August 2 2020

ETA Australia FAQ: most frequently asked questions about the Electronic Travel Authority

Daniel Kovacs Australia, Planning FAQ, Visum 10

If you want to travel to Australia you need a valid visa. As a tourist there are 3 different tourist visas to choose from: The eVisitor (subclass 651), the ETA Visa (subclass 601) and the Visitor Visa (subclass 600). With all 3 visas you are not allowed to work. If you want to work in Australia, then apply for a work visa or the Working Holiday Visa.

▷ Find A Step by Step Guide here: „Working Holiday Visa Australia: Your ultimative guide“

▷ Not sure which visa is the right one for you: „Book your personal Appointment with our Visa Agents now*”

In this article I answer the most frequently asked questions about ETA Australia.

Note Regarding the Current COVID-19 Pandemic: Application & Delays

Update (28.7.2020) – Due to the Corona Pandemic, entry to Australia is currently not possible even with an already approved Working Holiday Visa and ETA.

Attention: The COVID-19 information is subject to change at any time.

>>> Find current COVID-19 information regarding travel to Australia here. <<<

Which tourist visa should I apply for?

Tourist Visa in Australia - ETA Australia — The 12 Apostles Sunset in Australia (Photo from Graham Holtshausen)

As there are three different tourist visas for Australia, it looks complicated at first glance which is the right visa for your trip.

Here is an overview of the different tourist visas:

● eVisitor (subclass 651) – The eVisitor is free and can only be applied online. It entitles you to enter and leave Australia as often as you wish within 12 months from the date of issue and you can stay in Australia for a maximum of 3 months at a time.

● ETA Visa (subclass 601) – The ETA currently costs 20 AUD and can applied online for certain countries (UK is not included). You can also apply for the ETA through a travel agency, airline or Australian visa office. It entitles you to enter and leave Australia as often as you wish within 12 months from the date of issue and you can stay in Australia for a maximum of 3 months at a time.

● Visitor Visa (subclass 600) – The Visitor Visa costs between 145 AUD and 700 AUD. (Depending on where you apply and which visas you already hold in Australia – The AUD 145 are from outside Australia). You can apply for the visa online or through a visa office. It entitles you to enter and leave Australia as often as you wish within 12 months from the date of issue and you can stay in Australia for up to 12 months.

Tip: Save the 20 AUD for the ETA and rather apply for the free eVisitor.

1. General Information about the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)

What is an Electronic Travel Authority?
An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) provides authorisation to travel to and enter Australia and is electronically linked to your passport.

It is for short term stays for tourism or business visitor activities such as attending a conference, making business enquiries or for contractual negotiations. Business visitor activities do not include work.

An ETA is not a work visa. If you would like to work in Australia you can apply for the Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417 & subclass 462).
- Here a step by step Guide: “Working Holiday Visa Australia: Your ultimative guide”
Or you can use the Visa finder on the Australian government website to search for a Visa that is suitable for you.
Do I need an ETA if I have the Working Holiday Visa?
When do I need the ETA Australia?

As there are three different tourist visas for Australia, it looks complicated at first glance which one is the right visa for your trip.

If you want to travel to Australia as a tourist (not for work) and your stay is no longer than 3 months, then always apply for the -> eVisitor (subclass 651) <- because this visa is free of charge and you can apply online.

But if you don't have any time left, for example because you buy a flight directly at the flight office, then they will book an ETA Visa (subclass 601) for you.

Attention: On a flight from Auckland to Melbourne, I forgot to apply for an ETA. Before boarding, the airline always checks if you have a valid ETA. They wanted 80 AUD instead of the regular fee of 20 AUD. I still had some spare time so I went to the nearest flight center. But even they still charged 50 AUD. Don’t do the same mistake. Book your visa in advance.
How long is the Electronic Travel Authority valid?
How often can I enter and exit Australia on an ETA?
How long can I stay In Australia while on an ETA?
I am planning more than three months in Australia. What should I do?

With an ETA you will be able to enter and leave Australia as many times as you need to during a 12 month period. However, if you are unable to leave every three months or have a different requirement you will need to apply for a visa which allows for a longer stay in Australia. For example the Visitor Visa (subclass 600) or the Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417 & subclass 462).
Can I work while in Australia on an ETA?

No. It is illegal to work on an ETA. You are not allowed to work on an ETA.

If you work in Australia on an ETA, you risk being detained and deported and you may be subject to a three year exclusion period.

You will likely be liable for paying costs associated with your detention and deportation from Australia.

