Every visitor to Australia needs a visa before they fly, even for a short holiday. For most travellers from North America, Europe and parts of Asia, that means a quick ETA or a free eVisitor. Here is which one you need, how to apply, what it costs and the mistakes that get people stuck at check-in.
Do you need a visa to visit Australia?
Yes. Everyone except Australian and New Zealand citizens needs a visa to enter Australia, and you must have it before you board. There is no visa on arrival, and airlines check your visa electronically at check-in.
For a holiday or short business trip, most visitors use one of three visas:
| Visa | Who it is for | How to apply | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), subclass 601 | USA, Canada, Japan, UK, Singapore and other eligible passports | AustralianETA app | A$20 service charge |
| eVisitor, subclass 651 | EU, UK and other European passports | Online through ImmiAccount | Free |
| Visitor visa, subclass 600 | Everyone else, or longer stays | Online through ImmiAccount | Visa application charge applies |
Apply as soon as your trip is likely, ideally before you book anything you cannot refund. Our guide to what to book ahead in Australia covers the permits and tours that also need early planning.
Which passports can get an ETA or an eVisitor?
It depends on the passport you travel on, not where you live. In short:
- ETA (601): passport holders from the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong (SAR) and Taiwan, plus the United Kingdom and most Western European countries.
- eVisitor (651): citizens of all 27 EU member states, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City.
Many Western Europeans and British citizens qualify for both. In that case the eVisitor is the obvious choice, because it is free. Eastern European EU citizens, such as Poles, Czechs and Romanians, can use the eVisitor but not the ETA.
The lists change from time to time, so check your passport against the official eligibility lists on the Department of Home Affairs pages linked below before you apply.
How do you apply for an ETA or eVisitor?
You apply for an ETA only through the official AustralianETA app, and for an eVisitor online through an ImmiAccount on the Home Affairs website.
For the ETA, download the free AustralianETA app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. The app reads the chip in your passport and takes a live photo of your face, so you need a phone with a camera and NFC. Answer the health and character questions, pay the service charge and submit. There is no website or paper form for the ETA.
For the eVisitor, create a free ImmiAccount, choose the eVisitor (subclass 651) form and fill it in with your passport details. You will get an email once it is decided.
Many applications are decided quickly, but some are referred for more checks and take longer. Home Affairs advises not to book flights or make firm travel plans until your visa is granted. Your visa is linked to your passport number, so if you renew your passport, apply for a new one.
How much does an Australian ETA cost?
The ETA itself has no visa application charge, but the official app charges an A$20 service charge. That is the only fee. The eVisitor is completely free.
If anyone asks you to pay more than A$20 for an ETA, or charges you for an eVisitor, you are not using an official channel. Some agents legitimately charge for their time, but it is a simple form you can complete yourself in a few minutes.
How long can you stay on an ETA or eVisitor?
Both visas let you stay up to three months each time you enter Australia, and you can visit as often as you like over the 12 months after the grant. If your passport expires sooner, the visa ends with it.
Three months is plenty for most trips, but Australia is huge. If you want to cover several states, our guide to how many days you need in Australia helps you plan a realistic route, and the best time to visit shows which months suit the north and the south.
Leaving for a weekend in Bali or New Zealand and coming back gives you a new three-month stay, but border officers can ask about your plans. If you look like you are living in Australia on a tourist visa, you may be questioned or refused entry.
Can you work or study on an ETA or eVisitor?
You cannot work, and study is limited. Both visas are for tourism, visiting family and friends, and business visitor activities.
- Allowed: holidays, seeing family, and business visits such as meetings, conferences and contract negotiations.
- Study: up to three months of study or training in total.
- Not allowed: any paid work for an Australian business or client, including casual jobs, cash-in-hand work or selling services to Australians.
If you want to work while you travel, look at the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417 or 462). It is for young adults from partner countries, generally aged 18 to 30, or up to 35 for some nationalities. It costs considerably more and has its own conditions, so read the Home Affairs page carefully.
What if you are from New Zealand or another country?
New Zealand citizens do not need to apply for a visa in advance. You show your New Zealand passport on arrival and are normally granted a Special Category visa (subclass 444), which lets you visit, live and work in Australia.
If your passport is not on the ETA or eVisitor lists, you need a Visitor visa (subclass 600). This includes travellers from China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brazil, South Africa and many other countries. You apply online through ImmiAccount, pay a visa application charge and may be asked for bank statements, a travel plan or health checks.
Processing for the Visitor visa can take weeks, so apply well before your trip. The Visitor visa is also the route for ETA or eVisitor holders who want to stay longer than three months at a time.
How do you avoid ETA scam websites?
Use only the AustralianETA app or the official Home Affairs website, which ends in .gov.au. Australian embassies warn that if you are applying for an ETA through a website, you are probably being scammed.
Common warning signs:
- A website that offers to "process" your ETA for you.
- A price above A$20 for an ETA, or any price for an eVisitor.
- Extra fees for "premium", "priority" or "expedited" processing.
- Advertisements that appear above the official site in search results.
Australian embassies list several unapproved third-party sites by name. Using one risks losing your money, having your ETA refused, being denied boarding or being refused entry at the border. You can report a suspected scam to Border Watch.
Other common mistakes include typing a passport number wrong, applying on an old passport, or confusing the Australian ETA with Canada's or the UK's eTA and ETA. Check the details on your grant before you fly.
What do you need to declare when you arrive in Australia?
You must complete an Incoming Passenger Card, which your airline or cruise line hands out before arrival, and declare all food, plant material and animal products. Wooden souvenirs count too. If in doubt, declare it or put it in the bins at the airport.
Biosecurity rules are strict. Giving false or misleading information can bring an infringement notice of up to A$6,260, and your visa can be cancelled, which can stop you returning for up to three years. Our guide to visiting Australia respectfully explains why these rules protect the country's farms and wildlife.
A digital replacement for the paper card, the Australia Travel Declaration, is being rolled out. In October 2026 it is still a pilot for invited Qantas passengers, completed in the Qantas app up to 72 hours before arrival. The Australian Border Force says it will reach the remaining capital cities before the end of 2026 and every international airport and seaport before the end of 2027. Until you are invited to use it, fill in the paper card.
Passport holders of many countries can use the automatic SmartGates at major airports, which makes clearing the border quick. Once through, head off to plan the fun part: our guide to where to go in Australia compares the regions.
Facts checked October 2026. Visa rules, eligible passports and charges change; always confirm on the Department of Home Affairs website before you apply or travel.
- Electronic Travel Authority, subclass 601 (Department of Home Affairs)
- eVisitor, subclass 651 (Department of Home Affairs)
- Visitor visa, subclass 600 (Department of Home Affairs)
- Special Category visa, subclass 444 (Department of Home Affairs)
- Working Holiday visa, subclass 417 (Department of Home Affairs)
- Visas and migration, including ETA scam warnings (Australian Embassy, United States)
- Visas, immigration and citizenship (Australian High Commission, Canada)
- Incoming Passenger Card (Australian Border Force)
- Australia Travel Declaration to be rolled out nationwide (Australian Border Force)
- Travelling to Australia: what you must declare (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry)
