Travellers often assume these are two routes to the same thing and pick whichever looks easier. They are not interchangeable. Your passport decides which one you are eligible for, and applying for the wrong one wastes both time and, in the case of the ETA, money.
eVisitor (subclass 651)
- Free of charge. There is no application fee and no service fee.
- Open to passport holders from 36 eligible countries, largely European.
- Applied for online, through the Department of Home Affairs.
ETA (subclass 601)
- Costs AUD $20, charged as a service fee.
- Applied for through the official mobile app, not the website.
- Covers a different list of passports — including several that eVisitor does not.
What is the same
Both allow visits of up to 3 months at a time and stay valid for 12 months. Both are electronically linked to your passport, so there is nothing to print or carry. Neither lets you work.
If you hold two passports, check both. It is common for one to qualify for the free eVisitor while the other only qualifies for the paid ETA.
Source: Department of Home Affairs — eVisitor (subclass 651)
More on the eVisitor
What is the eVisitor
The eVisitor is a full visitor visa granted electronically to holders of eligible European passports. What it covers and how it differs from the ETA.
How to apply
Applications are made free of charge through ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website. The order of the steps and the mistakes that cause delays.
Cost
The Australian government charges AUD $0 for the eVisitor: no visa application charge and no service fee. The ETA for other passports costs AUD $20.
What you need
A valid European passport, an email address and about fifteen minutes. No photo, no payment, no documents to upload for most applicants.
Processing time
Most eVisitor applications are decided automatically within a day. What causes an application to take weeks instead.
Validity
An eVisitor lasts 12 months from the date of grant, or until your passport expires, and allows as many entries as you like within that period.