Overview
Foreign visitors need a legal authorization to enter Australia. Citizens of a few eligible nations can apply for the Australia ETA or eVisitor for short-term stays related to tourism and business. Travelers from other countries who are visiting for tourism and business can apply for a visitor visa subclass 600.
Australia also offers different types of visas for long-term stays, frequent visits and permanent residency to foreigners.
Processing Steps
Online Application
Form is received and reviewed for approval.
Receive Document
Receive the approved document via e-mail.
Arrive in Australia
Present the document upon arrival.
Requirements for Application
Activities and Exiting Australia
It is your responsibility not to overstay in Australia. You must exit Australia via any port of exit before the 90 day stay period expires. Remember, it's illegal to work for pay with a tourist visa. You can only engage in tourist activities and/or business activities. Business activities include inquiries related to business, contractual obligations and attending a scheduled conference.
Applying Online
As more immigration systems are moving online, Australia has been one of the pioneering online systems. With that being said, the ETA application is only available online. You must have a visa approved prior to your departure.
Conditions for ETA Application
Conditions for Australian visas vary depending on the type of visa. Following are some general conditions attached to Australian visas for short-term stays.
- To visit Australia, you need a visa
- ETA, eVisitor and visitor visas are only for short-term stays
- Only citizens of eligible countries can apply for an ETA or an eVisitor
- Short-term visas do not allow foreigners to stay for longer than 90 days per visit
- They cannot have communicable diseases like tuberculosis
- Travelers with criminal convictions can only apply for a visitor visa subclass 600
- For studying and working, foreigners have to apply for different visas
- For a working holiday, they need a work visa
- Visa on arrival only for citizens of New Zealand
Passport Validity Upon Entry to Australia
It is advised your passport be valid for at least six (6) months from arrival in Australia. Also, make sure you have at least two (2) blank pages in your passport. This will be needed for Immigration to successfully stamp the passport.
Australia Overview
International travelers who are planning to visit Australia anytime soon should know that they need a proper authorization from the Australian government to do so.
Based on the purpose of the visit, duration of the stay and nationality, foreigners can get different types of visas. Here's what foreign travelers need to know to visit Australia.
For example, Americans are eligible for the Australian Electronic Travel Authorization. Canadian citizens are also eligible.
Foreigners who wish to work or want to go for a working holiday in Australia need a work visa and students who want to pursue higher education and enroll in courses that are longer than three months need a study permit visa.
What is Australia's Visa Program?
Australia has various visa programs for foreigners who want to travel to the country.
The Australia ETA is a visa waiver granted to citizens of eligible foreign countries. Travelers visiting Australia on an electronic travel authorization can stay in the country for three months at a time. The purpose of the visa is tourism and business meetings and visitors on this visa cannot engage in paid employment or profitable activities.
See here for a guide on how to get the ETA for Australia.
Foreigners from ETA-entitled countries can apply for this visa waiver through the official mobile application of the Australian government.
The Australia eVisitor is a visa waiver granted to travelers of eligible countries to visit Australia for the purpose of tourism and business. This is usually issued to citizens of European countries.
Travelers eligible for the eVisitor can login to the Australian immigration's official website by creating an ImmiAccount.
Australia visitor visa subclass 600 is issued to travel enthusiasts from all visa-required foreign countries.
Visitors from these countries can apply for the visa using their ImmiAccount. However, they may need to undergo medical and character assessments and have to submit health check reports from approved hospitals and police verification certificates.
Foreigners with criminal convictions can apply for Australia visitor visa subclass 600 for short-term stays up to 90 days. They will be allowed to enter after a character assessment by the officials of the Australian ministry of home affairs.
Foreigners who wish to join a course of study that is longer than three months will have to apply for a Study visa.
Citizens of foreign countries who are visiting Australia for work should get a work visa.
Note that foreigners who want to visit Australia for a working holiday should apply for a work visa not ETA.
The country also offers skilled foreigners long-term visas and permanent residency.
How to Enter Australia
Travelers can visit Australia by air and water. Being an island nation, Australia is not connected to other countries by road or rail. However, prominent cities and tourist destinations in the country are well connected by road and rail.
By air: The only continent nation on earth, Australia has over 15 international airports across the country. Australian cities and states too are connected by regular flights.
By water: Being an island nation, Australia has well established waterways connecting many foreign countries. Holiday makers can go on a cruise trip to New Zealand, South Africa and many other countries from Australian seaports.
Note that all foreigners arriving in Australia by cruise or flight need a visa. Only citizens of New Zealand are exempt from this rule. They can get a visa on arrival at the port of entry.
Visiting Australia as a Tourist
Foreigners visiting Australia need proper identification and travel documents. Passports are the internationally recognized identity document. Visitors should have a passport with a minimum validity of six months.
Travelers from countries eligible for an Australian ETA or eVisitor visa should ensure that their passport validity does not expire before the electronic visa validity. Since the electronic travel authorization is digitally linked to their e-passports, the validity of the ETA or eVisitor ends with that of their passports.
International tourists have to inform the authorities about their travel plans and accommodation details.
They also need to share their contact details in Australia with the authorities and inform them if there are any changes in the given details during their stay.
They also strictly adhere to the visa conditions explained in the visa grant letter.
They need to show their passports and other travel documents in the immigration counter while leaving the country as well.
Staying in Australia Long Term
Foreigners cannot extend their visa once it expires, especially short-term visas.
If the visa conditions do not prevent travelers from extending their stay, they can apply for visa extension before the validity of the existing visa ends.
They will be granted a Bridging Visa A. This gives them legal permission to stay in the country till their application for the new visa gets approved. They cannot leave the country during this waiting period.
If they want to leave the country and re-enter before the new visa gets approved, they have to get a Bridging Visa B.
If the visa expires, foreigners cannot apply for a new visa or visa extension while in Australia.
Getting a Visa for Australia Online
Foreigners can apply for all types of Australian visas online. In some cases, they may need to submit additional documents, medical and police verification certificates. The processing time and fee also differ based on the type of visa.
However, short-term visas like an Australian ETA and eVisitor will be delivered within a few minutes.
Citizens of eligible countries can apply for the ETA through the official mobile application launched by the Australian government.
For other visas, applicants need to create an ImmiAccount and apply on the official website of Australian immigration.
Is a COVID Test Needed
At present, Australia has opened its borders for travelers from across the world. They do not need to provide a COVID-19 negative test result or vaccination certificate.
Masks are mandatory in inbound flights and vessels. However, this can be temporary and Australia may impose COVID-19 restrictions in case of a spurt in cases.
Also, note that COVID-19 restrictions can differ in different states while traveling domestically in Australia. It is important to learn about them before making travel plans.
Travel Insurance for Australia
Both travel insurance and medical insurance are not mandatory requirements to visit Australia.
Nonetheless, foreigners are encouraged to get them to help them in unforeseeable situations in an unknown country.
While traveling, there may be a number of things that can go wrong and visitors may find themselves in a financial bind in a foreign land. It is always good to be prepared to face them.
Registering a Trip with Your State Department
It is highly recommended for international travelers to register their trips with their respective state departments.
This will help them stay informed about any safety situations while in Australia.
This way they can get in touch with their family and officials of the state department in cases of emergency situations like natural disasters and unrest.
Know Your Local Embassy
Before or during an international trip, travelers are advised to get in touch with their nation's embassy in Australia.
Keep the contact details of the embassy officials and location details in handy. They will be highly helpful in case of an emergency.