Australia
Media and Film
Staff Visa

The Australian Film and Media Visa is for journalists, correspondents and reporters representing overseas news organisations; television and film crews including actors, production and support staff; and still-photographers who need to work in Australia temporarily for the purpose of being involved in the production of documentary programs or commercials for distribution outside Australia. It is also for overseas media staff who need to film or take photographs in Australian National Parks for commercial use.

If your production will be screened within Australia, you need to apply for the Australia Entertainment Visa.

If you intend to stay in Australia for more than three months, or if you will not be entering Australia under a country to country agreement, you will need to be sponsored by an Australian person or organisation. Your work visa application can not be lodged until your sponsorship has been approved.

Professional media staff members of overseas news organisations including print, radio, TV or film media may not need to apply for this Australian visa. If you have been assigned to Australia as an accredited representative of that organisation (for example, as their foreign correspondent) may apply for either:

• An Australian Temporary Business (Short Stay) Visa which allows you to stay in Australia three months or less
• An Australian Temporary Business (Long Stay) Visa which allows you to stay in Australia for up to four years

Visit our Australian Visas section for more information or chat live to our staff today.

With an Oz film and media visa you can:

• undertake media work in Australia for a company or organisation based outside Australia
• stay in Australia for as long as your visa is valid
• bring eligible family members with you to Australia

While you are in Australia on your film and media visa you will only be entitled to work in the position nominated in your visa application.

On a film and media visa you are not allowed to:

• stop working in the activity for which the visa was granted
• engage in activity inconsistent with what the visa was granted for
• engage in work for another person or for yourself which is inconsistent with the activity for which the visa was granted.

There may be some other conditions which apply to your case and these will be explained to you when you are granted the visa.

If you are applying for an Australian Media and Film Staff Visa, you may include your spouse, dependent children and any other dependent relatives living with you on your application.

If you are not sponsored, the validity of your Australian Media and Film Visa will be determined by the time you will need to complete your work in Australia. If you are being sponsored, the validity of your visa will be the length of your contract in Australia.

If you want to extend your stay while in Australia, you will need to complete a new Australian visa application form and attach appropriate evidence to support the purpose of your stay.

If you have been sponsored, your sponsor will need to lodge a new sponsorship application in order to extend your stay. The new sponsorship and visa applications should be lodged well in advance of the expiry date of your current visa.

If the program you are working on in Oz may be shown in Australia – including on cable or satellite TV, you should apply for an Australian Entertainment Visa instead.