Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) for Organisations

What is VEVO?

VEVO for organisations is a free online facility that allows Australian employers, education providers, financial institutions and government agencies to check the visa status and entitlements of a visa holder.

Categories and registration types

Information on other client groups and VEVO categories is available.
See: VEVO Client Groups and Categories

Employers and labour supply companies should register for the work entitlements category only. This category enables the registered organisation to check the work entitlements of a prospective employee.

Education institutions should register for the study entitlements category. This category enables educational institutions to check the study entitlements of students. Educational institutions should also register for the work entitlements category if they are an employer.

If your organisation has a need to use VEVO for a purpose not identified contact the department and you will be assisted with your registration.
See: VEVO – Help and assistance

An instructional video to help you through the VEVO process is also available.
See: VEVO for organisations

Visa holders can also use VEVO to check their current visa details. 
See: Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) for Visa Holders

To make an enquiry using VEVO, your browser must support 128 bit encryption. You can check your browser if you experience problems connecting to these services. 
See: Online Services – Browser Requirements

Important items to note

Organisations need to be aware of the following:

• Organisation based outside Australia cannot register for VEVO. Foreign governments in Australia will not be given access to VEVO.
• Access to VEVO is provided according to your business needs.
• VEVO does not verify a visa holders identity or confirm if the document presented is genuine.
• VEVO will not display the name of the visa holder as recorded in our systems. Organisations are encouraged to enter the name as per the Visual Inspection Zone of the passport.
  See: Passport Format
• Visa holders do not require a visa label or stamp to be placed in their passport.
• Only holders of non-Australian passports can be checked. VEVO will not allow details of Australian passports to be entered.

Information required to perform a search in VEVO

Before undertaking a search in VEVO you will need the visa holders foreign passport.
Note: You should check the personal details page of their passport and other documents to verify the person’s identity.

You will then need to obtain (and retain) the visa holders permission to undertake a VEVO check to view their visa details. Using the person's passport, you must enter the following information as it appears in the passport into the VEVO enquiry screen:

• family name
• given name
• date of birth
• passport number (for PLO56 holders please enter ‘PLO56’)
• passport country of issue (for PLO56 and DFTTA holders enter country of citizenship).

PLO56 holders

Visa holders may not hold a passport or a valid travel document and have been issued with an identity document commonly referred to as a PLO56. As this document does not have a unique number, VEVO may not be able to display the visa status or entitlements of the visa holder. Should you receive an error message stating 'The Department has not been able to identify the person', please complete the online referral form within VEVO or use the departments Faxback service.
See: Visa entitlement verification faxback service

New Zealand citizens

As part of the 1973 Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangements, New Zealand citizens who do not hold a valid visa for travel to Australia can apply for a Special Category visa (subclass 444) on arrival.

Employers are reminded that if you are seeking to employee a New Zealand citizen who is outside Australia at the time of the VEVO check, you may receive a negative response. When using VEVO for New Zealand passport holders, please ensure that the person is in Australia at the time of checking their work entitlements.

Password reset information

Once you logon to VEVO, you can change your password or update your contact details by selecting the links which are located in the top right corner of the enquiry details screen. Your password needs to be updated every 28 days.

Once you are registered, your VEVO account will never expire. If however your account is inactive for 90 days or you have locked your account (failed login attempts) it will be suspended.

If you have forgotten your password, locked your account or your account has been inactive for 90 days or longer, contact the department.
See: VEVO – Help and assistance

Important: When contacting the department, you must be the original account holder in order to reset your VEVO password. You will be asked a series of identity verification questions before your password is reset, including the secret question you recorded when registering your account.

Visa entitlement verification faxback service

For those employers in a regional area where internet services are not available, the department offers a toll-free Faxback Service that provides written confirmation of a visa holder’s entitlement to work in Australia. The Faxback service can also be used in the event that VEVO is not available.
Note: The processing time for the Faxback service is five business days. If you have not received a response after five business days, please contact the department.
See: VEVO – Help and assistance

To use the faxback service, complete the Authority to Obtain Details of Work Rights Status form and fax to the department.
See: Authority to Obtain Details of Work Rights Status ( 31KB PDF file)

Community Status Resolution Service

For people who employ or seek to employ someone who has overstayed a visa or been granted a Bridging visa E, the department's Community Status Resolution Service (CSRS) can provide information and help to resolve a person’s immigration status.
See: Community Status Resolution Service (CSRS)

VEVO - Help and assistance

The departments Employer Immigration Hotline can help you to:

• check the meaning of work and study condition codes. The department will not give specific information as it relates to a client. We will only be able to provide assistance in understanding work or study condition codes as they relate to employing or enrolling a visa holder
• understand your obligations under the Employer Sanctions Legislation
• discuss your VEVO registration requirements
• reset your VEVO password.

See: National Telephone Numbers > Employers Immigration Hotline

Please read all available information before commencing your VEVO search. If you are experiencing difficulty within the system, most fields have help that can be accessed by clicking on the  symbol.

If this help does not meet your needs or you require general information or wish to provide feedback, you can contact the department.
See: Visa Entitlement Verification Online