Australia ETA
Everything you need to apply for your Australia ETA: the requirements, the documents, and the steps from start to approval.
Official Australia government portalOverview
The Electronic Travel Authority, or ETA, is Australia's digital travel permit for short visits. It is an authorisation linked electronically to your passport that lets eligible passport holders travel to Australia for tourism and business, rather than a visa stamped in the passport. An approved ETA is generally valid for one year from issuance and allows multiple entries during that period, with each stay lasting up to three months.
You can use it for holidays, visiting family and friends, business meetings, conferences and short courses of study. An ETA does not cover paid employment, work for an Australian employer, long-term study toward a qualification, or permanent residence, all of which need the corresponding Australian visa. It links to the passport you apply with, so you must travel on that same document, and every traveller, including children and infants, needs their own ETA.
Citizens of eligible European passport countries may apply provided their passport is valid, and for them the Australia ETA is issued as the eVisitor with no Australian government charge. If your passport is not on the eligible list, or you intend to work or study long term, you will normally need a different Australian visa instead. Your eligibility and your documents are reviewed against current Department of Home Affairs rules, in your own language, and your eVisitor is then prepared and filed online on your behalf.
Requirements in detail
An Australia ETA asks for less than a visa, but gather these before you begin so every detail matches your passport. You need a passport from an ETA-eligible country, valid for the duration of your stay, and you should have its number and its issue and expiry dates in front of you, because the authorisation is linked to that passport electronically rather than stamped in it; this is also why there is no applicant photograph to upload, unlike many visas; you do provide a scan of your passport bio page, which is used to verify every field before filing. Have your home address, a phone number and the purpose of your visit ready, and answer the character questions about criminal charges, convictions and family-violence orders honestly.
A working email address receives the outcome, and a payment card covers the single all-inclusive price for our eligibility check, document review and online filing of your eVisitor, which for European passport holders carries no Australian government charge. Every traveller, including each child and infant, needs their own ETA.
What you'll need
Have these ready before you begin your application. Requirements can vary by nationality and trip purpose.
- Passport from an ETA-eligible country
- Email address for review delivery
- A scan of your passport bio page, used to verify every field before filing
- Your home address and the purpose of your visit
- Payment method (one all-inclusive price)
How to apply
Applying for an Australia ETA is done entirely online, and we file it for you. First, confirm you need one: it is required for eligible European passport holders travelling for tourism or business, and each traveller needs their own. Second, have your passport and your Australian trip details ready.
Third, complete the form, checking the spelling of your name and every digit of your passport number against the passport itself, and answer the eligibility questions honestly. Fourth, review the single all-inclusive price and pay; your eligibility and documents are checked for completeness against current Department of Home Affairs rules, and then we prepare and file your eVisitor online for you. Finally, the approved ETA is held electronically against your passport and the outcome arrives by email, so there is nothing to print; the airline checks the authorisation against your passport when you check in.
On arrival
Your approved ETA is held electronically against your passport, so there is nothing to print to board; the airline checks the authorisation against your passport when you check in. It is still sensible to save the approval email or your reference number in case of a systems issue. Travel on the exact passport you applied with, because the ETA is tied to that document.
An ETA lets you board and request entry, but the final admission decision is made by an Australian Border Force officer at the airport, who may ask about the purpose and length of your visit. Have your return or onward ticket and your Australian address ready to show, and be prepared to explain that your trip is for tourism or business within the permitted three months.
Government processing time
What the issuing authority typically takes once the application is submitted.
Government processing: Australian Department of Home Affairs decides in 1 to 24 hours, often within minutes. VisitPass review: Standard under 24h; Priority under 6h; Urgent under 30 min. The application is checked for completeness, submitted to the authority, and the confirmation issued.
On when to apply, most ETAs are decided quickly, but it is wise to allow a comfortable margin before your departure rather than leaving it to the last day. The details are reviewed against current rules and your eVisitor is filed online with the Department of Home Affairs, so the submission goes smoothly. Apply once your travel is reasonably firm, since the ETA is tied to the passport you book and fly with.
At a glance
- Validity
- 1 year
- Maximum stay
- 3 months per entry
- Entry type
- Multiple
Who can apply
The Australia ETA for European passport holders is issued as the eVisitor, with no Australian government charge. Valid for one year from issuance with multiple entries up to three months each. Children need their own ETA.
Your eVisitor is prepared and filed online with the Australian Department of Home Affairs after your eligibility and documents are reviewed against current rules, so there is nothing for you to lodge yourself.
Is this the official application?
VisitPass is an independent travel-document service, not a government website and not affiliated with the Australian Department of Home Affairs. For European passport holders the Australia ETA is issued as the eVisitor, which carries no Australian government charge, and we prepare and file it online with the Department of Home Affairs; the service fee covers checking your eligibility, reviewing your documents against current rules and filing the application, plus email support. You can always apply directly with the Department of Home Affairs yourself; many travellers choose a guided service to complete it in their own language and have it reviewed and filed for them.
The decision rests solely with the Australian government.
Australia help desk
Have questions about your ETA? Email the Australia desk and we reply within 24 hours.
australia@visitpass-online.comVisitPass is an independent visa-application service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any government. Government fees go directly to the issuing authority and are listed separately in your receipt.