What Is VEVO? How to Check Your Australian Visa Conditions in 4 Steps

Your new employer has asked for proof that you can work. Or a landlord wants to see your visa, and all you have is a grant email from two years ago.

You’ve heard the word VEVO, but nobody has explained what it shows or which number to type in. The check is quick, and it costs nothing.

VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) is the Department of Home Affairs system that shows the details and conditions of a visa you already hold. You don’t need an account to use it.

VEVO doesn’t track an application that is still being processed. That happens in ImmiAccount, and mixing up the two is the most common problem we see.

This guide covers what VEVO shows, the 4 steps to check it, how employers use it and what to do if it shows an error.

If something on your record doesn’t look right, you can book a consultation with our registered migration agents.

What is VEVO, and what does it show?

VEVO is a free online service from Home Affairs that shows the details and conditions of your current visa. Visa holders, employers, education providers and banks all use it to confirm what a visa allows.

Your grant letter shows the same information on the day the visa was granted. VEVO shows it as it stands today, which is why employers ask for it.

Most people only need the expiry date and the conditions. The next question is usually whether VEVO can tell you anything about a new application.

Can VEVO show my visa application status?

No. VEVO only shows a visa that has already been granted, so it can’t tell you how a pending application is going.

Waiting on a decision is stressful, and checking VEVO every morning won’t change what you see. Your application status, any requests for more information and your decision letter all appear in your ImmiAccount. Our guide on how to create and use an ImmiAccount explains where to look.

What VEVO shows while you wait on a new visa

• VEVO shows the visa that is in effect for you right now.
• If you’ve been granted a bridging visa that hasn’t started yet, your current visa stays in effect until it expires.
• When the bridging visa starts, or your new visa is granted, VEVO updates to show it.

Our article on bridging visas explains when each one comes into effect. Once you know VEVO is the right tool, the next step is having the right details ready.

What do you need before you check VEVO?

You need your travel document, one reference number and your date of birth. Having these in front of you before you start saves a failed attempt.

• Document type: Passport, ImmiCard, Document for Travel to Australia (DFTTA) or Titre de Voyage. Most people use their passport.
• Document number and country: these must match the document linked to your visa.
• Date of birth: exactly as it appears on your visa record.
• One reference number: a Transaction Reference Number (TRN), visa grant number, visa evidence number or VEVO password.

Where do you find your reference number?

• TRN: you have one if you applied online. It’s on the online lodgement summary in your ImmiAccount.
• Visa grant number: it’s on your visa grant notification letter, sent by email or post.
• Visa evidence number: you only have one if there is a visa label in your passport.
• None of these: use the VEVO Request for Reference Number Form on the Home Affairs website.

The visa grant number and the visa evidence number are two different numbers. Typing one into the other’s field is a common reason a search fails.

How do you check your visa on VEVO in 4 steps?

You can check your own visa on the VEVO for visa holders page in 4 steps, without logging in.

1. Open the VEVO for visa holders page and select Check your own visa details with VEVO.
2. Choose your document type. Select Passport unless your visa is linked to an ImmiCard or another travel document.
3. Choose your reference type, then enter that number, your date of birth, your document number and the country of your document.
4. Accept the terms and conditions and submit. Your visa details and conditions appear on the screen, and you can email them to yourself or an employer.

If the details appear, save the email so you have a dated record. If you get an error instead, skip to the section on VEVO errors below.

Can you check VEVO on your phone?

• Yes. The myVEVO app is free on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
• You set a personal identification number (PIN) the first time you use it.
• If you enter the PIN incorrectly three times, the app asks you to set a new PIN and enter your details again.
• You can turn on Face ID or Touch ID, and email your visa details straight from the app.

How do employers check your VEVO?

Employers check VEVO through an organisation’s ImmiAccount, and only with your permission. Being asked for it is a routine part of starting a job in Australia, not a sign that anything is wrong.

Australian employers are expected to confirm that a new worker’s visa allows the work offered. VEVO is how most of them do it.

• The employer’s account: the business needs an organisation ImmiAccount with VEVO access. Home Affairs reviews every VEVO access request and usually approves organisation accounts within 4 working days, as of October 2026 (Home Affairs).
• Your permission: the employer needs your consent and your passport details to run the check.
• The faster option: you can email your visa details to the employer yourself from VEVO or the myVEVO app.

What the employer is really reading is your work conditions. That brings us to what those 4-digit numbers mean.

What do the conditions on your VEVO mean?

Visa conditions are the rules attached to your visa, and each one has a 4-digit number. Breaching a condition can put your visa at risk, so it’s worth knowing which ones apply to you.

The table lists conditions people ask us about most. Wording is from Home Affairs visa conditions, as at October 2026.

A question we hear often from families on visitor visas is whether 8503 can be removed. Our guide to the 8503 visa condition covers when a waiver is possible.

What should you do if VEVO shows an error or no record?

Most VEVO errors happen because the details you entered don’t match Home Affairs records. Usually, you can fix this yourself by checking each field against your documents.

Common reasons VEVO can’t find your visa

• New passport: your visa is still linked to your old passport. Tell Home Affairs about your new passport, then search again.
• Mismatched details: Home Affairs holds a different date of birth or spelling of your name.
• Arrived before 1990: if you’ve never left Australia since, ask Home Affairs to create an electronic visa record.
• Expired visa: VEVO won’t show a visa that has ended. Check your status with Home Affairs straight away.

If the error continues, use the Visa Entitlement Online Enquiry form on the Home Affairs website. Attach a copy of your travel document and a screenshot of the error message.

Did VEVO show a condition or expiry date you didn’t expect? A MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738) can compare it with your grant letter and explain your options. You can book a consultation in person or online.

Which VEVO mistakes cause the most problems?

The most costly mistake is treating VEVO as an application tracker. The others are smaller, but each one can cost a job start date or a rental application.

• Searching with your old passport after you’ve renewed it.
• Entering your visa grant number in the visa evidence number field, or the other way round.
• Sending an employer a screenshot from months ago instead of a fresh VEVO email.
• Missing a condition such as 8503 or 8105 that limits what you can do next.
• Waiting until your expiry date to check, when there’s no time left to plan your next visa.

How The Migration helps with VEVO and visa conditions

We help visa holders understand what their VEVO record means for their work, study and next visa. Most people come to us when a condition or date doesn’t match what they expected.

• Record check: we compare your VEVO details with your grant letter and point out anything that needs attention.
• Conditions explained: we explain conditions such as 8105, 8501 and 8503 in plain English, including what they mean for your plans.
• Next visa planning: we map your options well before your expiry date, whether that’s a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), a partner visa or a skilled pathway.
• A registered agent: your matter is handled by a MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738). You can check the number on the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) register.
• Experience and access: our team has 7+ years of experience in Australian migration, with consultations at our Harris Park office or online.

Is VEVO the right place to check your visa?

Yes, if you want to confirm the visa you already hold. VEVO is free, takes a few minutes and shows your expiry date, work rights and conditions as they stand today.

For an application that is still being processed, go to ImmiAccount instead. If VEVO shows an error, check your passport and reference number first, then use the Home Affairs enquiry form.

Frequently asked questions