Oceania (Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific) - Transit visa vs ETA

I'm doing a 3 week trip next year from the UK to AKL with a 10 hour layover in Australia both ways.

I'd like to be able to pop into Sydney and Brisbane for a few hours but I'm confused by the visa situation.

As I understand it, if I were visiting Australia I would apply online for a ETA. Simple, job done and valid for multiple visits. I have a UK passport, by the way.

But the Australian government website specifically states that you must not apply for an ETA if you are in transit, but must instead get a transit visa. To do this I must get photographs and send off my passport and they're only good for one visit so would need to do this twice?

But, of course, if I already had an ETA then presumably I'd be covered?

So... the question is - if I apply now for the ETA would the immigration people have a problem if I use it for two short transit visits? Do they really mean that "you must not use ETA but a transit visa"?

I really can't see why the transit procedure is so much more cumbersome.

Have a read on the first post here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/oceania-australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/682358-free-australian-eta-visa-application.html

Possible the transit procedure is more cumbersome to stop people getting into Aust & then not leaving [for a range of reasons].

Thanks for that nod. I learned that I had my terminology wrong. It's not an ETA that I would need, it's a eVisitor as I'm an EU passport holder.

I've just read all the stuff on eVisitor and it specifically says transit visitors must not apply for that, so looks like I'll have to mail my passport in. Hopefully I can get both transit visas issued in the same application... but I don't know if I'll need two lots of photos in that case.

Still seems so strange that when I've visited Aus for up to a month, I've just filled in an electronic form and that's that. Now that I just want to pop down to Circular Quay for a spot of lunch before hopping back on my plane I have to physically mail my passport in with photos and a form. Oh well....

.....it's a eVisitor as I'm an EU passport holder...... I have to physically mail my passport in with photos and a form. Oh well....I would phone the embassy in London to ask if that is needed

Yes, I think I will do that. :) I'll report back on their advice.

It's quite a problem for me to send my passport off anywhere as I travel most weeks for work.