Visitor Visas

Basically there are three types of visitor visa, an ETA, an eVisitor and a Tourist Visa. Confused? Well worry not, for we’ve provided this guide designed to give you a general idea of which visa is best for you. With our help you’ll find applying for a visa a piece of Australian cake!

ETA

If you plan on visiting Australia for less than three months, then you can apply for an ETA.  ETA stands for Electronic Travel Authority and as its name suggests, all the information is stored electronically and can be accessed by airlines, travel and border agencies. It’s not available to everyone however and if you’re from the UK you’ll need to go to the eVisitor section.

Tell me more about this ETA.

Basically, if you’re planning to just visit Australia for less than 3 months, then this is the way to go.  However, if you want to stay longer, you’ll need to apply for an Australian Tourist Visa.

How do I get an ETA?

You must apply for an ETA outside of Australia. You can go to any travel agent, airline, specialist travel agency or an Australian visa office. Residents of the countries listed below can apply for their ETA online at the Australian Immigration site, other residents will have to apply for an eVisitor if using the online service:

Brunei

Canada

Hong Kong

Japan

Malaysia

Singapore

South Korea

United States of America

Each individual travelling to Australia will need to apply for their own ETAs, including any children travelling with you.

Can I work on an ETA?

You cannot work on this visa, it’s purely for tourism purposes. However you can do a short study or training course providing the duration is covered by your visa.

Is it extendable?

I’m afraid not. If you plan on staying longer then you really need to apply for an Australian Tourist Visa.

What else do I need to know?

• You must be free from TB at the time of travel and entry to Australia.
• You must not have had a criminal sentence for longer than a 12 month period at your time of entry into Australia. Any criminal convictions may result in your refused entry into Australia. However you can apply for a Tourist Visa (subclass 676).
• You must not make repeated visits to Australia using this visa.
• The visa does not provide you with healthcare cover.

If you are already an ETA holder and wish to apply for another, once it arrives it will cancel out your existing ETA and will be valid straight away.

When should I apply?

You should apply for your ETA as soon as you can, but at least 2 weeks before you intend to travel. Check too, with the Australian Embassy where you live just to make sure there are no additional local requirements.

How much does it cost?

The cost for an ETA is just a £10 service charge.

You can learn more about the ETA by going to the Australian Immigration site.

eVisitors Visa

This is the cheapest and quickest visa to apply for. Cheap because it’s free! And quick because it usually takes less than 2 weeks.

Like the ETA this is an electronically stored visa that allows visits to Australia for a duration of three months, for either tourism or business purposes. As with the ETA visa this is a multiple entry visa, which allows you to enter the country for up to three months within a period of 12 months.

Who can apply for it?

You cannot apply for this visa whilst you are in Australia. If you are from the following countries you may apply for an eVisitor visa:

Andorra	Austria
Belgium	Bulgaria
Cyprus	Czech Republic
Denmark	Estonia
Finland	France
Germany	Greece
Hungary	Iceland
Ireland	Italy
Latvia	Liechtenstein
Lithuania	Luxembourg
Malta	Monaco
The Netherlands	Norway
Poland	Portugal
Romania	Republic of San Marino
Slovak Republic	Slovenia
Spain	Sweden
Switzerland	United Kingdom - British Citizen
Vatican City

Can I extend it?

You cannot extend an eVisitor visa, you’ll need to apply for a different visa such as a Tourist Visa (see below).

Apply for your eVisitor online at the website of the Australian Immigration Department.

Tourist visa

This temporary visa is designed to allow those on a three-month visa, to stay for an additional three, six or twelve months. Applicants can apply from both outside and within Australia, with some online application also allowed. On this visa, you are allowed to visit Australia for holiday or recreation purposes, and to visit family and/or friends. This visa may also be used for other short-term non-work purposes including less than three months of study.

What checks are there?

There will be health checks to ensure you are fit and do not suffer any underlying health complaints.

Your financial status will also be checked to ensure you have sufficient funds for the duration of your intended stay.

Character checks will be carried out to make sure you’re not an axe-wielding maniac or have a string of convictions as long as the River Nile.

How much does it cost?

These prices are subject to exchange rate changes and price increases. If you apply outside of Australia then the cost is £55.

If you are applying from inside Australia, to have a previous visa extended for instance, then the cost rises significantly to £130.

For more detailed information on the Tourist Visa and to apply, log onto the website of the Australian Immigration Department.

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