The eVisitor (subclass 651) is a visitor visa for Australia, granted electronically and linked to your passport. It is free of charge, valid 12 months, and allows stays of up to 3 months per entry.
It is a visa, not a travel authority
Unlike New Zealand's NZeTA, the eVisitor is an actual visa. Nothing is stamped in your passport — the grant is recorded against it and checked electronically when you check in.
Who it is for
- Passport holders of 36 European countries: all EU member states plus the UK, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and several microstates
- Tourism, visiting family and friends, and business visitor activities
- Travellers who are outside Australia when they apply and when the visa is granted
Who it is not for
If your passport is not on the list — for example Japan, the United States, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia or South Korea — the eVisitor is not available. Those nationalities apply for the ETA (subclass 601), which costs AUD $20 and is applied for in the official mobile app.
The eligibility test is nationality, not residence. Living in Europe on a non-European passport does not make you eligible.
More on the eVisitor
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.
Length of stay
Up to 3 months per entry, with conditions: no work for an Australian employer and study limited to 3 months.