Australia has a complex visa policy, but thankfully visiting Australia as a tourist is quite easy. Australia does not offer visa exemption, so all visitors must obtain a tourist visa. All Australia visa applications are done entirely online.
Quick summary:
In this article, I will summarize visa requirements, eligibility, and procedure for the four main ways to visit Australia as a tourist: the ETA, eVisitor, tourist visa, and transit visa.
Your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your stay to enter Australia as a tourist.
All tourists coming to Australia must meet the following conditions:
Australia does not offer VISA-FREE access to any nationality. You would either need an ETA or a visa. The main tourist visas are summarized in the following table:
| Visa Type | Eligibility | Cost | Validity | Entries Allowed | Permitted Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601) | 33 countries and territories worldwide | 20 AUD | 1 year | Unlimited | 3 months at a time |
| eVisitor (Subclass 651) | 36 European countries | Free | 1 year | Unlimited | 3 months at a time |
| Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) | Everyone else | 190 AUD | 6 months, 1 or 3 years | Single or multiple | 3 months at a time |
| Transit Visa (Subclass 771) | Everyone | Free | 72 hours | One entry only | 72 hours |
According to the Trans-Tasman Travel Agreement, citizens of New Zealand receive a free Special Category Visa (subclass 444) on arrival at any Australian port of entry. This allows them to live and work in Australia indefinitely.
All Australian visas are electronic visas. Visa information is linked to the passport number and verifiable online.
Australia ETA is available to nationals of 33 countries and territories listed below. In most cases, the ETA is approved immediately. For that reason, ETA is often considered a visa exemption or visa waiver.
The ETA application is entirely online and can only be applied using the Australian ETA mobile phone app. The app is available as a free download.
There is no charge to apply for ETA, but using the app itself costs a service charge of 20 AUD.
For more information, read the complete guide to Australia Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) for details on eligibility, required documents, the ETA app and the application process.
The eVisitor visa is available to nationals of 36 countries exclusively in Europe.
The main difference between the eVisitor visa and the ETA is that the eVisitor requires more documents to be submitted, such as a bank statement as proof of sufficient funds.
Most eVisitor visa applications are processed within a day. There is no fee to apply for an eVisitor visa.
The success rate of the eVisitor visa is 98.5%, even higher than the ETA’s success rate of 97%. This means that if you’re eligible for both the ETA and the eVisitor, you can save 20 AUD by applying for the eVisitor as they are identical in all other aspects.
For more information, read the complete guide to Australia eVisitor Visa for details on eligibility, required documents, the application process and our personal experience.
The subclass 600 is Australia’s main tourist visa. It has several streams depending on the purpose such as tourism or business and whether you are applying from outside or within Australia.
For this guide, we will focus on the visitor visa for tourism that can only be applied from outside Australia.
Visitor visas for tourism are available to all nationalities.
Australia issues only eVisas. Therefore, the tourist visa is also an eVisa. The visa will be electronically linked to your passport. You can carry a print of the eVisa with you when you travel.
Visitors visas are either single or multiple-entry valid for up to 3 years. On each visit, you are allowed to stay up to 3 months.
Applications for tourist visas can be made online through the ImmiAccount portal.
The documents required for a tourist visa include any of the below. The actual documents required depends on a case-by-case basis.
50% of applications get processed within a week and 90% of all applications get processed within 21 days.
The fee for the tourist visa is 190 AUD.
For more information, read the complete guide to Australia Visitor Visa for details on required documents, biometric appointment, application process and our personal experience.
Australian tourist visa not only grants you access to Australia but also to many other countries. As of 2024, you can travel to 16 countries with an Australian visa. Read this article on VISA-FREE countries for Australian visa to learn how to visit these 16 countries.
Eligible nationalities can transit without a visa (TWOV) through Australian airports. For TWOV, you must meet the following conditions:
If you already hold an ETA, eVistor or Visitor visa, then you do not need a transit visa. Rest must obtain a transit visa (subclass 771). The transit visa allows entry into Australia for short stays of up to 72 hours.
