{"id":"F2017L01102","name":"Migration (IMMI 17/053: Specification of Transit Passengers Having Prescribed Status – Special Purpose Visas) Instrument 2017","slug":"migration-immi-17-053-specification-of-transit-passengers-having-prescribed-status-special-purpose-v","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":439314,"registerId":"F2017L01102-fast-fetch-1775955387720","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Migration (IMMI 17/053: Specification of Transit Passengers Having Prescribed Status – Special Purpose Visas) Instrument 2017","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nMigration (IMMI 17/053: Specification of Transit Passengers Having Prescribed Status – Special Purpose Visas) Instrument 2017\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nI, Peter Dutton, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection make the following instrument.\n\nDated   23 August 2017 \n\nPeter Dutton   \n\nTHE HON PETER DUTTON MP\n\nMinister for Immigration and Border Protection\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Schedules\n\nPart 2—Specified class of transit passenger\n\n6  Class of persons for paragraph 2.40(1)(n)\n\nSchedule 1—Repeals\n\nSpecification of Transit Passengers Who are eligible for a Special Purpose Visa 2015 (IMMI 15/057) (F2015L00790)\n\n \n\n \n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1  Name\n\n1.     This instrument is the Migration (IMMI 17/053: Specification of Transit Passengers Having Prescribed Status – Special Purpose Visas) Instrument 2017.\n2.      This instrument may be cited as IMMI 17/053\n\n\n2  Commencement\n\n  This instrument commences the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under paragraph 2.40(1)(n) of Part 2 of the Regulations.\n\n4  Definitions\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nRegulations means the Migration Regulations 1994\n\n5  Schedules\n\n  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.\n\n\n\n\nPart 2—Specified class of transit passenger\n\n6  Class of persons for paragraph 2.40(1)(n)\n\n1.     For the purposes of paragraph 2.40(I)(n) of Part 2 of the Regulations, transit passengers who belong to the following classes of persons are specified:\n\n\n \n\n1.             Citizens of the following foreign countries;\n\n\n \n\n| Andorra | Japan | Romania |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Argentina | Kiribati | Samoa |\n| Austria | Latvia | San Marino |\n| Belgium | Liechtenstein | Singapore |\n| Brunei | Lithuania | Slovakia |\n| Canada | Luxembourg | Slovenia |\n| Chile | Malaysia | Solomon Islands |\n| Croatia | Malta | South Africa |\n| Cyprus | Marshall Islands | South Korea |\n| Czech Republic | Mexico | Spain |\n| Denmark | Monaco | Sweden |\n| Estonia | Nauru | Switzerland |\n| Federated States of Micronesia | Netherlands | Thailand |\n| Fiji | New Zealand | Tonga |\n| Finland | Norway | Tuvalu |\n| France | Palau | United Arab Emirates |\n| Germany | Oman | United Kingdom (including its colonies) |\n| Greece | Papua New Guinea | United States of America |\n| Hungary | Philippines | Uruguay |\n| Iceland | Poland | Vanuatu |\n| Indonesia | Portugal | Vatican |\n| Ireland | Qatar |  |\n| Italy | Republic of Bulgaria |  |\n\n\n \n\n \n\n1.             Residents of Hong Kong holding Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passports or British National Overseas (BNO) passports;\n\n\n \n\n1.              Residents of Taiwan holding a passport issued by the authorities of Taiwan (other than passports purported to be official or diplomatic passports);\n\n\n \n\n1.             Official passport holders from India;\n\n\n \n\n1.              Diplomatic passport holders, excluding holders of:\n\n\n \n\n1.                  Arab Non-National Passports; and\n\n\n \n\n1.                Diplomatic passports from the following foreign countries:\n\n\n \n\n \n\n| Afghanistan | Jordan | Russian Federation |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Algeria | Kuwait | Saudi Arabia |\n| Angola | Lebanon | Sierra Leone |\n| Bahrain | Libya | Somalia |\n| Comoros | Madagascar | Sudan |\n| Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | Mauritania | Syria |\n| Egypt | Morocco | Tunisia |\n| Iran | Pakistan | Zimbabwe |\n| Iraq | Republic of Yemen |  |\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n \n\nSchedule 1—Repeals\n\nSpecification of Transit Passengers Who are eligible for a Special Purpose Visa 2015 (IMMI 15/057) (F2015L00790)\n\n1  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument maintains its original narrow purpose: specifying which transit passengers qualify for Special Purpose Visas. It is a direct replacement of IMMI 15/057 with essentially the same structure and function, merely updating the country lists."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (6 substantive sections plus a repeal schedule)","Only 1 defined term ('Regulations')","No nested conditional logic or cross-references beyond the basic enabling provision","Structure is essentially a simple list format with one main operative provision (section 6)","No exceptions to exceptions; exclusions are presented as straightforward negative lists"],"plain_english_summary":"This law sets out which international travellers can get a **Special Purpose Visa** simply by passing through Australia on their way to another country.