Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Do I need a visa to sydney, if i am going to stay in syd. airport for 1 day?

hello all

i am a new member, long-time reader. i hope in right forum. i am going to sydney on the ual double eqm miles promotion, and have a flight that i can get there for example on wed at 6 30 am and leave the next day at 245 pm, do i need a visa for this, if i do not plan to leave the airport? do i have to pass thru customs? is there an airport hotel? it has been 13 years since i have been to sydney, so i do not remember. my main question is: do i need the visa?

thanks for the help, great website.

Assuming that you hold a US passport, you will need an ETA. UA won't let you board your flight without one. You can obtain one online here (http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/). It'll cost you about $14 (US).

There are several hotels near the airport. I stayed at the airport Holiday Inn recently as wotif's mystery hotel (http://www.wotif.com/). Unless you are doing a same-day turn, you really ought to get out and see the city (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/11452700-post2.html).

Welcome to FlyerTalk.

I believe you would need a visa. I recall reading something saying that the airlines actually scan your passport before boarding to ensure that you have the proper documentation.

I think you can get a transit visa though for no charge.

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/transit/

Better safe than sorry, though.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: American citizens are required to have a valid U.S. passport to enter Australia. Americans must enter with an Australian visa or, if eligible, through Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). The ETA replaces a visa and allows a stay of up to three months. It may be obtained for a small service fee at http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/. Airlines and many travel agents in the United States are also able to issue ETA’s. Please note that American citizens, who overstay their ETA or visa, even for short periods, may be subject to exclusion, detention, and removal. More information about the ETA, other visas, and entry requirements may be obtained from the Embassy of Australia at 1601 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, telephone (202) 797-3000, or via the Australian Embassy home page at http://www.austemb.org/. Visa inquires may be directed to the Australian Visa Information Service at 888-990-8888. See http://australia.visahq.com/ for the most current visa information.

Any information you need as a US citizen traveling to any country can be found here:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_954.html

You can do it online at:

http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/

Oh, and welcome to FT.

You are right this is not the right forum as it is not about a mileage run. You should post it on the country site or under the world forum or possibly travel buzz.

Welcome to FlyerTalk savemm :)

You will need an ETA to be allowed to board your flight. Note Sydney airport closes at night due to curfew, thus no airside hotel. There are a number of hotels near the airport but with the city so close it is better to go into the city IMO.

There is a Transit Visa (Subclass 771) available at no charge which allow you to stay in Australia for 72 hours.

If you THINK you're going to return to SYD or MEL (be it a mileage run or something else), I would suggest the ETA. It's good for 3 months and is only $14

If you THINK you're going to return to SYD or MEL (be it a mileage run or something else), I would suggest the ETA. It's good for 3 months and is only $14

Actually, it's good for a year, but three months is the maximum permitted stay on any one entry.

If you THINK you're going to return to SYD or MEL (be it a mileage run or something else), I would suggest the ETA. It's good for 3 months and is only $14

Guy Betsy will get your ETA for NOTHING..Go to the travel and dining page and then the Australian page/forum and see the STICKY... FREE AUSTRALIAN ETA....Great service plus you will feel good to .. That is the route I chose..

Hi savemm,
Welcome to FlyerTalk (and the Mileage Run deals forum).
Welcome to the Australia forum (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific-461/), now that your question lives here. :)

Please have a look at the helpful thread below, which outlines how the two Mileage Run (Deals, Discussion) work:
Welcome to the Mileage Run Forum - Important information how the MR forums work (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-deals/454485-welcome-mileage-run-forum-important-information-how-mr-forums-work.html)

First, what you can expect out the Mileage Run Forum
What the Mileage Run Forum expects out of you (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/8352133-post2.html)

(especially the latter - which of these is the appropriate forum, how to search within the forums etc).

Mileage Run discussion is not for discussing questions about any MR destinations - you can post a question (after looking / searching for previous threads of info) in the destination forums.

In the Australia/NZ/S. Pacific forum (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific-461/) you will see a 'pay ahead' 'free' ETA visa for Australia (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/682358-free-australian-eta-visa-application.html), courtesy of our forum's ever-helpful travel agent Guy Betsy.
As mentioned earlier by jmolony, your alternative is the free 72hr transit visa.

There is already a LOT of info and lots of similar recent question about Australia / Sydney transits inside MR trips, so enjoy and get prepared. :)

Cheers,
BiziBB
Moderator, Mileage Run forums

Guy Betsy will get your ETA for NOTHING..Go to the travel and dining page and then the Australian page/forum and see the STICKY... FREE AUSTRALIAN ETA....Great service plus you will feel good to .. That is the route I chose..

I wish I read further down.. it sounded like a scam so I stopped there. Wow, that is truly generous of him!

I agree.. go there http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/682358-free-australian-eta-visa-application.html to the direct link!

Welcome to FlyerTalk savemm :)

You will need an ETA to be allowed to board your flight. ....I believed that too, until last week when the woman/child at the adjacent immigration booth in MEL were explaining how they did not have a visa (or ETA, as they were US citizens) and the airline had allowed them to board at LAX. Immigration was not worried by it, but they did have to go to a back room and get processed, however it sounded routine and something that happens every day. The immigration agent did ask 3 times whether the airline checked for their visa. I guess the airlines aren't having to pay huge fines when they forget to check for ETAs.

Presumably the OP, if wishing to stay in transit, can board with no ETA just fine -- cannot enter Australia, but staying in transit is certainly viable though not recommended.

I don't think that example proves anything. Comments on this and other similar threads are that airline can deny boarding if don't comply with rules (which require ETA). An agent forgotting to check at checkin/boarding can happen anywhere (see programs like border patrol for all the pax turned away at immigration for lack of visas) but it doesn't mean that it will happen for the OP if they expect to fly without the required ETA.

When someone turns up at immigration without meeting requirements - that is up to the country to decide what to do. Certainly I've had transits which officially required a visa I did not have to enter the country, but it was more convenient for immigration to let me through so I could check in for onward flight landside than it was to keep me airside with no check in facilities. While rules can be waived, I don't expect that to happen though.

Australia does not require a visa or ETA for international transit pax (unlike some other countries which do). The OP wants to do int transit (US to US) which while a bit strange is valid; immigration is perfectly happen with this and he has fully complied with the rules. The only issue was whether the airline will deny boarding at LAX; and my example showed that, for whatever reason, the airlines are not denying boarding to pax who do not have an ETA for Australia. Implying that the OP is perfectly able to do what he suggested, stay in transit and travel without an ETA.

From Timatec
/ 27MAR09 / 2135 UTC
National U.S.A. (US) /Transit Australia (AU)
ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW

Australia (AU)


TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Those transiting to a third country
by same or connecting aircraft within 8 hours of scheduled
time of arrival of inbound aircraft:
- Passenger must:
- hold tickets with confirmed onward reservations; and
- hold all documents required for next destination; and
- not leave the transit lounge (i.e., not seeking
immigration clearance).
- Note: the following restrictions are in place depending on
arrival Airport:
For details, click here
Warning:
- Non-compliance with entry regulations will result in a
penalty of AUD 5,000.- for transporting airline.


USA to Australia to USA is not a transit to a 3rd country, thus the exemption does not apply and an ETA is required.

In practice this is not checked at transfer security, so the only problems are at immigration if decide to go landside (eg the flight from Australia to USA is cancelled) or at check in/boarding of the flight from USA. Airlines are within their rights to deny boarding if pax has no ETA. Whether they consistently do so is another matter.