To apply for a transit visa, you must have a confirmed onward ticket to another country within 72 hours of arrival and the required visas for it. In addition to those, you may also require proof of adequate health insurance.
For more information, read the complete guide to Australia Transit Visa for details on the application process, required documents, fees and transit procedure at the airport.
Extensions are not allowed for any of the Australian tourist visas. You are allowed to apply for another visa while you are in Australia, such as the Visitor Visa (Onshore stream).
Certain conditions attached to your current visa may prevent you from applying for another visa while in Australia. The most notable one is Condition 8503: No further stay.
When applying for a new visa from within the country, a Bridging Visa is automatically applied for you. A Bridging Visa will keep your stay lawful while waiting for your new visa to be approved.
As a tourist, you will receive a Bridging Visa A (BVA) while you are waiting for your new visa. BVA expires if you leave Australia.
For more information, read the article on Australia Visa Extension for details on rules, conditions and procedures to extend your stay in Australia.
Australia has one of the most streamlined entry procedures in the world. Passports are not stamped on entry or exit.
If eligible to use SmartGates, you can process your entry and exit without even speaking to a border official.
To use SmartGates at Australian airports, your passport must be an ePassport from one of the following countries.
You must check your eligibility to use SmartGates at the kiosks just before the gates. If eligible, you will be given a ticket. Then you must proceed to the SmartGates and follow the procedure.
If not eligible, you will be directed to a border officer.
All other passport holders must proceed to an immigration officer box. Answer any questions about your stay and intentions.
Your passport will not be stamped. But if you need evidence of entry, you can request a stamp.
All arriving passengers must complete and present a paper arrival card called Incoming Passenger Card (IPC). You will be given one on your flight to Australia.
Pay attention to the items you must declare. Australia has stringent biosecurity protocols and failure to declare even harmless items, may lead to fines and severe penalties.
The eVisitor, ETA, and most Tourist Visas allow stays of up to 90 days at a time. You need to explicitly apply for a 6-month Tourist Visa to stay in Australia that long.
The eVisitor and the ETA allow unlimited entries into Australia. Regular tourist visas can be either one or multiple entries.
Australian Immigration does not specify a minimum and it will depend on the length of your trip. A good rule of thumb is to have at least 4000 AUD per month of intended stay.
There is no minimum time outside of Australia required. As long as you have a valid visa, you can go back whenever you want.
WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI
Thirumal Motati is an expert in tourist visa matters. He has been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. With his expertise, he has obtained several tourist visas, including the most strenuous ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times. He has also set foot inside US consulates on numerous occasions. Mr. Motati has uncovered the secrets to successful visa applications. His guidance has enabled countless individuals to obtain their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. His statements have been mentioned in publications like Yahoo, BBC, The Hindu, and Travel Zoo.
I highly recommend using these websites to plan your trip. I use these websites myself to apply for my visas, book my flights and hotels and purchase my travel insurance.
Get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from DummyTicket247. DummyTicket247 is a flight search engine to search and book flight itineraries for visas instantly. These flight itineraries are guaranteed to be valid for 2 weeks and work for all visa applications.
Find the cheapest flight tickets using Skyscanner. Skyscanner includes all budget airlines and you are guaranteed to find the cheapest flight to your destination.
Book your hotel from Booking.com. Booking.com has pretty much every hotel, hostel and guesthouse from every destination.
If traveling on a one-way ticket, use BestOnwardTicket to get proof of onward ticket for just $12, valid for 48 hours.
Purchase travel medical insurance for your trip from HeyMondo. HeyMondo offers a 5% discount to Visa Traveler readers (use the link above), and covers all medical and travel emergencies during your trip.
Need more? Check out my travel resources page for the best websites to plan your trip.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please refer to our full disclosure for further information.
Having Trouble Navigating Visas?
Hi! I'm Thirumal Motati. I've been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. I've obtained several tourist visas, including the most difficult ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times.
I'm here to help you navigate the visas and travel the world.
Enter your name and email to download my FREE eBOOK: The Secret to VISA-FREE Travel
Your FREE eBook is on it’s way to your inbox! Check your email.
