Five Nations Passport Group Since 2004, Australia has participated in the Five Nations Passport Group, an international forum for cooperation between the passport issuing authorities in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States to "share best practices and discuss innovations related to the development of passport policies, products and practices". Visa requirements An Australian passport does not, in itself, entitle the holder to enter another country. To enter another country, the traveller must comply with the visa and entry requirements of the other countries to be visited, which vary from country to country and may apply specifically to a particular passport type, the traveller's nationality, criminal history or many other factors. As of 23 September 2022, Australian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 185 countries and territories, ranking the Australian passport eighth in the world in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index. Additionally, Arton Capital's Passport Index ranked the Australian passport fourth in the world in terms of travel freedom, with a visa-free score of 170 as of 23 September 2022. Foreign travel statistics According to the statistics these are the numbers of Australian visitors to various countries per annum in 2015 (unless otherwise noted): Declared area offence It is an offence under Australian law for Australians to enter, or remain in, certain regions designated as 'declared areas'. The Government may declare an area (but not a whole country) if it considers terrorists are operating in that area. The maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment. However, it is a defence if a person can show they entered or remained in the area for a legitimate purpose prescribed in the regulations. , there were no active 'declared areas'. Former declared areas were: Mosul District, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq, Declared 2 March 2015, renewed 2 March 2018, and revoked 19 December 2019. Raqqa Governorate, Syria, Declared 4 December 2014, and revoked 29 November 2017. See also Aboriginal passport Australian Document of Identity Australian Certificate of Identity Australian nationality law Australian Passport Office Biometric passport List of passports Visa requirements for Australian citizens Five Nations Passport Group References Citations Sources http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/passports/ - Outdated, see this one instead: http://www.passports.gov.au/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/passports/Policy/TravelDocuments/index.htm http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2005/fa132_05.html http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2006/fa045_06.html https://web.archive.org/web/20120428195257/http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/faq/do_i_need_a_visa_to_enter_saint_lucia.htm#Do_Not_Require_Visas External links Australian Passport office official website Gateway to the IATA Timatic Web database from Qantas website smarttraveller.gov.au – travel advisories and bulletins provided by DFAT including: United States-New Entry Requirements Europe: