Australia Tourist Visas

Australia offers a range of short term temporary visa services for those who wish to visit the country for the purposes of tourism or to conduct business. For shorter terms visits, Australia offers the Electronic Travel Authority ETA visa which removes the need for application forms and visa stamps and provides a more streamlined route to visiting Australia. For longer term visits the long stay tourist visa and long stay business visa are also available.

Every year, Global Visas help thousands of people to obtain the right Australian visa for their needs. You can begin your application now by visiting our online assessment area. Just take a moment to complete one of our assessment forms and a consultant will contact you.

Australian ETA Visitor Visa – Eligibility Criteria

Australian ETA visitor visas are issued for a maximum of 12 months and permit a holder to travel in and out of Australia as many times as they wish staying for up to three months on each occasion. ETA tourist visas are issued as a temporary Australian visa service and will not lead to the opportunity to switch to another immigration service or to pursue a grant of long term residency in Australia. Applicants must depart before or upon the expiry of their visa and may not engage in any form of employment whilst in the country. Studying in Australia is permitted on an ETA visa status; however candidates may only study for a maximum of three months.

Applying for an ETA Visitor Visa

As outlined above, an ETA visa is an electronic visa which does not involve a physical stamp in the holder’s passport. ETA visas must be applied for outside Australia and an applicant must be in possession of a passport from one of the participating countries. Although a wide range of countries are included in the Australian ETA visa scheme, not all foreign passports are eligible. Your Global Visas immigration consultant will be able to discuss the requirements for your country of residence with you.

Australian ETA Business Visa

Like the short stay visit visa for Australia, Australian business visas for short term visits are granted for a 12 month period with the freedom to remain in Australia for up to three months. This visa service is based upon the same conditions as the tourist visa and is designed for those who wish to visit Australia in order to engage in a variety of business activities. Short stay business visas are ideal for those entering the country to attend a conference or meeting, engage in negotiations or to perform ‘fact finding’ visits to the country to source potential clients or suppliers. However, as a strictly temporary visa for Australia this class places heavy restrictions upon a holder’s right to engage in any form of employment whilst in the country.

A candidate may only work in Australia for a very limited period and must only conduct work which could not be performed by an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

ETA Long-Validity Business Visa

The long stay business visas works on the same principles as the short stay business visa, however it is issued as a multiple entry permit which allows a candidate to stay in Australia for up to three months per visit for the validity of their passport.

Australian Long-Stay Tourist Visa

For those wishing to visit Australia whose country of residence is not supported by the ETA visa and/or those who wish to visit the country for more than three months at a time, the Australian long stay tourist visa permits a maximum stay of 12 months.

Long stay tourist visas for Australia can be issued as either a single or multiple entry permit; however the 12 month grant should be seen as a maximum and the actual grant awarded to a particular applicant will depend upon their specific application and their personal circumstances. Although long stay visit visas take longer to process than ETA’s they are available to many more countries.

Applying for a Long Stay Business Visa - Eligibility

Candidates applying for a long stay visit visa for Australia will need to provide a current and valid passport from their country of residence. They must not engage in employment except for unpaid voluntary work which does not constitute the main reason for the visit. As with the ETA visa, applicants may study in Australia for no more than 3 months. Although the duration of this visa may be substantially longer than that of an ETA, this is still a temporary visa service and will not lead to the opportunity to apply for permanent residence in Australia.

Tourist visa applicants must be able to demonstrate that they are capable of supporting themselves financially whilst in Australia through documentary evidence, and applicants over the age of 70 will also need to show that they have health insurance and that a doctor has certified them as fit to travel.

Visit the Global Visas online assessment are now to find out whether you qualify.