The events thatcome back every year,and the visas thatcome back with them.
The Australian Open in January, the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in March, the Melbourne Cup in November, Vivid Sydney and SXSW Sydney bring the same roles to Australia every year: players and drivers, crews and riggers, artists and speakers, sponsors and fans. The visas are the same four each time. The difference from a world cup is that the lead times are shorter and the sponsors already exist.
Government charges, annual events
- 408 Temporary Activity, Sporting or Entertainment streamplayers, drivers, teams, performers$535
- 400 Short Stay Specialist, each crew memberunder three months, no sponsor$535
- 600 Visitor, business visitor streamsponsors, exhibitors, guests$250
- 600 Visitor, tourist stream from outside Australiafans without a free option$250
- ETA 601eligible passports, apply through the app$0
- eVisitor 651eligible European passports$0
As at 1 July 2026. A small service charge applies to the ETA app. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted in writing after the consultation.
Participants on the 408, short crews on the 400, everyone else a visitor.
Players, drivers, riders, jockeys, teams and performers at Australia's annual events use the subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa at $535 each, in the Sporting Activities or Entertainment Activities stream, sponsored by the Australian organiser, promoter or sporting body. Short specialist crews use the subclass 400 at $535, sponsors, exhibitors and unpaid conference speakers the 600 business visitor stream at $250, and fans a free ETA or eVisitor where their passport is eligible.
Verified as at 1 July 2026 against the Department of Home Affairs pages for subclasses 408, 400, 600, 601 and 651.
Which visa do I need? A 30-second check
Answer the questions to see where you stand.
A guide only, not legal advice. The consultation is where the real answer comes from.
Five events, one pattern, different people.
Each event has its own mix of competitors, crews and commercial guests. The visa for each person turns on whether they are taking part, working briefly, or attending.
Australia's major events to 2032
- 01
Australian Open, January, Melbourne
Players, coaches, hitting partners, physiotherapists and entourages use the 408 Sporting Activities stream, sponsored by the Australian tennis body or organiser. Broadcast crews on assignment use the 400. Sponsors, agents and hospitality guests are business visitors on the 600, ETA or eVisitor.
- 02
Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, March, Melbourne
Drivers, team principals, engineers, mechanics and pit crews are taking part in a sporting event and use the 408 Sporting Activities stream, or the 400 where an overseas team brings a specialist for the race weekend only. Confirm the stream with the organiser and the Department before the freight leaves. Broadcast and timing specialists use the 400. Paddock Club guests and sponsors are business visitors.
- 03
Melbourne Cup, November, Flemington
International trainers, jockeys, strappers and travelling stable staff use the 408 Sporting Activities stream, sponsored by the Australian racing body or club. Owners and their guests are business visitors or tourists. The horses have their own quarantine and import rules, which are not a visa matter but run on the same calendar.
- 04
Vivid Sydney, light, music and ideas
Performing artists, musicians and their crews use the 408 Entertainment Activities stream sponsored by the Australian promoter or producer, with industry consultation where the Department requires it. Light installation technicians on short specialist assignments use the 400. Unpaid speakers at the ideas program are business visitors.
- 05
SXSW Sydney, October
A conference, a music festival, a screen program and a tech expo in one. Paid performers use the 408 Entertainment stream. Unpaid speakers, panellists, exhibitors and delegates are business visitors on the 600 business visitor stream, the ETA or the eVisitor. A speaker paid by the Australian organiser is closer to work than visiting, so check before accepting.
The 408's two event streams, and the three visas around it.
Annual events almost never need the endorsed events stream. They run on the two ordinary 408 streams and the visitor visas.
The subclass 408 in detail- 408
Sporting Activities stream
Competitors, team members, coaches, officials and support staff taking part in competition or high-level training, sponsored by the Australian sporting body, club or organiser. Stays match the activity, up to two years. $535 each, family members can be included. A five-year sponsorship covers every year's event.
- 408
Entertainment Activities stream
Performers, musicians, directors, production and technical crews for concerts, festivals, theatre and screen, sponsored by the Australian promoter or producer. Some productions require consultation with the relevant Australian industry body before the nomination, which adds weeks to the timeline.
- 400
Short Stay Specialist: short crews, no sponsor
Broadcast engineers, timing and data specialists, riggers, lighting designers and technicians whose skills are not readily available in Australia, for up to three months. An employer letter, no sponsorship, $535. Not for ongoing roles and not for work an Australian could reasonably do. Subclass 400.
- 600
Business visitor: sponsors, exhibitors, unpaid speakers
Meetings, negotiations, conferences, exhibiting and hospitality are business visitor activities. The 600 business visitor stream is $250, three months per entry, with a frequent traveller option for people who come every year. No paid work for an Australian business. Subclass 600.
- 601 and 651
ETA and eVisitor: fans and eligible business visitors
Eligible passports apply online for a free ETA 601 or eVisitor 651, allowing tourism and business visitor activities for up to three months per visit, usually within a twelve-month validity. Fans book after grant, not before. ETA and eVisitor.
Shorter than a world cup, still not last week.
