Australia announces No Further Stay condition for visitor visas

Australia has announced a major change to its visitor visa settings that could significantly affect people planning to join their Australian partner.

On 17 September 2026, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced that a No Further Stay condition will be attached to all future visitor visas.

This condition will generally prevent visitor visa holders from applying for another visa while they are in Australia, apart from a protection visa. People who want to remain in Australia will usually need to leave the country and apply through an appropriate offshore pathway.

The Australian Government hasn’t confirmed when the change will take effect.

Who will be affected?

The change will apply to visitor visas granted under the new rules once they take effect. 

According to the Minister’s announcement, it won’t affect: 

• Visitor visas that have already been granted 
• People who are already in Australia on a visitor visa 
• Protection visa applications 

The Government hasn’t released the full implementation details yet. These details should confirm how the condition will be applied, whether any further exceptions will exist and what waiver provisions may be available. 

What does a No Further Stay condition mean?

A No Further Stay condition restricts a visa holder from applying for many other Australian visas while they are in the country. 

This could have serious consequences for anyone planning to enter Australia as a visitor and later apply for another visa onshore. 

The Government has introduced the change to reduce the number of people using visitor visas as a pathway to remain in Australia. It also expects the restriction to give decision-makers greater confidence that visitor visa applicants genuinely intend to leave when their visas expire. 

The Minister said this should make it easier to grant visitor visas for genuine temporary visits, including visits from partners and family members. 

However, a visitor visa will still depend on the applicant’s individual circumstances. The announcement doesn’t guarantee that partners of Australians will receive a visitor visa or permission to remain for an extended period.

What could this mean for partners of Australians?

The greatest impact may fall on partners of Australian citizens and permanent residents. 

Some couples currently use a visitor visa to spend time together in Australia before lodging an onshore Partner visa application under subclasses 820 and 801. 

Once the new condition applies, that pathway may no longer be available to people entering Australia on a visitor visa. They may need to leave Australia and consider an offshore Partner visa pathway instead. 

This makes it increasingly important for couples to understand their long-term intentions before applying for a visitor visa. The timing, location and type of each application could affect whether they can remain together in Australia while their partner visa is processed.

What this could mean in practice

Cameron Gray, VisaAide Director and Registered Migration Agent, believes the potential effect on partners of Australians will be significant. 

His first concern is for couples who want to live together in Australia before lodging an onshore 820/801 Partner visa application. Requiring the overseas partner to leave Australia and pursue an offshore pathway could create major practical, financial and emotional difficulties. 

Cameron also expects visitor visa applications involving an Australian partner to receive careful scrutiny. An applicant who intends to visit their partner but hasn’t lodged an offshore Partner visa application may need to provide particularly clear evidence of their temporary intentions and plans to leave Australia. 

This is Cameron’s professional interpretation of the announcement. We’ll need to see the final policy and implementation instructions before we know exactly how Home Affairs will assess these situations. 

What should prospective applicants do? 

There is no immediate change for people who already hold a visitor visa or are currently in Australia on one. 

If you’re planning to visit an Australian partner or considering a future Partner visa application, now is a good time to review your intended pathway. 

Before applying, consider: 

• Whether you plan to visit Australia temporarily or live there permanently 
• Whether an onshore or offshore Partner visa pathway fits your circumstances 
• How a No Further Stay condition could affect your options 
• Whether the order and timing of your applications need to change 

Avoid making travel, accommodation or relocation decisions based on the assumption that you’ll be able to apply for another visa after arriving in Australia. 

VisaAide will continue monitoring official announcements and update this information when the commencement date and detailed rules are confirmed. 

If you’re planning to join your partner in Australia, talk to VisaAide about your visa options before you apply.