Australia has a reputation for quite robust immigration and visa rules, but you should not let this deter you if you want to visit for business or for a holiday. The process for these types of visitors is actually quite simple if you meet the criteria for an online application for either the ETA or the eVisitor.
Australia is a wonderful place and really is quite special. The way of life is something you have to experience, even if it is just once. The wildlife and the changing landscapes are like nothing else in this world. And aside from the obvious tourist destinations, the thriving cities are an excellent place to invest and do business. For all these things you will need a tourist visa australia before you travel.
Conducting business in Australia with a business visa
For those wishing to conduct business in Australia, there is a category of visa for you.
Valid for 12 months, with a maximum stay per visit of three months, it will allow you to enter Australia and carry out certain business activities. This will allow you multiple business trips to Australia over the course of a year.
It will allow you to conduct business research, for example if you are looking to invest in an Australian company, or purchase or conduct a future merger. You can also then carry out contract negotiations through to the signing of those contracts.
It will also permit you to search for work and sign employment contracts, if for example you are intending to return to Australia in the near future for a longer duration (although you will need a different type of visa if you then decide to take a job and re-enter Australia on that basis.
You can also attend business seminars and conference, as long as you are not paid for attending! In face paid work of any kind is not permitted.
Travelling to Australia on holiday
If your purpose for visiting Australia is as a tourist on vacation, there is also a category for you. Similar to the business category, it is valid for 12 months from the date of issue and the maximum length of time you can stay is three months, although I’m sure you will wish to stay longer.
This category is perfect if you have family or friends already living in Australia that you want to visit. It is also for things like holidays, sightseeing and travelling across this amazing country. You can finally tick off those bucket list must see places such as Sydney harbour, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, and the Great Barrier Reef. In addition it also allows you to study for up to 6 months too.
The type you apply for depends on where you are from
Depending on the country that has issued your passport, you can apply for one of two types of visa. Both types have both tourist and business categories.
The first is the ETA visa. This visa is for citizens of the US, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Brunei.
The second type is for citizens from the European Union, and is called the eVisitor. Both are very similar in terms of what you are permitted to do while in Australian territory, and month have a 3 month maximum stay and 12 month validity.
Both the ETA and the eVisitor are electronically linked to your passport. This is very important to remember if you are planning multiple trips on the same 12 month visa, but part way through the year you have to replace your passport. If this happens you will need to get a new visa that is linked to your new passport.
The visa is only required to enter the country. If you lose your passport during your trip and require another from your embassy, you will not need a new visa at that stage. But you will need a new one to later re-enter Australia.
Quick and easy application process online
Regardless of which type and category of visa you need, applying online is simple.For both the ETA and the eVisitor, tourist or business the process is the same. Firstly you need to be outside of Australia when you apply.
You also need to double check the validity criteria. For example if you wish to stay longer, or undertake paid work, or are not a citizen of the previously listed countries then the ETA and the eVisitor are not for you.
For example, citizens of Great Britain with a normal British passport are eligible for the eVisitor, but those you carry a British National Overseas, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen, British Protected Person or British Subject passport are not eligible. So just double check before you apply.
You should also double check other criteria, for example those with criminal records or tuberculosis will be refused a visa.
You will need a seperate visa application for each person travelling, even if that person is a child or baby travelling on a parents passport. Each person’s application is individually assessed, and it is quite common for approval to come separately for each person. Sometimes even hours or days apart.
Typically the response will come back by email within a few hours, however for around 25% of people it can take as long as 3 working days. So it is best not to leave it the the very last minute if you can.
After the approval, should you wish to double check the status of your ETA or eVisitor is still valid and linked to your passport you can do this through a document check. The Australian government also has some procedures in place to correct some issues during check in at the airport, but it is best to have everything in order before you travel.
So if visiting Australia is one of your bucket list items, it is entirely possible through a very simply online application form. You can get peace of mind early and start planning all the amazing things you will do once you get there.