- If your visa has genuinely expired or been cancelled, seek advice from a registered migration agent about your options
- Don't ignore the situation, as remaining in Australia without a valid visa makes your position worse every day
Read more about what happens when your visa expires.
Your Visa Grant Number
Your visa grant number is the code that identifies your visa. You can find it:
- In the visa grant notification email sent by the Department
- In your ImmiAccount under your visa details
- On any correspondence from the Department about your visa
Keep this number safe and accessible. You'll need it for VEVO checks, when entering or leaving Australia, for employer verification, and when applying for future visas.
Since Australia's visa system is entirely electronic (there's no label or sticker in your passport), your visa grant number is effectively your proof of visa. Losing it doesn't affect your visa, but you'll need to recover it through ImmiAccount or by contacting the Department.
FAQ
Is VEVO always accurate? VEVO pulls data in real-time from the Department's visa processing system, so it reflects your current in-effect visa. It is not a complete picture: it does not show previous visas or new applications the Department may be assessing, and it can return an error or no result if the details you enter do not match the Department's records. If something looks wrong, contact the Department rather than treating the result as the final word.
Can I use VEVO before travelling to Australia? Yes. Once your visa has been granted, VEVO will show your visa details even before you've entered Australia. This is a good way to confirm your visa is active before booking flights.
Does checking VEVO affect my visa in any way? No. VEVO is a read-only check. It doesn't trigger any reviews, flags, or alerts on your visa. You can check as often as you like.
My visa says "must not arrive before" a certain date. What does this mean? That is a travel date on your visa, not condition 8558. VEVO shows a "must not arrive after" date — the last date you can use the visa to enter Australia — alongside which visa you hold, its expiry date, how long you can stay, and your conditions. Condition 8558 is a different thing entirely: it is called "Non Resident" and means you cannot stay for more than 12 months in any 18 month period, which limits how long you stay rather than when you arrive. Read more about condition 8558.
