An eVisitor is valid for 12 months from the date it is granted, and it allows as many entries as you like during that period. What it does not give you is 12 months of continuous time in Australia. Each individual visit is limited to 3 months.
Two clocks, not one
- Visa validity — 12 months, counted from the grant date, not from your first entry
- Stay per visit — 3 months, counted from each arrival
- Entries — multiple, for as long as the visa is valid
So a visa granted in January expires the following January regardless of whether you used it. Arrive in December and you may still stay 3 months, but you cannot re-enter after the visa expires.
What the three months does not cover
- Work for an Australian employer
- Study beyond 3 months
- Any expectation of entry — the officer at the border decides
Source: Department of Home Affairs — eVisitor (subclass 651)
Applying again from inside Australia is not how the eVisitor works. If you need longer than three months in one go, look at a Visitor visa (subclass 600) before you travel.
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.