Australia Visa Information

Passport/Visa

	Passport Required?	Visa Required?	Return Ticket Required?
British	Yes	Yes	No
Australian	N/A	N/A	N/A
Canadian	Yes	Yes	No
USA	Yes	Yes	No
Other EU	Yes	Yes	No

Passport Note
Australian visa regulations (including visa application charges) change from time to time. The information provided below is valid at the time of publication, but visitors should check that this information is still current by visiting the Department of Immigration online (website: www.immi.gov.au) or by calling the Australian Immigration and Citizenship 24-hour Information Service (tel: (09065) 508 900; calls cost £1 per minute).

Passports
Valid passport required by all nationals of countries referred to in chart above.

Visas
Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
(a) those continuing their journey to a third country (who hold confirmation of booking and documentation to enter country) within eight hours of arriving in Australia.

All other nationals must obtain a transit visa before travel if intending to remain in Australia no longer than 72 hours and a ’stopover’ is intended. Transit visas are free of charge.

Note: Not all airports remain open all night; travelers should check with the airline.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the Department of Immigration to check visa requirements (see General Info).

Visa Note
Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visas
The ETA is an electronically stored authority for travel to Australia that allows people from certain countries (see below) to visit Australia for up to three months for tourism, short-term business or elective study purposes. An ETA is invisible and therefore will not show up in your passport.

Please note, the Australian High Commission in London does not offer an automatic ETA service.

All nationals referred to in the chart above are eligible for an ETA except: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.

Other types of visa
Visitors not eligible for an ETA, or seeking a longer stay than an ETA offers, may apply for Tourist (Non ETA) and Business Short-stay (Non ETA) visas. 

There are also student visas, employers’ visas for overseas workers and sponsored family visitor visas available; please enquire at the Australian High Commission. Visa fees are generally adjusted on 1 January and 1 July each year.

Types of Visa and Cost
ETAs: Visitor/Short Validity Business: Free of charge. Business Visitor (Long Validity)ETA: A$70

Note: A service fee of A$20 is charged when applying for an ETA online through the DIMIA ETA website. Some travel agents and airlines issuing ETAs also charge a processing fee.

Non-ETAs: Tourist and Business Short-stay visas: A$70.

Validity
Visitor ETAs are valid for 12 months from date of issue (or until the passport expires, whichever comes first) and permit multiple entries into Australia for a stay of up to three months on each visit. Short Validity Business ETAs are valid for 12 months from date of issue (or until the passport expires, whichever comes first) with stays of up to three months on each visit and can be used for single or multiple entry travel. Business Visitor (Long Validity) ETAs are valid for 10 years (or the life of the passport) and permit multiple entries for a stay of up to three months for each visit.

For non-ETA visas, the validity varies according to the type of visa, the purpose of the trip and the validity of the passport. Visas are usually valid from three to 12 months. The validity will be stated on the visa label in your passport.

Applications to:
ETA: Authorised travel agents or airlines; by telephone; some nationals may apply online through the main Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA; website: www.eta.immi.gov.au) (Visitor and Short Validity Business ETAs only); over 10,000 travel agents and airline offices throughout the UK.

Non-ETA: Australian Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates; see General Info.

There is a Tourist Short-Stay visa available online (DIMIA; website: www.immi.gov.au) for passport holders of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.

Working Days Required
ETA: When issued through DIMIA’s ETA website (website: www.eta.immi.gov.au), or through travel agents or airline offices, ETAs are usually processed and valid immediately or within three working days. Non-ETA: 10-15 working days.

Warning
Australia is a vast country. Journeys need to be planned, particularly if traveling to remote areas.

Most visits to Australia are trouble-free but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate international terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners. The Australian authorities have carried out a number of arrests as a result of investigations into terrorist networks.

Tropical cyclones occur in some parts of Australia, mainly Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia. The cyclone season normally runs from November to April.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organizations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

Health

	Special Precautions	Certificate Required?
Yellow Fever	No	1
Cholera	No	No
Typhoid and Polio	No	N/A
Malaria	No	N/A

Health Care
Doctors and dentists are highly trained and hospitals are well equipped. There is a reciprocal health agreement with the UK, in emergencies only, which allows residents from the UK free hospital treatment. Passport or proof of UK residence, such as an NHS medical card or a UK driving license, must be shown. Prescribed medicines, ambulances and treatment at some doctors’ surgeries must be paid for. Personal insurance for illness and accidents is highly recommended for all visitors. Those wishing to benefit from the agreement should enrol at a Medicare office; this can be done after treatment.

Note
1
A yellow fever certificate is required from travelers over one year of age arriving within six days of leaving or transiting countries with infected areas.

Note
There are strict customs and health controls on entering and leaving the country, and Australian law can inflict severe penalties on health infringements. Australia reserves the right to isolate any person who arrives without the required certificates. Carriers are responsible for expenses of isolation of all travelers arriving by air who are not in possession of the required vaccination certificates. All arriving aircraft are sprayed before disembarkation to prevent the spread of disease-carrying insects.


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