You do not need a visa for Heard Island and McDonald Islands if you have a Cook Islander passport

No visa needed

Cook Islander citizens can enter Heard Island and McDonald Islands without applying for a visa in advance. Check your passport validity and any onward-travel requirements before you fly.

Travelling to Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Visa-free

Frequently asked questions

Do Cook Islander citizens need a visa for Heard Island and McDonald Islands?

No. Cook Islander citizens can enter Heard Island and McDonald Islands without applying for a visa in advance.

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What Heard Island and McDonald Islands may ask for

Not every traveller is asked for all of these. A valid passport is checked every time; the rest is a spot check at the border, and some items belong to a visa application rather than the crossing itself.

Valid passport with 12+ months validity
Approved permit from Australian Antarctic Division
Comprehensive expedition and medical insurance
Strict biosecurity compliance documentation
Valid Australian visa for transit
Proof of expedition funding and support

A look at Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Heard Island glaciers — Approximately 80% of the island is covered by glacial ice
Heard Island wildlife — Home to millions of seabirds and marine mammals
Big Ben (Mawson Peak) — Australia's only active volcano at 2,745 meters
Heard Island coastline — Remote shores at the edge of the habitable world