Visas

General visa information

A visa or travel authority is permission or authority granted by Australia for foreign nationals to travel to Australia. All travellers, except New Zealand citizens, must obtain a visa or travel authority before travelling to Australia. Visas will be issued to travellers as an electronic record on the department’s computer systems and/or as a label or a stamp in your passport. You may not be given a label when your visa is granted. This is nothing to worry about, as immigration and customs officers can check your visa details electronically against your passport number.

Visa conditions

All temporary visas are issued with conditions. Some conditions restrict employment or relate to studies.

All conditions listed on the visa must be observed or there is a real risk the visa may be cancelled and that you will be required to leave Australia.

Conditions in Australia

If you plan to come to Australia, you are encouraged to research topics such as living costs in Australia, employment conditions (if applicable to your visa category) and medical insurance.

Visa costs

There can be visa-related costs associated with your travel.

These must be paid when you apply for your visa or travel authority. Please note that whatever the outcome of your application, this charge is non-refundable.

Some visa categories will also require a medical examination, a character clearance, and/or a certified translation of some documents.

Applying for an ETA (Visitor), or a Tourist Visa, or a Sponsored Family Visitor Visa for travel to Australia

Visitor visas are available to persons who intend a genuine short-term visit to Australia. These are not intended for persons who wish to work or remain permanently in Australia.

To be granted an ETA (Visitor), or a Sponsored Family Visitor visa to travel to Australia, applicants must be outside Australia at the time of making the application, and at the time the visa is granted.

Tourist visa applications lodged offshore can only be granted while the applicant is still offshore. Tourist visa applications lodged in Australia can only be granted while the applicant is in Australia.

Applying for an ETA (Visitor), Subclass 976

There are three ways to apply for an ETA (Visitor):

• via a travel agent, airline or specialist service provider who can arrange an ETA on the traveller's behalf; or
• the traveller applying directly via the Internet; or
• the traveller applying at an Australian visa office overseas.

Electronic Tourist visa (e676) - Eligible Passports list

e676 eligible passports

Andorra	Luxembourg
Austria	Malaysia
Bahrain	Malta
Belgium	Monaco
Brunei	The Netherlands
Canada	Norway
Czech Republic	Oman
Denmark	Portugal
Estonia	Poland
Finland	Qatar
France	Republic of Cyprus
Germany	Republic of San Marino
Greece	Singapore
Hong Kong (SAR)	South Korea
Hungary;	Spain
Iceland	Slovak Republic;
Ireland	Slovenia
Italy	Sweden
Japan	Switzerland
Kuwait;	United Arab Emirates.
Latvia	United Kingdom - British Citizen
Liechtenstein	United States of America
Lithuania	Vatican City

For more information and to proceed to make an on line application for the Electronic Tourist Visa please visit http://www.visas-australia.com/visas/etavisa.asp

Working in Australia

The information on this page briefly describes the work rights of those who either live in or visit Australia.

Those wanting to work should consider if they qualify under Australia's entry programs for Backpackers ( working holiday makers ) or Students.

Students

Australia's student visa program provides for the entry of overseas students who wish to undertake full-time study in registered courses in Australia.

All initial student visas granted do not provide permission to work in Australia.

Students and their dependants will only be able to apply for a student visa with work rights after they arrive in Australia and only after the student has commenced their course of study.

Generally, students and their dependants are limited to 20 hours' work per week while the student's course of study is in session.

Students may work full-time during holiday periods, while their dependants remain limited to 20 hours.

Working Holiday Makers

The Working Holiday Program provides opportunities for people between 18 and 30 to holiday in Australia and to supplement their travel funds through incidental employment.

Australia has reciprocal Working Holiday Maker arrangements in effect with the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, Malta, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China, Finland, the Republic of Cyprus, France, and Italy, Belgium, Estonia and Taiwan.

The visa allows a stay of up to 12 months from the date of first entry to Australia, regardless of whether or not you spend the whole time in Australia.

You are allowed to do any kind of work of a temporary or casual nature, and you can work with each employer for up to three months.

Working Holiday Makers who have worked as a seasonal worker in regional Australia for a minimum of three months while on their first Working Holiday visa, will be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa. Applicants need to demonstrate that they continue to meet the requirements for a Working Holiday visa. These include being aged between 18 and 30, having no dependents; and being a citizen of a country named in the working holiday maker reciprocal arrangements

Seasonal work is defined as: picking fruit, nuts and other crops, pruning and trimming vines and trees, general maintenance crop work and other work associated with packing or processing the harvest.

Regional Australia includes anywhere in Australia except Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, the NSW Central Coast, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth, Melbourne or the ACT.

For more information and to proceed to make an on line application for a Working Holiday Visa please visit: http://www.visas-australia.com/visas/workingholiday.asp

Other categories include business people, educational / research staff, employee exchanges, Nurses, Retirement, Sponsored training visas and media and film staff. Please refer the the main Government site for more information on these types of temporary living visas or for those wishing to immigrate to Australia.

http://www.immi.gov.au