Frequently asked questions
How can I be sure that I have a visa? Can all airlines and airports find my visa? Do I need to have booked my ticket before I have arranged the visa? I'm not traveling for a few months, can I order the visa now? What are the fees? What do I need to make an application? How do I know if my ETA is still valid for travel to Australia? How does the airline know that I have a visa? Is my personal information safe? How secure is my credit card information through the site? What credit cards are accepted? What happens if I already have an ETA? Will I be charged if you can't arrange an ETA? What happens when applications are not approved? How long can I stay in Australia? I am planning a trip for longer than 3 months, what can I do? My trip includes a side holiday to New Zealand. Is the visa multiple entry? My children are included in their mothers passport. Do they need an ETA? I am already in Australia on another visa. Can I apply for an ETA?
The Australian Government introduced an electronic visa system so that travellers no longer needed to send their passports to an Australian Embassy. The system operates through the worldwide flight information system that is accessed by all airlines and cruise companies. After your Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa has been issued the visa "exists" only in this system.
We will email or fax you confirmation that your visa has been issued. As long as the details you have provided to us match the details in your passport, you will have no problems at check-in. Can all airlines and airports find my visa? Yes. All airlines that fly to Australia are required to be able to access the ETA system to confirm visas. Do I need to have booked my ticket to Australia before I order my ETA? No - the visa is totally independent of your travel plans. I'm not travelling for a few months, can I order the visa today? Yes - the visa allows you travel to Australia anytime within 12 months of being issued. What are the fees? The service fee for the visa is charged in your own currency. The fee per visa is US$12, £7.50, Can$14, Euro 10). There are no additional charges on top of these fees. For the Business visa valid for the life of the passport, there will be an additional fee of A$75 charged to your credit card. What do I need to make an application? All you need to make an application for an ETA through this site is your valid passport and your credit card (American Express, Diners Club, Mastercard or Visa). How do I know if my ETA is still valid for travel to Australia ? We can check and confirm the status of your visa. You will need to provide some data from your passport. How does the airline know I have a visa to travel to Australia? Airlines have access to the ETA database through their reservation systems. They will make an enquiry to determine your visa status when you check in for your flight. Is my personal information safe? Only the data required to process your application will be collected. It will only be used for the purposes of arranging the Australian visa. The full data on your application and ETA status will only be permanently stored on secure servers operated for DIAC in Australia. How secure is my credit card information on this site? Your credit card information is totally safe. Your credit card details are encrypted the moment they are transmitted by you and are encrypted as they are transmitted through to the banking network. If your browser does not support the level of encryption required by this site, you will not be able to apply for an ETA. We will hold your credit card details only for the duration of the transaction. Once payment has been completed and the application for an ETA has been finalised, your credit card number is deleted. Which credit cards are accepted? We are authorised to accept payment by American Express, Diners Club, Mastercard and Visa. What happens if I already have a visa or ETA? If you apply for a new visa, then the new visa will replace the old visa. If you apply for an ETA and the system determines that you already have a current visa with a longer period of stay than the ETA you are applying for, or the current visa or ETA has work rights or residency rights, the application will not be processed. There will be no charge for this application. What happens when applications are not approved? In a small percentage of cases, this site may not be able to evaluate and approve an application. In these cases, we will need more information from you to finalise your application through the nearest Australian visa office. If we are unable to arrange your visa we will not charge the service fee. What can I do if I make a mistake in my application? When you receive the confirmation, please check that your details are correct. If they are not, then please advise us so we can make the correction. There is no extra charge for this. How long can I stay in Australia? The ETA will allow you to stay in Australia for a maximum of three months on each visit. I am planning a holiday for more than three months in Australia. What should I do? You will need to apply for a visa which allows for a longer stay from your nearest Australian visa office. My itinerary also includes a side-trip to New Zealand. Is my ETA valid for more than one entry to Australia? Yes. You can leave Australia for your side trip and return and stay for up to another 3 months. My children are included on their mother's passport. Do they need ETA's? Each child will need an ETA. You need to enter the passport details exactly as for the parent, replacing the name, date of birth, sex and country of birth with the children's details as they appear in the passport. I am in Australia on another visa. Can I apply for an ETA to have a holiday here? No. You can only apply for an ETA when you are outside Australia. You should contact the nearest DIAC Regional Office to discuss your visa requirements. |
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