How you apply for an Australia visa depends on why you want to go to Australia. It could be for tourism, business, work, school, or to see a family member. People with passports from many countries can easily get a visa online, while people with passports from other countries may have to fill out a paper application at an Embassy or Consulate.
What Is an Australian Visa?
A visa for Australia is a document that lets you go to Australia for a certain amount of time. Australia is different from most other countries because it does not stamp or label your passport with a visa stamp or label. Instead, your visa privileges are recorded electronically on an online database. When you travel to Australia, the immigration officer will check the database to see if you have a visa.
Does Australia require a visa?
Except for New Zealanders, who can get a visa when they get there, everyone else has to apply for a visa or permission to visit Australia before they go. Depending on what country you are from, you can get an eVisitor, an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), or a visitor visa for short-term trips:
Visitor Visa for Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) (Tourist Stream, Subclass 600)
Countries in the European Union, Brunei Darussalam, and all the other countries.
Andorra Canada
Iceland Hong Kong (SAR PRC)
Liechtenstein Japan
Monaco Malaysia
Norway Singapore
South Korea and San Marino
Switzerland and the U.S.
Great Britain
City of Vatican
On the other hand, if you want to stay for a long time to study or work, you will need a visa unless you are a New Zealander.
How New Zealanders get visas for Australia
Citizens of New Zealand can go to Australia to do business, study, work, or live there without getting a visa first. As a citizen of New Zealand, you can get a Special Category Visa (subclass 444) when you arrive.
After living in Australia for five years, you can apply for permanent residency if you meet all the other requirements, like having enough money and passing health, safety, and security checks. But you can stay in Australia even if you only have a SCV because it doesn’t have an end date.
How do I get a visa to go to Australia?
Depending on your country, you can get an Australian visa online or at an Australian Embassy or Consulate:
You can apply for the eVisitor through the online service of the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
You can apply for the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) through the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ official ETA portal.
You can apply for an Australian visa online or at an Embassy or Consulate in person.
Do I have to send in the originals?
If you want an Australian visa, you do not have to send in the original copies of your documents. If you are applying online, you must scan your documents and attach them as electronic files. If you apply on paper, you should send in copies that have been signed by a notary. This means that you need to make a copy of your document and send it to someone who can “certify” it for you. The person you send it to must write “This is a certified true copy of the original as seen by me” on the copy.
But not everyone can sign off on your documents. It has to be an Australian citizen or a non-citizen who works in one of the “eligible professions,” like doctors, judges, clerks of court, bank officers, police officers, etc.
Find out what documents you need for an Australian visa and who can sign them for you.
When do I need to get a visa?
When you need to apply for an Australian visa depends on what kind of visa you want:
You should apply for a tourist visa at least one month before you plan to travel, but you might want to give it more time. Even though most tourist visa applications are processed in a few weeks, some have taken more than four months.
You can apply for an eVisitor or ETA about a week before your trip and be fine.
If you want a long-term visa, like a work visa, you need to start the process as soon as possible because it can take anywhere from a few months to over a year.
