Last updated 6 October 2026. Passport lists, fees and conditions checked against the Home Affairs ETA (601) and eVisitor (651) pages, both last updated by Home Affairs on 8 September 2026.
The short answer
- US, Canadian, Japanese, Singaporean, Malaysian, South Korean, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwanese, Bruneian and BN(O) passports: the ETA is the electronic option. You apply in the official app, and the service fee is AUD20.
- Bulgarian, Croatian, Cypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak and Slovenian passports: the eVisitor only. It's free from Home Affairs.
- UK (British Citizen) and most Western European passports: you can choose either. The eVisitor is free and needs no app; the ETA costs AUD20 and usually returns a result immediately.
- Any other passport, including Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, Filipino and South African: neither. You'll normally need a Visitor visa (subclass 600).
Both are real visas, and you only need one. An eVisitor holder doesn't also need an ETA, and the reverse is true too.
ETA vs eVisitor: side-by-side comparison
| ETA (subclass 601) | eVisitor (subclass 651) | |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible passports | 34 passports, including the USA, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Brunei, UK (British Citizen and BN(O)) and 23 other European countries | 36 European passports: all 27 EU states plus Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, the UK (British Citizen) and Vatican City |
| Government cost | No visa application charge, but an AUD20 service fee to use the app, non-refundable | Free. "There is no charge to make an eVisitor visa application" |
| How you apply | Only in the official Australian ETA app (iOS or Android) | Online in ImmiAccount, from any browser |
| Device and checks | Camera, NFC (passport chip scan), location services, live photo of the traveller | No chip scan, selfie or app |
| Typical result time | "In most cases" immediately, but sometimes delayed | No fixed time published; use the official processing time guide |
| Validity | 12 months from grant, or until the passport expires if that's sooner | 12 months from grant |
| Entries | Multiple | Multiple |
| Stay length | Up to 3 months each entry | Up to 3 months each entry |
| Purpose | Tourism, visiting family or friends, business visitor activities, up to 3 months' study or training | Tourism, cruises, family, business visitor activities, up to 3 months' study or training |
| Work | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Family | One application per person; can submit and pay together on one device | One application per person |
| Must be outside Australia to apply | Yes. The app stops you if Home Affairs' systems show you're in Australia | Yes, and when it's decided |
| New passport | The ETA ceases; apply for a new one | Tell Home Affairs about the new passport |
| Label in passport | No. Linked electronically | No. Linked electronically |
| Can our service lodge it? | No. We don't lodge ETAs | Yes, US$49 per applicant (optional; free from Home Affairs) |
Which passports fit which visa
We compared the two official lists line by line. Here's how they overlap.
Eligible for both the ETA and the eVisitor (24)
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom (British Citizen) and Vatican City.
eVisitor only (12)
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. These passports aren't on the ETA list, so the eVisitor is the electronic option.
ETA only (10)
Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (excluding official or diplomatic passports), the United States and the UK British National (Overseas). These travellers apply through the app. If they can't use it, Home Affairs points them to the Visitor (subclass 600).
Neither
If your passport isn't listed above, you'll normally need a Visitor visa (subclass 600). New Zealand citizens are the exception: they usually get a Special Category visa (subclass 444) on arrival. Neither list accepts non-citizen passports, certificates of identity or travel documents such as a Titre de Voyage.
How to choose if you're eligible for both
About two dozen nationalities, including British Citizens, Germans, French, Irish and Italians, can pick either visa. Neither one gives you more time in Australia: both allow 12 months of multiple entry and up to 3 months per entry. The practical differences are these:
- Cost: AUD20 per person for the ETA, against nothing for the eVisitor. On a family trip that adds up.
- Technology: the ETA needs an NFC-capable phone that can read your passport chip, plus a live photo that passes the app's checks. If your phone or passport chip won't cooperate, see our ETA app troubleshooting guide, or use the eVisitor, which avoids the app.
- Speed: Home Affairs says most ETA results arrive immediately. The eVisitor has no published fixed time. If you're travelling very soon, check the processing time guide.
