ETA (Visitor) visa or Subclass 976 is for people who reside outside Australia but want to visit the country for holidays, recreation, tourism or informal studies. This multiple entry visa allows visitors to stay in the country for up to three months per visit with in a 12 month period from grant date.
This is a tourist visa for Australia and holders must not work while in the country. Limited volunteer work may be acceptable. Training or informal studies must not be for more than three months.
What's unique about this Australian travel visa is you can skip the long lines at granting embassies or the waiting period to get your passport stamped. ETA stands for Electronic Travel Authority. It's a visa for Australia that is electronically stored in a database accessible by airlines, travel agents and border agencies. All you need to do when entering Australia is to provide your confirmation details as well as your passport.
Remember, when you acquire this Australian visa, you must provide the proper passport number.
Your ETA is linked to the passport number used in your application. If you intend on getting a new passport, you need to get a new ETA as well to avoid delays.Please note also, that a separate Australian ETA visa is required for each family member traveling with you. This rule applies even if they are under 18.
With an Australian Visitor ETA Visa, you can also save on your trip because you don't get charged a visa application fee. A service charge does apply. At the time of writing, it is pegged at $20.
Some other restrictions apply when getting an ETA visa. Australian visa services may be able to help you sort out answers to some important questions.
Dylan Lautner
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ETA - Travel to Australia Without the Hassle