Australia's eVisitor (subclass 651) and Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) are the two streamlined electronic visitor visas for eligible overseas visitors. Both allow the holder to visit Australia for tourism or business activities (not work) multiple times within a 12-month validity period, for up to 3 months per visit. Both are online applications — neither requires visiting a visa office. For eligible passport holders, these visas are the standard and preferred entry mechanism instead of the full subclass 600 Visitor visa application.

For current eligible passport holders, application methods, and fees for each visa, refer to the DHA eVisitor 651 page and the DHA ETA 601 page.

• Migration Regulations 1994 — Subclass 651 (eVisitor) and Subclass 601 (Electronic Travel Authority)
• DHA: eVisitor (subclass 651) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/evisitor-651
• DHA: Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/eta-601

eVisitor (subclass 651) — for eligible European and other passport holders

The eVisitor is a free electronic visa available to passport holders from eligible countries — primarily European Union member states and certain other European and non-European countries. It is applied for online through the Australian Department of Home Affairs website. Key features:

• No fee — the eVisitor is free to apply for
• Online application — no need to visit a visa office; processed online
• 12-month validity from date of grant
• Multiple entry — the holder can travel to and from Australia as many times as they wish within the 12 months
• 3 months per visit — each entry is limited to 3 months
• No work rights — tourism and certain business activities only

Eligible countries include (but are not limited to) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and United Kingdom. The current full list of eligible countries is on the DHA eVisitor 651 page.

Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) — for eligible Asian and other passport holders

The ETA is a similar electronic visa for eligible passport holders from a different set of countries — primarily Asian countries and certain other nationalities not covered by the eVisitor. Unlike the eVisitor, the ETA involves a small fee. It can be applied for through the Australian ETA app, through a travel agent, or through some airlines at check-in. Key features:

• Small fee (paid to the government or through the ETA app/travel agent) — refer to the DHA ETA 601 page for current fee
• Applied via ETA app, travel agent, or airline — not through a physical visa office
• 12-month validity from grant date
• Multiple entry within the 12 months
• 3 months per visit
• No work rights

Eligible countries include Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong (SAR) passport holders, Brunei, Canada, United States, and others. The current full list is on the DHA ETA 601 page.

Permitted activities

Both the 651 and 601 permit:

• Tourism and leisure — visiting family and friends, holidays, cruises
• Short-term business activities — attending conferences, meetings, negotiations, conducting inspections — where the visitor is not employed by an Australian entity
• Short-term study (up to 3 months) — study that is incidental to the visit, not a registered course

Neither visa permits the holder to work in Australia. If the visitor needs to work for an Australian employer, they must obtain an appropriate work visa.

Health and character for 651 and 601

Both visas require the applicant to meet Australia's health and character requirements. For the online applications, these are assessed based on the information provided. If DHA has concerns about health or character, the application may be referred for further assessment. For current health and character requirements, refer to the relevant DHA visa page.

When neither 651 nor 601 applies — subclass 600

If the traveller's passport is not eligible for either the 651 or the 601 (for example, Indian, Chinese, or Pakistani passport holders), they must apply for the subclass 600 Visitor visa. The subclass 600 involves a full application with evidence of genuine temporary entrant status, financial capacity, and other documents. It also carries a visa application charge. See the visitor visa 600 page for details.

No Further Stay condition

Some eVisitor and ETA grants include a No Further Stay (condition 8503) that prevents the holder from applying for another substantive visa in Australia. If the holder's circumstances change (for example, they want to extend their stay or apply for a different visa), a waiver of condition 8503 can be sought. See the No Further Stay waiver page.

The eVisitor and ETA are among the most commonly granted Australian visas due to the high volume of tourist arrivals. The key practical differences are: the eVisitor is free and is primarily for European nationalities; the ETA has a small fee and covers a broader set of Asian and other nationalities. Both are processed electronically and approvals are typically near-instantaneous for most applicants. For current eligible countries, fees, and application methods for each visa, refer to the DHA eVisitor 651 page and the DHA ETA 601 page.