The easiest visa to work in Australia is the Working Holiday Visa(subclass 417 & subclass 462). More information here: “Working Holiday Visa Australia: Your ultimative guide”

On the Australian government website they provide further information on Australian visas that have work rights attached to them.

2. How to apply for the ETA Australia

Where can I apply for the ETA?
To apply for an ETA online use the Australia government website. But you must hold a passport from one of the following countries or regions to be able to apply online:
- Brunei Darussalam
- Canada
- Hong Kong (SAR PRC)
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Korea, Rep of (STH)
- United States
If you aren’t eligible to apply for an ETA online you might be able to apply through a travel agent, airline or at an Australian visa office. As part of the application/approval process, you will be issued with a Reference Number. You will need the Reference Number to check the status of your ETA or your application.
What do I need to make an ETA application?
To apply for an ETA you must be outside Australia. An ETA is for short term stays for tourism or business visitor activities.

You need:
- your passport
- email address
- valid credit card
The details you provide in your ETA application need to be exactly the same as they appear in your passport. You must use the same passport that is linked to your online ETA application when you travel.

Anyone who arrives in Australia without a valid travel document, visa or ETA can be refused entry to or delayed until their identity and claims to enter Australia have been confirmed.
Do age restrictions apply?
How much does the ETA Australia cost?

20 AUD

Attention: On a flight from Auckland to Melbourne, I forgot to apply for an ETA. Before boarding, the airline always checks if you have a valid ETA. They wanted 80 AUD instead of the regular fee of 20 AUD. I still had some spare time so I went to the nearest flight center. But even they still charged 50 AUD. Don’t do the same mistake. Book your visa in advance.

Info: Save the $ 20 AUD and apply instead online for the free eVisitor (subclass 651).

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How long will my ETA take to process?

3. Specific question for the ETA Application

Is the application form available in other languages?
Can I include my children in the same online ETA application?
Why do I need to indicate that I have an Alias?
Why do I need to indicate that I have a Criminal Conviction?
How will I know if my ETA application requires further processing?
What conditions apply to my ETA?
Conditions of an ETA are:
- It is your responsibility to know what your visa allows you to do while in Australia.
- After your ETA is granted you are able to enter and leave Australia as many times as you need to during a 12 month period. From the date the ETA is granted or until the expiry date of your passport, whichever is earlier.
- You can stay in Australia for a maximum of three months on each visit.
- You must not study for more than three months.
- You must be free from tuberculosis.
- You must not have any criminal convictions for which you have been sentenced for a total combined period of 12 months or more, whether or not the sentence/s were served.
- It is illegal to work on an ETA. Whilst on an ETA you have no right to work in Australia. You may only undertake business visitor activities such as the undertaking of business enquiries and contractual negotiations or attending conferences.
Important: You might not be permitted to enter Australia unless you are in good health and have no significant criminal convictions. You should note that you must depart Australia before your authorised stay period expires. If you do not, you can be detained and/or removed from Australia. Overstaying might also affect your ability to be granted another Australian visa, including an ETA, in the future. If circumstances arise while you are in Australia that require you to stay longer than the three months permitted by your ETA, you must obtain another visa before the end of the three month stay period.
I am an Australian citizen with citizenship with other countries as well. Do I need an ETA to visit Australia?

4. Problems with your ETA Application

What can I do if I am not eligible to apply through the Australian government website?

If you are not able to apply for an ETA online you might be eligible to apply for an ETA through a travel agent, airline or an Australian visa office. Or alternatively if you would like to travel, work or study in Australia try to apply for an eVisitor (subclass 651), Visitor visa (subclass 600) or the Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417 & subclass 462).

In addition you can use the Visa finder on the Australian government website to search for a Visa that is suitable for you.
What can I do if I make a mistake in my application?

It is important that you are very careful when you enter your personal details. You will have an opportunity to review all the details you have provided and can change the details at any time until you confirm all details as correct.

If you have made an error, it is important that you correct it before proceeding. Once you have confirmed the details, your credit card will be debited for the non-refundable service charge.

If you find out later that you have made a mistake, you will need to make a new application (and incur another service charge). It is not possible to change the details on an ETA once it has been issued.

Note: If your ETA details do not match your passport details you might experience delays when boarding your aircraft or be refused entry into Australia.
What happens when applications are not approved?
My application for an ETA was unsuccessful, can I get my $20 AUD back?
What if I already hold a current visa for travel to Australia?
Why am I not receiving emails from the Australian Visa-Department?
To ensure you receive emails from the Australian Visa-Department:
- make sure that the email you use is still valid
- check your email storage capacity is not full
- check your email spam scanner will accept emails from border.gov.au
- check your email spam folder on a regular basis to ensure messages from the Visa-Department have not been incorrectly identified as spam
- change the email encoding if you received emails which are illegible.
- check your application to ensure the email address you entered was entered correctly.
I have a more specific question about ETA Australia and cannot find an answer.

