Sep 9, 2019, 10:35 pm
Last edit by: Mwenenzi
Australia
AU Govt-->COVID-19 and the border
Links below may not work, due to Covid-19 changes
Visa Australian Government web site
FT thread---> Free Australian ETA Visa application* Click to open the wiki
Processing Australian ETAs for free * to FT members (and up to 3 more friends & family) who have more than 80 posts, AND have at least been members for more than 12 months! Please read post 1. Thanks to Guy Betsy for his service to the FT community
Entry Australian government web site
FT thread --->Smartgate at Australia & NZ immigration Click to open the wiki
Australia
Departure Australian government web site
Departing from Australia
From Departing from Australia > Departures SmartGates
AU Govt-->COVID-19 and the border
Links below may not work, due to Covid-19 changes
Visa Australian Government web site
- Entering or leaving Australia
- Going through the border
- Visa types
- Visa listing
- Travellers eligible to transit without a visa (TWOV]
- Sub class 601 Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) AUD$20. For passports holders including Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, Republic of San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (excluding official or diplomatic passports), The Netherlands, United Kingdom—British Citizen, United Kingdom—British National (Overseas), United States of America, Vatican City (the list is increasing). Check your eligibility & visa type needed.
- Subclass 651 eVisitor For many other passport holders. Check your eligibility & visa type needed.
FT thread---> Free Australian ETA Visa application* Click to open the wiki
Entry Australian government web site
FT thread --->Smartgate at Australia & NZ immigration Click to open the wiki
Australia
Departure Australian government web site
Departing from Australia
From Departing from Australia > Departures SmartGates
Australia immigration (incl ETA visa) & customs
Mar 14, 2015, 7:12 am
#16
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
1. Presume you paid by CC, so dispute the charge as fraudulent.
2. Deal with your CC issuer's anti-fraud department separately. They may want to replace your card.
3. Notify the State Dept that you've provided your passport details to what appears to be a fraudulent website.
These guys could run this scam just to make money, collect personal information or both.
2. Deal with your CC issuer's anti-fraud department separately. They may want to replace your card.
3. Notify the State Dept that you've provided your passport details to what appears to be a fraudulent website.
These guys could run this scam just to make money, collect personal information or both.
Mar 15, 2015, 3:51 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA
Posts: 35
Thanks for the helpful advice.
I did get an email back from the visa website but can't check online if I really did get an ETA. I called the Australian consulate/embassy Friday but they were already closed. I'll call again Monday to see if they can check for me.
I had already disputed the credit card charge. If there is no ETA, I'll apply for one via the government site and contact the US State Dept. If I actually did get an ETA I'll let the charge go through.
I made a mistake in my original post...the correct name of the company is Travel Visa Australia and the url is travelvisaaustralia.com
I think I had my first anxiety attack ever last Friday when I thought my passport data might have been compromised. Calmer heads are prevailing.
I did get an email back from the visa website but can't check online if I really did get an ETA. I called the Australian consulate/embassy Friday but they were already closed. I'll call again Monday to see if they can check for me.
I had already disputed the credit card charge. If there is no ETA, I'll apply for one via the government site and contact the US State Dept. If I actually did get an ETA I'll let the charge go through.
I made a mistake in my original post...the correct name of the company is Travel Visa Australia and the url is travelvisaaustralia.com
I think I had my first anxiety attack ever last Friday when I thought my passport data might have been compromised. Calmer heads are prevailing.
Mar 15, 2015, 3:52 pm
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: The electrified part of North Carolina
Programs: UA GM, AA GM, DL GM
Posts: 4,157
Shady website.
Not only does it overcharge for ETAs, but it also lists a number of European countries as ETA countries when in fact citizens of those countries can get a free eVisitor visa.
Not only does it overcharge for ETAs, but it also lists a number of European countries as ETA countries when in fact citizens of those countries can get a free eVisitor visa.
Last edited by UA1K_no_more; Mar 15, 2015 at 4:02 pm
Mar 17, 2015, 1:47 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,993
Free Australian ETA Visa application*
Pass the favour on is your cost.
I'd do that, and then dispute the credit card charge
Last edited by serfty; Mar 17, 2015 at 1:49 am Reason: oops - That is closed for the time being - at least until April
Mar 17, 2015, 2:19 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,018
Free Australian ETA Visa application*
Pass the favour on is your cost.
I'd do that, and then dispute the credit card charge
Last edited by serfty; Today at 6:49 pm. Reason: oops - That is closed for the time being - at least until April
** Please note: That ETAs will be only processed to FT members with more than 80 posts, AND have at least been members for more than 6 months!
Mar 17, 2015, 5:26 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,993
Mar 17, 2015, 9:21 am
#22
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,857
I feel so stupid.
Before I found this site I applied for an ETA to visit Australia in July. I am a US citizen and applied at Visa Travel Australia (visatravelaustralia.com) which I presumed was the Australian government website. I obviously was not paying attention. I received an approval letter but cannot find an ETA number. Plus I was charged double the correct rate. I feel really stupid...did I get scammed or just overcharged?
I guess I should apply through the official government channels?
Before I found this site I applied for an ETA to visit Australia in July. I am a US citizen and applied at Visa Travel Australia (visatravelaustralia.com) which I presumed was the Australian government website. I obviously was not paying attention. I received an approval letter but cannot find an ETA number. Plus I was charged double the correct rate. I feel really stupid...did I get scammed or just overcharged?
I guess I should apply through the official government channels?
Mar 19, 2015, 7:41 am
#23
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
Not all "government" style sites have .gov.* URLs...