\n\n**What it does:**\n- Lists exactly which passport holders qualify as \"transit passengers\" who can enter Australia without applying for a normal visa first\n- Replaces an older 2015 list with this updated 2017 version\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Citizens of 56 countries** including most of Western Europe, North America, parts of Asia, and the Pacific (e.g., USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand)\n- **Hong Kong residents** with HKSAR or BNO passports\n- **Taiwan residents** with ordinary (not official/diplomatic) passports\n- **Indian officials** travelling on official passports\n- **Diplomatic passport holders** from most countries, **except** those from 23 listed nations (mostly Middle Eastern, African, and some Asian countries like Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Syria)\n\n**Why it matters:**\nIf you're on this list, you can transit through Australia without the hassle and cost of applying for a visa in advance. If you're from one of the excluded diplomatic passport countries, or not on the list at all, you need to go through the normal visa application process even just to pass through an Australian airport."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument repeals and replaces the Specification of Transit Passengers Who are eligible for a Special Purpose Visa 2015 (IMMI 15/057), updating the list of eligible transit passengers for Special Purpose Visas."},"complexity_factors":["Contains an exhaustive list of 63 eligible countries and 28 excluded diplomatic passport countries, requiring careful cross-checking","References external passport categories (e.g. HKSAR, BNO, official, diplomatic) and a separate regulation","Operates by specifying a class of persons for a specific visa provision, not by stating direct rights"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument defines who qualifies for a Special Purpose Visa (SPV) to transit Australia — identifying eligible nationalities and specific passport-holder categories (including many Western countries, certain Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indian official and general diplomatic passports) and excluding specified diplomatic and Arab Non‑National passport holders. It affects transit passengers who might otherwise need a visa, took effect in 2017, and is narrowly administrative: it only governs transit arrangements, not broader visa or migration rights."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument repeals the prior Specification of Transit Passengers (IMMI 15/057) in full (Schedule 1) and replaces the specification of which transit passengers are treated as having prescribed status under reg 2.40(1)(n) by setting a new list of eligible nationalities and passport categories (Part 2, s6)."},"complexity_factors":["Cross-reference to the Migration Regulations 1994, paragraph 2.40(1)(n) creates dependence on external regulation text (see s3 and s6).","Long bilateral country list and tabular presentation increases drafting complexity and risk of transcription/interpretation errors (see s6(1)).","Different passport-type distinctions and carve-outs: HKSAR/BNO, Taiwan passports excluding official/diplomatic, official passport holders from India, and specific diplomatic exclusions (see s6).","Express exclusions using terms like 'Arab Non-National Passports' and named-country diplomatic exceptions require factual classification at border control (see s6).","Repeal of the entire 2015 instrument replaces prior specification, so implementers must update procedures (Schedule 1).","Immediate commencement (day after registration) shortens transition time for airlines and border agencies (s2).","Some phrases invite interpretation (e.g. 'United Kingdom (including its colonies)', 'passports purported to be official or diplomatic', 'Republic of Bulgaria') which may create operational ambiguity (see s6).","Made by the Minister (instrument signed by the Minister) — administrative discretion is exercised at the instrument-making stage, while enforcement rests with the Department and border officials (introductory text; s6)."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument lists which transit passengers are treated as having prescribed status for a Special Purpose Visa under paragraph 2.40(1)(n) of the Migration Regulations 1994, naming eligible nationalities and passport types and excluding certain diplomatic categories. It takes effect the day after registration and repeals the 2015 specification. It affects transit travellers, airlines and border officials who apply visa rules, and the Department, because it changes who may transit without a standard visa; travellers bear compliance risk and officials apply the listed criteria."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/migration-immi-17-053-specification-of-transit-passengers-having-prescribed-status-special-purpose-v","history":"/api/acts/migration-immi-17-053-specification-of-transit-passengers-having-prescribed-status-special-purpose-v/history","analysis":"/api/acts/migration-immi-17-053-specification-of-transit-passengers-having-prescribed-status-special-purpose-v/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/migration-immi-17-053-specification-of-transit-passengers-having-prescribed-status-special-purpose-v/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/migration-immi-17-053-specification-of-transit-passengers-having-prescribed-status-special-purpose-v/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/migration-immi-17-053-specification-of-transit-passengers-having-prescribed-status-special-purpose-v/documents"}}