Australian visitor visas: choosing the right category
Your passport, reason for travelling and intended length of stay determine which Australian visitor visa suits your trip. A holiday, paid employment and a course of study involve different permissions. If you are travelling with other people, each person's passport and circumstances matter: one traveller's eligibility does not establish the right category for the whole group.
Three visitor visa categories
The eVisitor, subclass 651, is available to holders of eligible European passports, including German passports. It covers tourism and certain business visits lasting up to three months at a time. The online eVisitor application is free. This visitor permission does not allow ordinary paid employment in Australia.
The Electronic Travel Authority, or ETA, is subclass 601. It also permits tourism and certain business visits of up to three months. Eligibility depends on the passport you hold. ETA and eVisitor are separate visa subclasses, so use the precise category name when choosing an application route or reading the conditions.
The Visitor visa, subclass 600, has different streams and application circumstances. Tourist stays of three, six or twelve months are possible. The permission actually granted determines your stay and any attached conditions. Planning a year-long holiday does not by itself entitle you to twelve months in the country.
Match your plans to the permission
A visa's validity and the length of an individual permitted visit are different pieces of information. Fit your travel season and route around the permitted stay. For a longer journey, include the time needed for domestic travel, accommodation changes and your departure rather than counting only sightseeing days.
For working in Australia, the work permission attached to the relevant visa is essential. Working Holiday and student arrangements have their own requirements. Age, passport and the activity itself can matter. An internship also needs to be considered according to what the placement actually involves, rather than simply calling it a holiday.
Applications and travel documents
The official Home Affairs visa finder leads to the relevant subclass and application instructions. Have your passport and details of your purpose and proposed stay ready. The name and passport information in an application need to match the travel document you will use.
Keep the visa decision with your travel arrangements. Permission to visit and rules for the goods in your luggage are separate parts of arrival preparation. If your plans grow into a longer stay, allow time to address the immigration requirements: changing a flight or booking more accommodation does not automatically extend an existing permission.
