Australia visa guide for travellers

Which visa should you check first?

A German or French passport holder planning a short holiday should check eVisitor first. A US, Canadian, Japanese or Singaporean passport holder should check ETA eligibility. If neither option fits your passport or circumstances, look at the Visitor visa. These examples are a starting point; passport eligibility alone does not guarantee approval.

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Costs above were checked on 2 October 2026. For subclass 600, lower charges apply to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants. Other costs can include health checks, police certificates and biometrics if required. Use the official pricing estimator and check the amount in your application before paying.

Check the full requirements and apply from the official pages: eVisitor, ETA or Visitor 600 Tourist stream. For another passport, a different purpose or an unusual situation, use the Home Affairs visa finder.

Australian citizens, including dual citizens, do not need a visitor visa and should travel on an Australian passport. If you are an Australian permanent resident, check your right to return as a permanent resident before applying for a visitor visa.

How long can you actually stay?

An eVisitor is valid for travel for 12 months from grant. An ETA is normally valid for travel for 12 months from grant, or until the passport expires, whichever is earlier. Both normally allow multiple entries, with up to 3 months after each entry. A 12-month travel validity does not allow a continuous 12-month holiday. Treat the limit as 3 months, not a fixed 90 days.

Read your grant before building the itinerary. Check the last date you may enter, the permitted stay after entry, whether you can re-enter and all attached conditions. For Visitor 600, do not assume the stay you requested is the stay granted. VEVO can show the details and conditions of your current in-effect visa.

Frequent visits or long stays can lead to questions about whether you are a genuine visitor. A short trip overseas is not a reliable way to turn a visitor visa into permission to live in Australia. If your plans need a longer stay, choose a suitable visa from the outset.

Travelling on a New Zealand passport

New Zealand citizens travelling with a valid New Zealand passport normally do not need to apply before departure. If eligible, they can receive a Special Category visa (subclass 444) when entering Australia. It is still a visa, and eligibility requirements apply.

Check Home Affairs entry requirements before travel if health or character circumstances could affect eligibility. A partner or child travelling on another country’s passport does not receive this arrangement simply because you are travelling together.

Does the visa cover your trip?

Holidays, sightseeing and visits to friends or relatives fit the visitor routes above. They do not give you permission to take a paid job with an Australian employer. For a working holiday, employment or a move to Australia, check the appropriate visa through the visa finder.

ETA and eVisitor allow limited business visits, such as contract discussions or attending a conference without being paid by its organiser. They do not allow you to provide services to an Australian business or sell directly to the public. The Visitor 600 Tourist stream is for tourism; business visitors should check the appropriate business route.

Study or training is limited to up to 3 months on these visitor visas, in total for ETA and eVisitor. If study is the main purpose, check student visa requirements. Home Affairs directs people planning childcare-centre training, study for medical, dental, nursing or paramedic qualifications, or activities in healthcare or hospital settings to Visitor 600 and the relevant health checks. Read the special study and training instructions on the official ETA or eVisitor page before choosing a visa.

Check the eligibility instructions carefully if you have a criminal conviction, a previous visa problem or health circumstances relevant to the application. Home Affairs directs ETA and eVisitor applicants with criminal convictions to Visitor 600. Answer every question accurately and provide the evidence requested.

Apply before you commit to the trip

1. Check the official eligibility list for your passport and your planned activities.
2. Prepare the documents for that visa. Apply early enough to handle a request for more information.
3. For ETA, use the Australian ETA app linked from Home Affairs. For eVisitor or Visitor 600, follow the online application link on the official visa page.
4. Monitor your email and the official application channel. Respond to requests by the stated deadline.
5. Wait for the grant before finalising non-refundable travel arrangements. A submitted application or payment receipt is not a granted visa.

You must be outside Australia when applying and when the decision is made for ETA, eVisitor and the offshore Visitor 600 Tourist stream covered here. Already in Australia? Check the in-Australia Tourist stream and your current conditions; the application rules and charges are different.

For the ETA app, have your passport, access to your email and a payment method ready. Follow the passport scan and live-photo instructions. If the app is not usable for you, Home Affairs says to apply for another suitable visa through ImmiAccount; do not assume an ordinary website can issue an ETA instead.

