Visas are a necessary but time-consuming part of travel. They can often require a fair bit of paperwork to acquire, and may involve nasty processing fees. It’s no wonder, then, that many travellers prefer to visit countries where visas are not required.

What countries require a visa?

There are 41 countries that Australians require a visa for prior to entry. If you think about how many countries there are in the world (227 to be exact), that’s not so bad. In fact, according to the 2023 Henley Passport Index, Aussies with full national citizenship can access a whopping 190 countries across the globe without a prior visa, ranking our passport fifth in the world’s most powerful passports.

The Henley Passport Index marks the following types of access as visa free:

• No visa required. 
• Visa on arrival (VOA) required. 
• Visitor’s permit or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) required. 

So, if you’re looking for a headache-free holiday this year, why not consider jetting off to one of these fabulous visa-free vacation spots? You’ll save money and time that could be better spent planning your holiday itinerary.

1. New Zealand

Kiwis and Aussies love to argue about everything from sport to the weather to who has the silliest accent. But when it comes down to it, we’ve actually got a pretty good relationship with our cousins across the ditch – so good that we can freely travel between the two countries as we wish!

Thanks to the 1973 Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangements (TTTA), Australian and New Zealand citizens are able to visit, live and work in either country without restriction, so long as they have no health or character concerns.

2. Japan

Japan is another country that welcomes Australian citizens into its borders visa free, for a period of no longer than 90 days. And with a manageable flight time of around 10 hours – if you were looking for an excuse to visit the Land of the Rising Sun, this could be it!

3. The USA

The good old US of A is generally considered a pretty tough place to get into, but with an Aussie passport, you’re welcome to enter the Land of the Free for a holiday of up to 90 days without a visa. You just need to fill out the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form before arriving.

Make sure you add that to your to-do list if you’re planning on going to the USA – alongside getting a good travel insurance policy, of course. Which just happens to be one of the amazing features of our Velocity High Flyer Card.

4. Barbados

Fancy taking a loooong hot beachside vacation this year? Then Barbados might be the country for you. Australian passport holders can enter its borders for up to six months without any visa requirements! Bring on the pool-side cocktails!

5. The Schengen area

The Schengen area is the largest visa-free zone in the world, offering a smorgasbord of travel destinations for Aussies looking to explore Europe without the hassles of filling out lots of paperwork or paying a bunch of application fees.

The Schengen area comprises 29 European countries that have all done away with border controls, allowing for free and unrestricted movement of people. That means once you’ve been accepted for a visa in your arrival country (if it’s needed), you’ll be able to freely make your way from Portugal to Poland, even all the way up to Finland and Norway – how cool is that?

6. Hong Kong

If you’re ready for a new cultural experience or are a bit of a theme park fanatic, then Hong Kong fits the bill. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China with its own set of immigration rules. Unlike China, Australians can visit Hong Kong without a visa for up to 90 days.

If you want to stay longer than this period or work in Hong Kong, then you’ll need to apply for a visa.

7. Mexico

The colourful sights and sounds of Mexico are available to you visa free for up to 180 days. Imagine how much Spanish you could practise (and tequila you could try) in that amount of time. Muy bueno!

8. The UK

Along with participating in the Commonwealth Games, one of the perks of being from a Commonwealth country is the ease of travel to the United Kingdom.

Aussies can visit our mates across the pond for up to six months without a visa. Whether you’re travelling for tourism, business or to study, you can travel visa free throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

9. Peru

If you grew up watching The Emperor’s New Groove, then you’ll be pleased to know that you don’t need a visa to visit the beautiful Peruvian highlands.

Upon arrival in Peru, Australians can get a permit to stay for up to three months. However, if you overstay your permit you will have to pay a fine…and report to Yzma and Kronk. So, just keep an eye on your travel dates!

10. Thailand

Think of the food. Need we say more? What’s even more enticing is that Thailand is another country that won't require a visa if you’re an Australian visiting for a month or less. That’s assuming you are entering from an international airport. If you are on a bigger Asia trip (lucky you) and are entering the country at a land border, then you can stay, visa free, for up to 15 days.

Pack your bags, High Flyer

If you’re starting to feel a sense of wanderlust then we want to help you make your travel dreams a reality!

With a Virgin Money Velocity High Flyer Credit Card, you can earn Velocity points with every spend. You can then redeem these points on flights to your favourite visa-free destination! Next stop, the sky!

High Flyer Credit Card