This site has been around for year, and it appears to be (for at least some sense of the word) legitimate. Of course, the best option will always be to go to the official site, but technically there's nothing wrong with using a third party site, just as there's nothing wrong with having a travel agency process a ETA for you (which also potentially includes additional costs)
Apr 17, 2015, 3:03 pm
#24
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA
Posts: 35
Finally found out I do have an ETA, albeit an expensive one in terms of time, worry and money. Could not get either AA or Qantas to verify I had one and was left on hold with the visa number for the Aussie embassy too many times and for too long. So I went to the government website and tried to apply for another ETA and was notified I already had one! If only I had tried that first...
Thanks to everyone for the help.
Thanks to everyone for the help.
Apr 19, 2015, 6:37 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-EP, TK-*G, HL-DM, HY-GLO, MR-LTP
Posts: 25,932
Finally found out I do have an ETA, albeit an expensive one in terms of time, worry and money. Could not get either AA or Qantas to verify I had one and was left on hold with the visa number for the Aussie embassy too many times and for too long. So I went to the government website and tried to apply for another ETA and was notified I already had one! If only I had tried that first...
Thanks to everyone for the help.
Thanks to everyone for the help.
Your ETA is tied to your passport number , FYI.
Apr 20, 2015, 6:41 am
#26
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 196
The site for booking US Visa appointments is http://www.ustraveldocs.com/
Not all "government" style sites have .gov.* URLs...
Not all "government" style sites have .gov.* URLs...
Let's try this official government website to apply for a US Visa....
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english.html
Apr 20, 2015, 9:15 am
#27
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
That site looks so dodgy it's not funny........
Let's try this official government website to apply for a US Visa....
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english.html
Let's try this official government website to apply for a US Visa....
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english.html
From there you can go to the Non-immigrant visa page, such as http://canberra.usembassy.gov/nonimmigrant-visas.html
Which then points you to the official site for booking appointments - http://www.ustraveldocs.com/
So yeah, that site is very much official - regardless of how "dodgy" you might think it looks.
(The URL's above are obviously for Australia, but the same site is used for most of the world)
Apr 20, 2015, 3:47 pm
#28
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 196
The US State Department do not issue visas, and if you work that that site it'll eventually tell you to go to the website of your nearest US Consulate, such as http://canberra.usembassy.gov/
From there you can go to the Non-immigrant visa page, such as http://canberra.usembassy.gov/nonimmigrant-visas.html
Which then points you to the official site for booking appointments - http://www.ustraveldocs.com/
So yeah, that site is very much official - regardless of how "dodgy" you might think it looks.
(The URL's above are obviously for Australia, but the same site is used for most of the world)
From there you can go to the Non-immigrant visa page, such as http://canberra.usembassy.gov/nonimmigrant-visas.html
Which then points you to the official site for booking appointments - http://www.ustraveldocs.com/
So yeah, that site is very much official - regardless of how "dodgy" you might think it looks.
(The URL's above are obviously for Australia, but the same site is used for most of the world)
Still doesn't change the fact the visa website for Australia is an official government website and anything else are just third party websites
Apr 22, 2015, 10:19 am
#29
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA
Posts: 35
Guy Betsy, thanks. I did finally see your sticky post and thought about seeking your guidance. But I didn't want to bother you and have you waste time with my foolish error. Next time I travel to Australia I will definitely come to you straight away and send a donation to a charity. Brilliant idea and very special on your part.
Nov 9, 2015, 12:30 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: FT Premium Fare Deals
Posts: 74
eVisitor (type 651) still being assessed for more than 2 weeks
Hi everybody,
I booked ARN-TYO-SYD-PER-CPH C class ticket in recent QR global sale. The date of my planned arrival is November 12. I applied for eVisitor (class 651) on October 26, expecting it to be a smooth ride finalized in matter of hours. I could not have been more wrong! I enclosed all requested information, but my application remains stuck in ""Assessment in progress" stage. I have not heard back from Hobart Global Processing Centre since I provided additional information. And they have not bothered to respond to any of my e-mail queries. Does anybody know how can I contact them over the phone?
Contacting European Service Centre in London was a bad joke - they suggest I sit and wait even though it is now less than 48 hours to departure.
As a last minute scenario, I am thinking about booking an award flight from SYD to either NZ or one of the Pacific Islands. I will make sure that such flight would leave within 8 hours of my landing in SYD. Would I be allowed on SYD-bound plane under this scenario even if my eVisitor application is not processed in time? This would at least buy me few more days to have my application finalized so I can then return to SYD to continue with SYD-PER domestic leg on VA.
Are there any other options I should consider?
I booked ARN-TYO-SYD-PER-CPH C class ticket in recent QR global sale. The date of my planned arrival is November 12. I applied for eVisitor (class 651) on October 26, expecting it to be a smooth ride finalized in matter of hours. I could not have been more wrong! I enclosed all requested information, but my application remains stuck in ""Assessment in progress" stage. I have not heard back from Hobart Global Processing Centre since I provided additional information. And they have not bothered to respond to any of my e-mail queries. Does anybody know how can I contact them over the phone?
Contacting European Service Centre in London was a bad joke - they suggest I sit and wait even though it is now less than 48 hours to departure.
As a last minute scenario, I am thinking about booking an award flight from SYD to either NZ or one of the Pacific Islands. I will make sure that such flight would leave within 8 hours of my landing in SYD. Would I be allowed on SYD-bound plane under this scenario even if my eVisitor application is not processed in time? This would at least buy me few more days to have my application finalized so I can then return to SYD to continue with SYD-PER domestic leg on VA.
Are there any other options I should consider?