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Australia visitor authorisation and visa options

Australia does not use one universal ETA. The correct route can be an ETA (subclass 601), eVisitor (subclass 651), Visitor visa (subclass 600), or another visa depending on the passport and circumstances.

Explore official Australian visa options Review verified information
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  • Facts linked to official government sources

Verified programme information

Visitor routes are different

Do not choose a route from this summary alone. Passport eligibility and individual circumstances determine which official programme applies.

Status: Active

Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601)

Official ETA 601 guidance and app instructions

Programme overview

An electronic visitor route for holders of specified eligible passports applying from outside Australia through the Australian ETA app

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Official fee

No Visa Application Charge; AUD 20 Australian ETA app service fee

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Validity

12 months or the remaining passport validity, whichever is shorter; multiple entry

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Permitted stay

Up to 3 months after each entry

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Processing guidance

Most applicants are notified immediately, but errors, extra information or verification can take longer

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs, Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Passport and documents

A valid passport from an ETA-eligible country or jurisdiction is required

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Transit

Transit requirements depend on whether the traveller clears immigration and on their passport and itinerary

Use the official visa finder for the exact journey.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Exemptions and other routes

Australian citizens do not use an ETA; other travellers may need a different visa route

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Important conditions

The ETA is not a work visa and does not permit a stay longer than 3 months per entry

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Official ETA 601 guidance and app instructions

Status: Active

eVisitor (subclass 651)

Official eVisitor 651 guidance

Programme overview

A free electronic visitor visa for citizens holding passports from specified eligible countries

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Official fee

Free

Separate incidental costs are not represented as a visa charge.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Validity

12 months from grant; multiple entry

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Permitted stay

Up to 3 months after each entry

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Processing guidance

Use the official processing-time guide; recently decided eVisitor cases are generally short, but individual times vary

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs, Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Passport and documents

Applicants must be outside Australia and hold a passport from a specified eVisitor-eligible country

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Transit

Whether a visa is needed for transit depends on the passport and itinerary

Use official Australian transit and visa-finder guidance.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Exemptions and other routes

Eligibility is passport-specific; travellers outside the list must use another appropriate route

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Important conditions

No work; study or training is limited to up to 3 months and some health-related study needs subclass 600

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Official eVisitor 651 guidance

Status: Active

Visitor visa (subclass 600) — Tourist stream

Official Visitor visa 600 guidance

Programme overview

A visitor visa with several streams; this summary refers to the Tourist stream applied for outside Australia

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Official fee

From AUD 250 for the outside-Australia Tourist stream

Fees, concessions and other subclass 600 streams differ. Confirm with the official pricing estimator.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Validity

The grant determines the travel and entry period

Check the visa grant notice rather than assuming a universal validity period.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Permitted stay

A stay of 3, 6 or 12 months may be granted

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Processing guidance

Subclass 600 times vary significantly; use the live official processing-time guide

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs, Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Passport and documents

A valid travel document and the evidence required for the selected stream are needed

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Transit

A Visitor visa is not automatically required for every transit; the route depends on passport and itinerary

Use the official visa finder.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Exemptions and other routes

Travellers eligible for subclass 601 or 651 may have a different visitor route

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs, Australian Department of Home Affairs, Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Important conditions

Tourist stream conditions do not permit work and the granted stay is case-specific

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 26 October 2026

Official Visitor visa 600 guidance

Practical preparation

Common mistakes to avoid

These checks are based on the official sources cited with each item.

Frequently asked questions

Australia travel-authorisation questions

Is there one Australian ETA for everyone?

No. Australia has several visitor pathways with different passport rules, fees and application channels.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs, Australian Department of Home Affairs, Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 27 October 2026

Are all Australian visitor routes free?

No. eVisitor 651 is free, ETA 601 uses an AUD 20 app service charge, and the outside-Australia Visitor 600 Tourist stream starts from AUD 250.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs, Australian Department of Home Affairs, Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 27 October 2026

Can I rely on a general processing estimate?

No. Home Affairs directs travellers to its live processing-time guide, and individual cases vary.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs · verified 27 October 2026

Practical traveller library

Guides for Australia

Scenario-led planning guides, checked against the official sources listed on each page.

Official source registry

Sources used for this destination

ETAApply stores source references and verified facts, not copies of government pages.

Independent information

Official sources, clearly identified

ETAApply is an independent travel-information website and is not affiliated with any government.

Explore official Australian visa options

Other destinations

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Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)

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New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)

Europe

European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)