- Presence: the ETA requires the traveller to be physically present when the app is used. An eVisitor can be prepared and lodged on the traveller's behalf.
- Short passport validity: an ETA ends when your passport expires, so a passport with 5 months left gives you an ETA of up to 5 months. If you renew mid-year, you'll need a new ETA either way. Renew first if expiry is close.
When you need a Visitor 600 instead
The Visitor (subclass 600) is Australia's general visitor visa, applied for in ImmiAccount. Home Affairs describes it as "for tourists, business visitors or to visit family for 3, 6 or 12 months". It has a visa application charge; check the current amount on the official page. Home Affairs points travellers to the 600 when:
- your passport isn't on the ETA or eVisitor list;
- you have a criminal conviction in any country. Both the ETA and eVisitor pages advise applying for a Visitor 600 and providing evidence;
- you've previously failed the health requirement, or you'll be entering health-care or hospital environments, or doing health-care or childcare training;
- you want to stay longer than 3 months at a time;
- you're already in Australia on an eVisitor and want to stay longer, since the eVisitor can't be extended (Tourist stream, applied for in Australia).
Common misconceptions
"An ETA isn't a visa"
It is. The Electronic Travel Authority is visa subclass 601, an electronically stored visa linked to your passport.
"The eVisitor costs money"
Home Affairs charges nothing. Some websites, including ours, charge for optional help preparing the application, and any such fee should be shown clearly. Ours is US$49 per applicant, and you can always apply free yourself.
"I can apply for an ETA on a website"
The Australian ETA is applied for in the official app. Websites that take ETA applications are not Home Affairs.
"Europeans have to use the ETA app"
They don't. Home Affairs' own ETA page says European passport holders who can't use the app may be eligible for the eVisitor, at no charge.
Eligible for the eVisitor? Apply with our help (US$49 per applicant; the eVisitor is free from Home Affairs) or apply yourself free on ImmiAccount. Read how the eVisitor application works first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the ETA and the eVisitor for Australia?
Both are electronic visitor visas giving 12 months of multiple entry and up to 3 months per entry. The ETA (601) is applied for in the official Australian ETA app, with an AUD20 service fee, and is open to 34 passports including the USA, Canada and Japan. The eVisitor (651) is applied for in ImmiAccount, is free, and is only for 36 European passports.
Do I need an ETA or an eVisitor for Australia?
It depends on your passport. US, Canadian and most Asian ETA-list passports use the ETA. Central and Eastern European passports such as Polish or Czech use the eVisitor. UK (British Citizen) and most Western European passports can choose either. You only need one.
Are the Australian ETA and a visa the same?
Yes. The ETA is a visa, subclass 601, stored electronically against your passport. There's no label in the passport for either the ETA or the eVisitor.
How much does an Australian eVisitor cost compared with an ETA?
The eVisitor is free from Home Affairs. The ETA has no visa application charge, but Home Affairs charges an AUD20 service fee for the app. Our optional eVisitor help costs US$49 per applicant.
What is the difference between a 651 and a 600 visa?
The 651 (eVisitor) is a free visa for 36 European passports, with stays of up to 3 months per entry. The 600 (Visitor) is open to all nationalities, carries a visa application charge, can be granted for 3, 6 or 12 months, and is the visa Home Affairs recommends if you have a criminal conviction.
Should I get an ETA or a standard Visitor visa?
If your passport is on the ETA list and you have no criminal convictions or health issues, the ETA is usually simpler. Home Affairs recommends the Visitor 600 if you have a conviction, need to stay longer than 3 months at a time, or can't use the ETA app and aren't eligible for the eVisitor.
Can I hold an ETA and an eVisitor at the same time?
You don't need to. Either visa covers a visitor trip. Apply for the one that suits your passport and situation.
Sources (checked 6 October 2026): Home Affairs, ETA (601) · Home Affairs, eVisitor (651) · Home Affairs, Visitor (600) · Special Category visa (444) · Processing time guide. Visa rules change, so always confirm on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.