This comes up constantly — the passport is renewed, replaced after loss, or reissued after a name change, and the traveller assumes the visa is gone. It is not, but it does not follow the new passport by itself either.
What actually happens
The eVisitor stays attached to the passport number it was granted against. Airlines and border systems check the passport you present. If that passport is new, the link has to be updated first.
What to do
- Tell the Department of Home Affairs about the new passport before you travel.
- Do not apply for a second eVisitor to "replace" the first — that is not how the change is handled.
- Carry the old passport if you still have it and it is not cancelled in a way that prevents this.
Do this as soon as the new passport arrives, not at the airport. Updating details is routine when there is time and a problem when there is not.
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.