When you want to enter the Land Down Under, do you already know how to handle getting an Australian ETA and if you qualify?

An Australian ETA is necessary for some

An Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is a requirement for many when traveling into Australia.

What does the ETA provide? The Australian government wants to validate all those entering the country are permitted to do so. You can think of this as getting digital clearance to attempt an entry into the country, with the Australian immigration officers making the final call. Getting an ETA does not guarantee you entry into the country–it just shows you aren’t on any concerning lists and you are who you say you are.

An Australian ETA is valid for 1 year from the date of approval. Once you have an ETA, you can enter as often as you’d like for up to 3 months at a time.

With this ETA, you can visit family and friends, engage in tourist activities or take a cruise, or even perform some business activities, such as:

• Make general business or employment enquiries
• Investigate, negotiate, sign, or review business contracts
• Undertake an activity of an official government-to-government visit
• Participate in conferences, trade fairs, or seminars in Australia as long as you do not get paid for your participation

The list of terms and conditions are available on their site.

Who needs to apply?

All travelers to the Australia who are not simply transiting the secure area of an airport must apply for and obtain an ETA. Australian citizens do not need to apply for an ETA. However, it gets a little complicated from there.

To qualify for an ETA, one of the ETA-eligible countries must have issued your passport. The current list of countries include 33 countries or jurisdictions:

On top of that, if you’re a connecting passenger, there are special requirements to bypass the need for an ETA. You:

• Will arrive in Australia by aircraft.
• Have a confirmed ticket to leave Australia to travel to a third country, by aircraft, within 8 hours of arriving.
• Are in possession of travel documents to enter the destination.
• Must not leave the secure area for any reason.

This means you must check your bags all the way through to your final destination. You cannot collect them in Australia as this means you will be forced to clear immigration to do so.

The application process

Via phone app

The preference for applying for an Australian ETA is to use the phone app. After downloading the app and launching it, you can apply for an ETA with just five easy steps:

1. Scanning your passport data page
2. Reading the passport embedded chip
3. Confirming passport information
4. Taking the applicant’s photo with your phone directly within the app
5. Answering some additional questions regarding you and your travel

To scan the passport, you’ll need to lie it flat on a table, take off any cover, and not have it directly under a light to reduce glare. Importantly, you’ll want to make sure all characters are visible in the two lines of text on the photo page.

From there, you’ll need to scan your passport for a biometric chip. You might need to move your phone around to find the chip within your passport. When the app finds your chip, it should scan successfully but it may take a couple of attempts. Most passports these days come with a biometric chip that confirms the information on the data page. If you run into an error scanning the chip, you might want to consider applying for an ETA using a different method.

When taking a photo of the applicant, you’ll want to use a white background and make sure your face fits the frame as they show in the guide.

And there are just a few more questions to answer, including:

• What is your country of birth?
• Have you ever been known by any other name (e.g. alias)?
• What is your home address and mobile number?
• Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offense?
• Have you ever been charged or convicted of a domestic or family violence offense?

Lastly, you just need to pay the fee ($20 AUD). You can pay for multiple applicants at the same time. After you apply, you’ll receive an email noting your application. You’re supposed to receive confirmation of approval for the Australian ETA after approval. In my experience, I had to check the app to confirm that I received it. There isn’t anything you need to show (when checking into the flight, boarding the flight, or clearing immigration) as proof.

Via online website (ImmiAccount)

Official link to ImmiAccount website: https://online.immi.gov.au/lusc/login

To use this system, you’ll need to first create an account, which also requires using an authenticator app on your phone. From there, you’ll need to register for a visa. Visas for visitors include:

• eVisitor (651) — Free, with similar conditions attached to an Australian ETA. However, qualifying passports are limited to those from certain European countries. Generally speaking, it’s the same countries above that qualify for an Australian ETA.
• Visitor Visa (600) — $250 AUD, intended more for those with passports that do not qualify for an Australian ETA.
• Transit Visa (771) — Free, but only for those who are staying in Australia on their way to a third country and will remain in Australia for no more than 72 hours.
• Medical Treatment Visa (602) — As low as free, but only for specific medical procedures in Australia.

If you do not qualify for a free visa, the cheaper option would be to apply for an Australian ETA assuming you hold an eligible passport.

FAQ for Australian ETA

Are you ready to apply for an Australian ETA?

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