Special Category Visa 444: the visa New Zealand citizens get on arrival - without applying.
The subclass 444 Special Category Visa is automatically granted to eligible New Zealand citizens when they arrive in Australia. No application, no sponsorship, no lengthy process. It allows NZ citizens to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely - but it is technically temporary, and understanding its limits matters for long-term planning.
Granted at the border, held electronically.
The Special Category Visa (subclass 444) is not something you apply for in the traditional sense. When an eligible New Zealand citizen arrives in Australia on a valid New Zealand passport, they are granted the 444 at the border, subject to satisfying health and character requirements. The visa is not stamped in the passport - it is held electronically.
The 444 allows NZ citizens to stay in Australia indefinitely, work without restriction, study, and access Medicare under the reciprocal health care agreement. What it does not do is give you permanent residence automatically - and some welfare payments, student loan supports and other entitlements that are available to permanent residents may not be accessible on the 444 alone.
July 2023 change: direct citizenship pathway. From 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens who have been living in Australia for four or more years can apply directly for Australian citizenship - without needing to first become a permanent resident. This is a significant change that opened up full citizenship access for the large number of New Zealanders who had been living in Australia long-term on the 444 without pursuing PR.
Who gets the 444 on arrival.
The rights and limits you need to understand.
Live in Australia indefinitely. Work for any employer without restriction. Study any course. Access Medicare (reciprocal agreement). Apply for Australian citizenship after 4 years (from July 2023). Apply for permanent visas from within Australia.
Not permanent residence - it remains technically temporary. Limited access to some social security payments (JobSeeker etc.). University fee support (HECS-HELP) may work differently. No automatic voting rights in federal elections. Family members who are not NZ citizens need their own visas.
Who can stay with you - and the visa they each need.
Your 444 covers only you. It does not extend to a partner or children who are not themselves New Zealand citizens. Each family member's situation depends on their own citizenship and relationship to you, so it is worth mapping this out early rather than assuming the 444 carries the household.
| Family member | Their situation | Typical visa they need |
|---|---|---|
| Partner - NZ citizen | Holds New Zealand citizenship in their own right. | Their own Subclass 444 Special Category visa, granted to them on arrival. |
| Partner - not a NZ citizen | Cannot receive a 444 through you. | Their own visa - commonly a partner visa, or in some long-standing NZ family circumstances a Subclass 461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa if eligible. Eligibility is assessed case by case. |
| Children - NZ citizens | Hold New Zealand citizenship. | Their own 444 on arrival, the same as any NZ citizen. |
| Children - not NZ citizens | Need their own visa to live in Australia with you. | A child visa, with the right subclass depending on age and circumstances. Adult children may need a different pathway again. |
Government charges are not fixed in advance. Charges for partner and child visas depend on your circumstances and change over time, so we quote in writing rather than publish a set figure. See fees and how we quote. The 444 itself is granted on arrival and is not something you lodge a paid application for.
If you want more than the 444 provides.
Many New Zealanders live their entire time in Australia on the 444 and are content with that arrangement. Others want permanent residence, access to all social security entitlements, or full participation in civic life - and for them, the 444 is a starting point, not an endpoint.
From July 2023, the most direct pathway for long-term NZ residents is applying directly for citizenship after four years in Australia - bypassing the PR step entirely. For those who want PR first (for various practical reasons, including access to certain entitlements before the four-year mark), skilled migration pathways like the 189 or 190 remain options, as do family and employer-sponsored pathways.
The NZ-specific 189 stream closed to new applications in 2023 - the direct citizenship pathway replaced it as the primary route for NZ citizens seeking full Australian status.
This page covers the on-arrival mechanics of the 444 itself. To map the longer journey from arrival through to permanent residence or citizenship, including how the four-year clock works and where a Subclass 461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa fits for non-citizen family, explore the full New Zealand citizen pathway. If you want to weigh permanent residence against the citizenship route, you can also consider skilled PR visas as an alternative, and protect your re-entry rights with a Resident Return Visa if you later hold PR.
Special Category Visa questions answered.
Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)
Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.
Want more than the 444?
The 444 is a flexible starting point, but permanent residence and citizenship offer more. We can map out the fastest path to the status that suits your situation.