This was my FAQ about ETA Australia. I hope I could help you with this post. If you have any further questions about the ETA visa, please let me know in the comments, and I can add your question to the FAQ.

Important: For the Working Holiday Visa in Australia you don't need an ETA and if you only want to go to Australia as a tourist, then apply online for the free eVisitor (subclass 651).

What should you do next? Do you already have health insurance for your trip to Australia? Read more in the article “Best Australia Travel Insurance for Backpacker [Working Holiday]“

Read more:

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links marked with a * are affiliate links, and, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you make a purchase. I use all the companies listed and recommend them because they rock and have made my travels better. If you are ready to book your trip and would like to support Working Holiday Blog, using these links is one way to do that. If you have any questions about the companies, e-mail me.

Ciao Daniel 🙂

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10 Comments

Fiadhnait Brady
February 14, 2023 @ 1:04 am

I applied for a working holiday visa in August 2022 and it was granted. I am going to Australia to work for a year next week. A friend told me that I also need to apply for an ETA which I did. it was granted as 3 months and now I realise I don’t need it. can I cancel my ETA and go back to my original subclass 417 visa?

- Julian
  March 8, 2023 @ 10:53 pm
  
  Hi Fiadhnait,
  as far as I am aware you can’t reverse this and might need to apply for another working holiday instead then.
  
  Sorry, the ETA is just meant to be if you don’t have another visa. So the recommendation of your friend was wrong.
  
  Cheers Julian
  
Hannah
June 27, 2023 @ 6:58 pm

hi Fiadhnait. did you find out if you needed to reapply for your subclass 417 visa or was it accepted? I also have made the same mistake.

- Evelina
  January 29, 2024 @ 5:12 pm
  
  I have made the same mistake, what did you end up doing? did you have to reapply?
  
Brian
November 6, 2023 @ 12:30 pm

Hello,

I was granted a Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) on 8 May 2023. However, I did not activate it.

I decided to travel to Australia 1 July 2023 to see if I enjoyed the country first.

I entered Australia using the Eletronic Travel Authorization (subclass 601). Is my 462 still valid since it was granted, offshore, before entry to Australia? Or did the 601 void it?

- Julian
  November 24, 2023 @ 8:31 pm
  
  Hi Brian,
  as you can have just one active visa. Most likely the 601 did void it. You should be able to see the visa status via the homeaffairs website.
  
  Hope that helps.
  
  Julian
  
Nadine
November 27, 2023 @ 11:56 pm

Hi Julian,

my first WHV will expire soon and I’m planning on leaving the country and apply for an ETA to be able to re-enter and travel for 3 months before going home to Germany. Do you think they are gonna approve my ETA without any issues? thank you so much.

- Julian
  November 29, 2023 @ 9:20 pm
  
  Hi Nadine,
  usually that won’t be an issue. Just make sure to fulfill all the requirements for an ETA.
  
  Enjoy.
  
Daniel
May 2, 2024 @ 1:08 pm

Hi! thank you for the information. I have a question. I already apply offshore for my first Working Holiday visa 462. it’s been 2 months already and I’m still waiting for an answer. I was wondering if I apply now for the eVisitor 651 I would be able to enter the Country? ( I have my apartment and other business to manage that’s why I need to come back).

So let’s say I’m granted a 651. If I’m inside the country my WHM would still be processed and before they approved they contact me and tell me they will grant it once I’m outside? would work this way? thank you

- Julian
  May 5, 2024 @ 7:59 am
  
  Hi Daniel,
  from my understanding you can just have one current visa. So if you apply for a 651 and enter the country, you couldn’t get the working holiday visa anymore. Because the working holiday visa (1st year) can just be granted if you are outside Australia.
  
  Hope that helps. Maybe best to contact an immigration adviser or lawyer for your specific case and details.
  
  Cheers, Julian

ETA Australia FAQ: most frequently asked questions about the Electronic Travel Authority

Note Regarding the Current COVID-19 Pandemic: Application & Delays

Which tourist visa should I apply for?

1. General Information about the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)

2. How to apply for the ETA Australia

3. Specific question for the ETA Application

4. Problems with your ETA Application

Ciao Daniel 🙂

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