Planning guidance from group applications we have run, not Department processing times. Processing times vary and are published monthly. Decision-ready applications move faster.
| Event | Visas most groups use | Lodge by |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Open, January | 408 Sporting for players and entourages; 400 for crews; 600, ETA or eVisitor for guests and fans | 408 nominations by September, visas by October; visitor visas by November |
| Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, March | 408 Sporting or 400 for team personnel; 400 for broadcast and timing; 600, ETA or eVisitor for guests and fans | 408 nominations by November, visas by December; visitor visas by January |
| Melbourne Cup, November | 408 Sporting for trainers, jockeys and stable staff; 600, ETA or eVisitor for owners and guests | 408 nominations by July, visas by August; visitor visas by September |
| Vivid Sydney | 408 Entertainment for artists and crews; 400 for installation specialists; 600, ETA or eVisitor for speakers and fans | 408 nominations four months out, visas three months out; allow extra for industry consultation |
| SXSW Sydney, October | 408 Entertainment for paid performers; 600, ETA or eVisitor for speakers, exhibitors and delegates | 408 nominations by June, visas by July; visitor visas by August |
| New sponsor for any event | Temporary activities sponsorship, $420 | Six months before the first nomination, allow two to four months |
Sponsorship approval, nominations and visa applications each take their own time. Health examinations and character checks add to it for some nationalities. Established organisers with sponsorship in place shorten the front end, not the visa step.
What a team, a touring act or a corporate party costs in government charges.
Model a racing team or a touring act with its crew, plus a sponsor party and fans. Government charges only. Health insurance, police clearances and our fixed professional fee are additional.
As at 1 July 2026. Each field caps at twenty. Established organisers usually hold sponsorship already, so the toggle is off by default.
Sponsor once, then repeat the nomination every season.
A promoter, team or sporting body that comes back every year does the hard part once. After that the annual cycle is a nomination and a batch of applications.
Sponsorship, once in five years
The Australian organiser, promoter, club or sporting body applies to be a temporary activities sponsor. $420, valid five years. Most established event organisers already hold it, and an overseas team can use the organiser's sponsorship rather than obtaining its own.
Nomination for this year's activity
The sponsor nominates the event, names each person, their role, the dates and who pays. Entertainment nominations may need industry consultation first. The same nomination can cover the event and a short tour or exhibition series around it.
Applications in a batch
Each competitor, performer and crew member lodges online with passport, health where required, character, health insurance and the nomination. Family members included at $535 per adult and $135 per child. People already in Australia pay the $700 subsequent charge.
Visitors sort themselves
Sponsors, guests and fans are told which visa fits their passport: a free ETA or eVisitor, or the 600. We provide a one-page guide the organiser can send to its commercial partners and ticket holders.
Next year
New nomination, new applications, same sponsorship. A crew member who comes every year can consider a 600 frequent traveller stream at $1,845 for the visitor legs, but work on any visitor visa is still prohibited.
Annual event visas, answered plainly.
What visa do Australian Open players need?
The subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa, Sporting Activities stream, $535 per person, sponsored by the Australian tennis body or organiser. Coaches, hitting partners and physiotherapists travelling with a player use the same visa under the same nomination. Agents and family attending as spectators are visitors.
Which visa do Formula 1 team members need for the Australian Grand Prix?
Drivers, engineers, mechanics and pit crews are taking part in a sporting event, so the 408 Sporting Activities stream is the usual answer, sponsored by the organiser or the Australian motorsport body. Where an overseas team sends a specialist for the race weekend only, the 400 at $535 can fit. Confirm the stream with the organiser and the Department before booking freight and flights.
Can a musician play Vivid Sydney or SXSW Sydney on a visitor visa?
Not for a fee. A paid performance is work, and needs the 408 Entertainment Activities stream sponsored by the Australian promoter. An unpaid showcase or panel appearance may be a business visitor activity, but the line is narrow and the promoter should confirm it before the artist travels.
Do conference speakers at SXSW Sydney need a work visa?
An unpaid speaker or panellist attending a conference is a business visitor and can use the 600 business visitor stream at $250, a free ETA or an eVisitor. A speaker paid by the Australian organiser for the appearance is closer to work and should check whether the 400 or 408 applies.
Which visa do international trainers and jockeys use for the Melbourne Cup?
The 408 Sporting Activities stream, sponsored by the Australian racing body or club, $535 per person. Strappers and stable staff who travel with the horse use the same visa. Owners and their guests attend as business visitors or tourists and cannot work.
How early should a touring act or team lodge for an annual event?
Nominations three to four months before travel and visa applications two to three months before, as planning guidance rather than processing times. Entertainment nominations that need industry consultation add weeks. A new sponsor should start six months out because sponsorship approval comes first.
Can fans get a free visa for the Australian Open or the Grand Prix?
Fans with an eligible passport apply online for a free ETA 601 or eVisitor 651, allowing visits of up to three months. Other passports apply for the subclass 600 tourist stream at $250. Apply before booking non-refundable travel because grant is not automatic.
Where this visa connects.
- 408Open
Temporary Activity visa
The Sporting and Entertainment streams that carry every annual event.
- 400Open
Short Stay Specialist visa
Short, highly specialised crews without a sponsor.
- 600Open
Visitor visa
Sponsors, exhibitors, unpaid speakers and fans without a free option.
- EventsOpen
Australia's major events to 2032
Rugby World Cup 2027, Netball World Cup 2027, T20 World Cup 2028 and Brisbane 2032.
Bringing a team, an act or a corporate party to an annual event?
One consultation confirms the stream, sets the nomination calendar for the season and gives you a fixed fee for the whole group, this year and next.