Australia ETA vs eVisitor vs Visitor 600: Which Fits?

Last verified: 16 October 2026 against immi.homeaffairs.gov.au (ETA subclass 601, eVisitor subclass 651 and Visitor subclass 600 Tourist stream pages) and our own country pages

Your passport decides most of this. European passports on the eVisitor list get a visa that is free from the Australian government. Passports on the ETA list, such as the US, Canada, Japan and Singapore, apply for the ETA in the Australian ETA app. Everyone else applies for the Visitor visa (subclass 600) online through ImmiAccount, with supporting documents.

Your trip and your history decide the rest. All three cover holidays, cruises and visits to family or friends. Only the Visitor 600 can give you a stay longer than 3 months.

The three visas compared on the same lines

	ETA (subclass 601)	eVisitor (subclass 651)	Visitor 600, Tourist stream (outside Australia)
Who can apply	Holders of passports on the ETA list. These include the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong (SAR), Taiwan, UK British Citizen and British National (Overseas), and many Western European countries	Citizens of every EU country, plus Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican City and UK British Citizens	Any nationality. This is the usual route for passports on neither list
How you apply	Only in the Australian ETA app. You need a phone with a camera, NFC and location services turned on	Online through ImmiAccount	Online through ImmiAccount, with supporting documents
Government cost	AUD20 service charge to use the Australian ETA app, paid in the app. Home Affairs says there is no other charge for an ETA	Free	The visa application charge shown on the Home Affairs Tourist stream page, per applicant (check before travel). Health checks, police certificates and biometrics can add costs
Our price (ausevisa.com.au)	USD 289 Standard (5 business days), USD 319 Priority (2 business days) or USD 349 Express (1 business day), government fee included	The same three prices. The eVisitor itself is free from the government, so you pay only for our review and support	The same three prices, government charge included. Our pages note longer standard processing for visitor-visa markets, so check your country page
Stay per visit	Up to 3 months each time you enter	Up to 3 months each time you enter	The stay is set on your grant letter. It is generally 3 months, and up to 12 months in some cases
Validity	12 months from grant, or until your passport expires if that comes first. Multiple entry	12 months from grant. Multiple entry	Shown on your grant letter. It can be single or multiple entry
Processing	Most results come back immediately	See the Home Affairs processing time guide	See the Home Affairs processing time guide
What Home Affairs asks for	Your passport, with its chip scanned in the app, and a live photo of yourself	Your passport details and honest character answers. English translations of any documents	Your passport pages and proof of funds (for example 3 months of bank statements). Proof of ties to home, and an invitation letter if you have one. Biometrics or health checks if Home Affairs asks
Work and study	No work. Study or training of up to 3 months in total	No work. Study or training of up to 3 months in total	No work. Study or training of up to 3 months

Sources: the official ETA page, eVisitor page and Visitor 600 Tourist stream page. Home Affairs is clear on all three: you must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is granted. Don't book travel until you have the grant in writing.

Pick this if…

Pick the ETA if your passport is on the ETA list and you can use a modern phone. On the government route you scan your passport chip and take a photo of yourself, then pay in the app. In most cases the answer arrives at once. Each person needs their own application, although a family on one device can submit and pay together.

Pick the eVisitor if you hold an EU or other listed European passport. It gives you the same 3-month stays and 12-month multiple-entry validity as the ETA, and it costs nothing from the government. UK British Citizens are on both lists, so they can choose: the free eVisitor in ImmiAccount, or the ETA app, which usually answers at once.

Pick the Visitor 600 if neither list includes your passport, or if you need more than 3 months per visit. Home Affairs also directs some travellers here even when their passport is ETA- or eVisitor-eligible:

• anyone with a criminal conviction in any country
• anyone who has previously failed the health requirement
• anyone planning to train at a childcare centre, study medicine, nursing or paramedicine, or enter health care or hospital settings

Home Affairs looks at your funds, your ties to home and your plans.

Not sure which list your passport is on? Check your passport on our eligible countries page. Your country page shows our three speeds and prices before you pay anything.

Details that change the answer

A new passport cancels an ETA. Your ETA is linked to the passport you applied with. If that passport expires or you replace it, the ETA ends and you must apply again. Enter Australia on the same passport you used to apply.

Round-trip cruises don't reset your stay. If your cruise starts and ends in Australia, Home Affairs counts the time on board as time in Australia. Extensions don't exist. None of the three visas can be extended. To stay longer, you must apply for a different visa before your current one ends. Staying after your visa ends makes you an unlawful non-citizen.

Frequent or long visits get noticed. The ETA and eVisitor pages both warn of this. If you spend long periods in Australia or visit often, officers may ask about the purpose of your trip, and a visa can be cancelled if you are found not to be a genuine visitor.

What you pay with us, and what you don't have to

We are a private visa service, not the Australian government. We are not affiliated with the Department of Home Affairs. Approval is always decided by Australian immigration.

Our price is USD 289 (Standard), USD 319 (Priority) or USD 349 (Express), as shown on each country page, with the government charge included where there is one. Against the AUD20 ETA app charge, the free eVisitor or the Visitor 600 charge on the Home Affairs page, the difference pays for an expert review of your passport details and documents before anything is filed, catching mismatched names, dates and passport validity, application tracking, support until a decision arrives, and one payment. That help counts most on a Visitor 600, where documents decide the outcome. On any ETA, the chip scan and live photo are done by the applicant in the app. You can always apply directly and pay only the government charge: the eVisitor is free in ImmiAccount, the ETA costs AUD20 in the Australian ETA app and the Visitor 600 is lodged in ImmiAccount. If you have already applied with us, you can track your application status. If you are unsure which visa applies to you, contact our team before you pay.

Before you choose

Is the Australia eVisitor really free?

Yes. The Home Affairs eVisitor page says the eVisitor is free. You apply online through ImmiAccount, and you must be a citizen of a listed European country or a UK British Citizen.

How do I apply for the Australian ETA?

Only in the Australian ETA app, which is free to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play. You scan your passport chip, take a live photo of yourself and pay the AUD20 service charge in the app when you submit.

Can British citizens choose between the ETA and the eVisitor?

Yes. UK British Citizen passports are on both official lists. British National (Overseas) passports are on the ETA list only. Other British passport types, such as British Overseas Citizen, can't be used for the eVisitor.

Can I extend an ETA or eVisitor while I'm in Australia?

No. Neither can be extended. To stay longer, you must apply for a different visa before your current one ends, for example the Visitor 600 Tourist stream from inside Australia if you are eligible.

I have a criminal conviction. Which visa should I apply for?

Home Affairs says to apply for the Visitor visa (subclass 600) and provide evidence about your convictions, even if your passport is eligible for the ETA or the eVisitor.

Can I stay longer than 3 months on a Visitor 600?

Possibly. Home Affairs generally grants a 3-month stay but can grant up to 12 months in some cases, depending on how long and why you want to stay. You can't extend the visa once you have it.