Some decisions are quick, but there is no approval deadline you can safely promise yourself. The official processing-time guide describes recently decided applications, not your individual outcome. Do not leave the application until airport check-in.

Start at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and download the ETA app from the links there. A third-party service may charge its own fee; that is separate from the government charge or ETA app service charge. Read what you are buying before paying an intermediary.

Prepare your passport and supporting documents

Use a valid passport for your whole journey. Australia does not impose a blanket rule requiring 6 months of remaining passport validity, but your airline, transit country or next destination may have different rules. Check the complete flight route before deciding whether to renew.

• Check your full name, date of birth, passport number, issuing country and expiry date. Use the passport you intend to travel on.
• For Visitor 600, prepare a clear explanation of your trip, an itinerary and evidence that you can fund the stay and leave afterwards.
• Follow the document checklist for evidence of employment, study, family commitments or other reasons to return home. Include an invitation if you are visiting family or friends.
• Provide English translations of non-English supporting documents in the format Home Affairs requires.
• Complete any requested biometrics, health checks or police checks. These are not the same for every traveller.

New passport after applying or approval? An ETA cannot be transferred: apply for a new ETA using the new passport. For eVisitor and Visitor 600, follow the official passport-update instructions, usually through ImmiAccount. Allow time for the update before travel and check that the visa record matches your current passport.

Save the grant notification, application reference, first accommodation address and travel details offline. Australian visas are electronic; you do not need a visa sticker in your passport.

Travelling with children

Each family member, including every child, needs their own application for ETA, eVisitor or Visitor 600. A child is not covered by a parent’s visa. Check each passport and each grant separately before departure.

For Visitor 600 applicants under 18, the official application guidance lists birth records, parent or guardian identification and any required consent or care arrangements. If a parent or guardian is not travelling, check the consent requirements early. Airlines and other countries on your route may also have their own rules.

At the airport and on arrival

Travel with the passport linked to your visa. The airline checks visa details before boarding. Keep your grant accessible, especially if a name or passport detail has changed. Having a grant does not remove the need to satisfy border checks on arrival.

Most travellers complete an Incoming Passenger Card. If your airline invites you to use the Australia Travel Declaration, follow its instructions; digital availability depends on the flight and rollout. It is not a separate visa application. Keep your first Australian address handy. The ABF passenger-card page includes German and French samples, but the paper card must be completed in English.

Declare relevant food, animal products, plant material and wooden items. Clean and dry shoes and outdoor equipment, and declare items used in rural areas or near animals as required. Sealed packaging does not automatically make an item exempt. Check what you can bring to Australia before packing; if unsure, declare it and ask a biosecurity officer. Declaring an item does not guarantee it can be kept.

Arrange insurance that covers your planned activities and medical costs. Check whether your grant includes condition 8501, which requires adequate health insurance. Eligible visitors may receive limited care under a reciprocal healthcare agreement, but do not assume it covers every expense or replaces travel insurance. See Home Affairs insurance guidance.

Questions that can change your plans

Your departure checklist

• Every traveller has the required permission, including children.
• The visa record matches the passport used for the journey.
• Entry dates, permitted stay and any re-entry conditions fit the itinerary.
• Planned activities are allowed by the visa.
• Transit-country, airline and onward-destination requirements have been checked.
• Insurance covers the trip and meets any visa condition.
• Arrival instructions are understood, outdoor gear is clean and risk goods are ready to declare.
• The grant, first accommodation address and travel details are available offline.

Official sources

Use the official pages below for current rules, charges and application instructions.

• eVisitor (651): eligibility, application and conditions
• Electronic Travel Authority (601): official app and conditions
• Visitor (600): Tourist stream, apply outside Australia
• Entry requirements for New Zealand citizens
• Visa pricing estimator
• Visa processing-time guide
• Updating passport details
• Visitor applications and documents for children
• Checking visa details and conditions with VEVO
• Incoming Passenger Card and Australia Travel Declaration
• Biosecurity: what to declare when entering Australia
• Health insurance for visa holders
• Who can transit without a visa
• Passport validity: Australian High Commission guidance

Plan the rest of your trip

• Australia travel FAQ
• Australia itineraries
• Where to stay in Australia