Australia Visitor Visa 600 vs ETA vs eVisitor 2026: Which One Fits You

Some European passports can use either the eVisitor or the ETA. The eVisitor is free, so most people choose it.

The eVisitor is for citizens of the EU member states and a short list of other European countries, plus British citizens. Holders of British National Overseas and other non citizen British passports cannot use it. It is free, you apply in ImmiAccount, and most people get an answer quickly.

It lets you visit as often as you like for 12 months and stay up to 3 months each time. You cannot work for an Australian company on it. If you are, for example, a French or Italian citizen working in Baku, your passport decides: you still use the eVisitor.

The ETA is applied for only in the official Australian ETA app. The app reads your passport chip and takes a face photo. There is no visa application charge, but the app takes a AUD 20 service charge. It is valid for 12 months and allows stays of up to 3 months per visit.

Holders of passports from the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong and Taiwan use it, as do the UK and many European passports. The Australian government warns that some third party websites claim to be linked to Home Affairs and charge high fees: use the app.

If your passport is not on the eVisitor or ETA lists, you apply for the Visitor visa subclass 600. Most travellers use the Tourist stream for holidays, cruises and family visits, which allows stays of up to 12 months. There is also a Business Visitor stream for meetings and conferences, and a Sponsored family stream where a relative in Australia acts as sponsor.

You apply online in ImmiAccount from outside Australia and upload scans of your documents. Home Affairs may ask you to give biometrics or have a health check; the letter tells you where. The visa application charge rises each 1 July with indexation, so read it in the official Visa Pricing Estimator on the day you apply.

• Passport bio page and any past Australian, US, UK or Schengen visas.
• Bank statements and proof of income for the trip.
• A letter from your employer or school about your leave.
• Your Azerbaijani residence permit if you are a foreigner living in Azerbaijan.
• An invitation from family in Australia if you visit them.

Azerbaijani citizens are not on the ETA or eVisitor lists, so they apply for the subclass 600. The same is true for Pakistani, Indian, Russian, Turkish, Iranian and Chinese citizens who live in Baku. The whole application is online, so you do not need to travel for it unless Home Affairs asks for biometrics.

Officers check that you are a real visitor: enough money, a reason to return, and a clear plan. A strong travel history with US, UK or Schengen visas helps. Keep 6 months on your passport so it does not expire during the trip; the Sroky reminders can warn you in time.