Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular)

• do full-time domestic work in the household of someone who holds a Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995) visa
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid.

This is a temporary visa. If this is the first time you are applying for this visa, you can usually only stay for 12 months.

You can apply for a further Domestic Worker stream visa in Australia before your current visa expires. You must not be in immigration clearance. You can stay for the length of time in your support letter from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

The visa is granted with multiple entry. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The visa starts:

• on the day you first enter Australia, if you are outside Australia when we grant the visa
• on the date we grant the visa if you are in Australia

Your visa grant letter will tell you how long you can stay.

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa.

You can apply for a further Domestic Worker stream visa in Australia if you:

• hold a current Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) visa in the Domestic Worker Stream
• wish to keep working for your current employer in Australia who holds a Diplomatic visa (subclass 995) visa, or another employer in Australia who holds a subclass 995 visa
• have an employment contract that meets Australia's workplace relations laws
• have the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade DFAT.

If you want to stay longer for other reasons, you must apply for a new visa that suits your circumstances. See Explore your visa options.

You can't include family members in your visa application.

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application.

We will charge eligible applicants the lower visa application cost during the application process in ImmiAccount. We will recognise you as eligible if you include your valid passport from one of the specified countries in your application.

You must hold a valid passport issued by one of the following countries:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

You must be outside Australia when you apply and when we decide on your first application.

If you apply for a further Domestic Worker visa, you can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance.

For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.

Your application might take longer to process if:

• you do not fill it in correctly
• you do not include all the documents we need
• we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information.

We cannot process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will tell you if this is the case and invalidate your application.

If we grant you a visa you must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

You must be aged 18 years of age or older.

You must have a letter of support from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Your pay and working conditions must meet the relevant Australian legislation and awards.

Australian workplace laws apply to all workers employed in Australia, see Fact sheet for foreign officials about private domestic workers.

While you are in Australia, you must have the financial capacity to support yourself.

We need to meet with you to confirm your identity, employment details and see your documents. This may be at your nearest:

• office of the Department of Home Affairs, if applying in Australia or
• Australian mission, if applying outside Australia.

You must intend to work as a full-time domestic worker in the Australian household a person who holds a Diplomatic visa (subclass 995).

For more information on your workplace rights and conditions, see Fact sheet for Private Domestic Workers.

If you apply from in Australia, you must already hold a Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) in the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular Stream).

You must meet our health requirement.

If you apply for this visa outside Australia, members of the family unit who are not coming to Australia may also have to meet our health requirement.

You must meet our character requirement.

We might also ask that family members who are not coming to Australia meet the requirement.

You are personally liable for all your healthcare costs while you are in Australia. Medical insurance helps limit your financial liability.

You must have adequate health cover for the whole of your stay to be granted this visa. Your cover should cover you for medically necessary treatment, including transport.

Learn more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

See more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

You must have a genuine intention to:

• stay temporarily in Australia and
• do the work or activity you specified in your visa application.

If you owe the Australian Government money, you must have paid it back or formally arrange to pay it back.

We will consider your immigration history when we decide on your application. This means you may not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused.

In some cases you may still apply for a permanent visa if you have had a visa cancelled or an application refused. See Limitations on applications in Australia.

If applying for a visa from outside Australia, see Can I go to Australia.

If you need immigration help, see Who can help with your visa application.

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid:

• visa to enter Australia
• passport or other travel document.

At the border

Completing an Incoming Passenger Card

All people arriving Australia must complete the Incoming Passenger Card. You will receive this card on board.

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You could leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

What you can do when you have this visa

• do full-time domestic work in the household of someone who holds a Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995)
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid.

To see your specific conditions and work entitlements use VEVO.

You must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.

See your conditions in VEVO

Learn more about visa conditions and how they work.

Tell us if things change

Things you need to let us know about when you have this visa include:

• changes to your phone number, address or passport
• changes to your marital or de facto status
• the birth of a child.

See what to do if your situation changes.

See how long you can stay

To see when you must leave, use VEVO.

Staying longer

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa.

You can apply for a further Domestic Worker stream visa in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, if you:

• hold a current Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) in the Domestic Worker Stream
• wish to keep working for your current employer in Australia who holds a Diplomatic visa (subclass 995), or another employer in Australia who holds a subclass 995 visa
• have an employment contract that meets Australia’s workplace relations laws
• have the support of the DFAT.

If you want to stay longer for other reasons, you must apply for a new visa that suits your circumstances, see Explore your visa options.

Travelling on your visa

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.

See your conditions in VEVO.

Proving you have a visa

To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.

Working

To see your conditions for work, use VEVO.

If you have permission to work, Australian workplace law protects you. See your workplace rights and entitlements

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.

Ensure your visa is still valid

See what to do if your visa has expired or is about to expire.

At the border

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You could leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

After you leave

Getting your superannuation

You are likely to have some money in a superannuation fund if you worked in Australia and you are:

• aged 18 years or older
• paid AUD450 or more monthly before tax.

See how to access your super.

Proving you have been to Australia

To get proof of your travel in and out of Australia request your international movement records.