Visitor Visas Will Carry a No Further Stay Condition From 28 November 2026

If you plan to come to Australia on a visitor visa and then apply for something else once you are here, a new rule changes that plan. From 28 November 2026, every new Visitor visa, ETA and eVisitor will carry the No Further Stay condition (condition 8503).

This guide explains what the regulations say in plain English, who is affected, and what you can still do. It is general information, not advice about your own case.

What changed

The Migration Amendment (Preventing Further Stay for Visitor Visas) Regulations 2026 were made on 12 November 2026 and registered on 13 November 2026. They start on 28 November 2026 and apply to visa applications made on or after that date.

They make condition 8503 compulsory on:

• •the Visitor visa (subclass 600), in all streams (tourist, business visitor, sponsored family, approved destination status and frequent traveller)
• •the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601)
• •the eVisitor (subclass 651)

What condition 8503 means

Under condition 8503, if you enter Australia on one of these visas, you cannot make a valid application for most other visas while you are still in Australia. The main exception is a protection visa. Unless the condition is waived, an onshore application for another visa is not valid.

Before this change, the condition was only compulsory in some streams. For the Business Visitor stream and most tourist visitors it was at the Minister's discretion, and it could not be put on an ETA or eVisitor at all.

Who is affected

The new rule applies to people applying for a visitor visa, ETA or eVisitor on or after 28 November 2026. The regulations apply to applications made from that date, so the rule is tied to when the visitor visa is applied for.

If you already hold a visitor visa, or applied before 28 November, the new compulsory rule is not the one that governs your application. Check your visa grant letter or VEVO for the conditions on your own visa, because the condition could still have been added under the old discretionary rules.

What you can still do

• •Apply from outside Australia. You can still apply for other visas offshore if you meet the requirements. That includes another visitor visa, ETA or eVisitor.
• •Apply for a protection visa onshore. The condition does not stop that.
• •Ask for a waiver. The Minister can waive the condition. Home Affairs says a waiver is considered when there is a major change in your situation after the visa was granted that was out of your control. The government has said requests cost nothing and there is no limit on how many you can make.

Home Affairs gives examples of changes that count, such as a serious medical reason you cannot travel, the death or serious illness of a close family member, a natural disaster or war in your home country. It also says marriage or a new relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident, failing a course, and pregnancy are not reasons for a waiver. Not knowing about the condition is not a reason either.

A worked example

Say someone plans to visit Australia and later apply for a student visa while here.

Why the government made the change

The explanatory statement says the aim is to make visitor visas about short visits, to limit "visa hopping" from onshore, and to place downward pressure on net overseas migration.

What to do now

• •Do not plan to switch visas after arriving on a visitor visa, ETA or eVisitor lodged from 28 November 2026.
• •Check your visa conditions in your grant letter or on VEVO before you make any plans.
• •Apply for the right visa from outside Australia if you want to study, work or join family.
• •Speak to a registered migration agent about your own case, especially if you are already in Australia.

Sources

• •Federal Register of Legislation: Migration Amendment (Preventing Further Stay for Visitor Visas) Regulations 2026
• •Explanatory Statement for the Regulations
• •Department of Home Affairs: No further stay waiver

Planning a move to Australia?

If you want to come to Australia and are not sure which visa fits, get in touch with the Afrovo team and tell us your situation. We can help you understand your options and connect you with a MARA-registered migration agent for any lodgement.

_General information only. This article is not legal or migration advice and is not a guarantee of any outcome. Visa rules are set by the Australian Government and can change at any time, so always confirm the current position with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent. Based on the regulations and explanatory statement registered on 13 November 2026. Last checked 13 November 2026. For guidance on your own situation, speak to the Afrovo team and our MARA-partnered registered migration agents._