Travel documents for Subclass 200 in 2026: passport, ImmiCard and passenger card

What travel documents a Subclass 200 holder needs in 2026, and how the Incoming Passenger Card fits into arrival.

Published: 30 September 2026

To board your flight to Australia on a Refugee (subclass 200) visa you need two things: a valid visa, and a valid travel document — the Department of Home Affairs names a passport or an ImmiCard as the options. Once you are on board you will be given an Incoming Passenger Card, which every person arriving in Australia must complete. That is the position set out on the Department's Refugee category visas (Subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204) page, as at August 2026.

What exactly do you need to hold before you leave?

The official page states the requirement in two lines: a valid visa to enter Australia, and a valid travel document such as a passport or ImmiCard. Both parts matter. A visa on its own does not get you through check-in, and a passport on its own says nothing about your visa status.

The same page also restates the point from the other direction: you must arrive in Australia by the date specified in the letter the Department sent you when it granted your visa. That initial arrival date is the hard deadline for first entry, not a target.

Because the details on that page can change, treat this article as general information only and not as advice on your own circumstances; the current wording on the official page is the authority for what you must carry.

Can an ImmiCard be used instead of a passport?

Yes, on the face of the official page. It lists "a passport or ImmiCard" as the travel document, with no ranking between them and no condition attached to which one you use. The Department keeps a separate ImmiCard overview page for questions about what the card is and who can hold one, so any detail beyond the travel-document role belongs there rather than here.

In practice the two are not interchangeable in every setting: a passport is a national document issued by your country of origin, while an ImmiCard is an Australian document. Which one you hold affects other administrative tasks, so check what your own card or passport is accepted for before you rely on it at check-in.

If you are travelling with family members on the visa, confirm each person's own visa and travel document before departure rather than assuming the family is covered as a group.

What else has to be arranged before departure?

Three items sit alongside the documents:

Departure health check. You, and any family members travelling with you on the visa, may be required to have a health check in the 72 hours before you leave for Australia. The Australian Government covers the cost. The check covers fitness to travel, a physical check-up, a pregnancy test, tests for communicable diseases, vaccinations if needed (such as measles, mumps and rubella), and treatment of parasites or infestations if needed. You must agree to follow up on any health conditions after arrival.
Travel arrangements. The Department arranges travel to Australia at no cost to you.
A missed arrival date. If the initial arrival date in your grant letter has passed, the Department may issue a travel facilitation letter. It may first ask you to undergo another medical examination.

Two support programs are also named on the page: the Australian Cultural Orientation (AUSCO) program, a free five-day program delivered overseas and open to humanitarian visa holders over the age of five, and the Humanitarian Settlement Program, which makes contact when your visa is approved and focuses on English, education and work skills.

What happens with the Incoming Passenger Card?

You get the card on board, and every person arriving in Australia must complete it. There is no exemption for permanent visa holders, and no separate form for people arriving on a humanitarian visa — the card is part of the arrival process itself.

Fill it in during the flight, not at the counter. The card is handed out on board specifically so that it is completed before you reach the border, which means you need your travel document and your arrival details to hand in the cabin rather than packed in checked luggage.

How long can you keep travelling, and what changes after five years?

You can travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted, not from the date you first arrive. Use VEVO to see when the five years ends.

After five years you need a Resident Return visa (subclass 155 or 157) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident. The permanent status itself does not expire — the subclass 200 visa lets you stay in Australia permanently, and you become a permanent resident when you enter Australia — but the travel facility does, and re-entry depends on it.

What do you need when you leave Australia?

The departure-side checklist repeats the travel document requirement: you must have a valid travel document to leave Australia, and you should check VEVO before you go. You also need to confirm that your visa is still valid and allows re-entry, which matters most in the final stretch of the five-year travel facility.

VEVO is also the tool for showing your visa and its conditions to someone who needs proof, and the Department's international movement records service is the route to proof of your travel in and out of Australia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need both a passport and an ImmiCard?

No. The official page requires a valid travel document "such as a passport or ImmiCard", so either one satisfies that limb. You still need the valid visa as well — the two requirements are separate.

Who has to complete an Incoming Passenger Card?

All people arriving in Australia. The card is given to you on board, and there is no exemption for holders of a permanent humanitarian visa or for children travelling with family.

What if the arrival date in my grant letter has already passed?

The Department may issue a travel facilitation letter so you can still travel, and it may first ask you to undergo another medical examination. This is discretionary, so it is not something you can assume you are entitled to.

Does the five-year travel period start when I land?

No. It runs for five years from the date the visa is granted. VEVO shows the exact end date, which can be earlier than five years after your first arrival if there was a delay before you travelled.

Is there a fee for this visa or the departure health check?

There is no visa application charge for this visa, and the Australian Government covers the cost of the departure health check. The Department also arranges travel to Australia at no cost to you.

How do I check my visa is still valid before I fly?

Use VEVO. It shows your visa details and conditions, the end of the five-year travel facility, and gives you evidence of your visa to show to others; the international movement records service covers proof of past travel.