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I am visiting New Zealand from India via Melbourne in January. My flight lands on Saturday morning around 5:30 am at Melbourne airport. I am planning to get a transit visa using which I will exit the airport, and plan to watch the Australian open for 2 days.

The tricky part comes when I take the flight from Melbourne to Auckland which is at 6:15 am on Tuesday Morning. So technically from when I land and take off the difference is 72 hours and 45 minutes. Will I be issued a Transit visa in this case and will I be allowed to exit and later board the flight?

Is the length of layover is determined by flight take off and landing or immigration clearance at exit and entrance? Can I clear the immigration early to be within the 72 hours limit?

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  • Transit visas aren't meant for short-term tourism anyway. You should just get a visitor visa.
    – Michael Hampton
    Sep 17, 2019 at 18:55

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When you apply for a Transit (subclass 771) visa, you will be required to provide confirmation of your inbound and outbound flights. These are the only documentary evidence where the visa officer can work out for how long you will be in Australia.

Given these documents would show that the gap between arrival and departure is more than 72 hours, it will be difficult to satisfy the officer that you "intend to remain in Australia no longer than 72 hours" (clause 771.211 of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994) for the visa to be approved.

You may wish to consider either changing your itinerary, or apply for a Visitor (subclass 600) visa instead.

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