Get a Tourist Visa for Australia

Whether you're interested in visiting the state capitals of Sydney and Melbourne, or are looking for an adventure in the Outback, the Commonwealth of Australia offers visitors a rich culture and diverse geography. Ranked as the world's 13th largest economy, tourism is an important part of the country's economy, and obtaining a tourist visa is not difficult. You must hold an eligible passport from another country, and allow for enough time for paperwork to be processed. The easiest way to apply for a tourist visa to Australia is to go through the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), which does not require you to directly visit a diplomatic office. Use these tips to learn how to get a tourist visa for Australia.

Steps

  1. Decide what type of tourist visa you need based on your status and length of stay. You will need a tourist visa for any vacation (non-business) visit to Australia, regardless of whether you are going for 1 day or 12 months. If you are vacationing with a spouse who is an Australian citizen, you will still need a visa, but must apply for a spousal visa.
    • Choose a short-stay visa if you plan to vacation in Australia for a maximum of 3 months.
    • Opt for a long-stay visa if you will be visiting for up to 12 months.
  2. Apply electronically for your visa.
    • Determine if you are 1 of the 33 countries eligible for the ETA. These countries can be found by visiting http://www.eta.immi.gov.au.
    • Choose the application for either the short-stay or long-stay visa, and fill out the necessary information. You will need a valid passport that is good through the time in which are traveling, and a major credit card. Processing time is usually immediate, and your ETA will automatically be linked to your passport.
  3. Apply for a tourist visa through an Australian diplomatic office if you are not a resident of 1 of the eligible ETA countries. Those who are not within the eligible countries to apply online for a visa, or those who do not have Internet access, will need to visit a diplomatic office, such as an embassy or consulate.
    • Make an appointment with an Australian embassy if you are unable to apply online. A list of embassies can be found on the Australian Government website.
    • Ask what application fees will apply and what documentation is needed before you go to the appointment. In general, you will need a valid passport, the applications fees, the application itself, details about your reason for travel, and possibly your employment and financial status. The documentation required may vary depending on the country from which you are traveling.

Tips

  • If you apply for an ETA visa, it will be automatically linked to your passport, which is available to travel agents and airlines. It is not necessary to already have your flight or travel plans ready when applying for a tourist visa, but it will be valid for travel to Australia for only 1 year from the date on which it is issued.
  • Application and service charges may vary depending on time of travel and how you apply.
  • Processing time through an embassy may be considerably longer than with an ETA, and can take up to several weeks. Consult the embassy about approximate tourist visa processing times, and plan plenty of time in advance.

Things You'll Need

  • Valid passport
  • Application fees

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