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
Nov 20, 2018, 7:54 am
#106
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
Nov 20, 2018, 4:14 pm
#107
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
It should be noted that 'worst comes to worst' is NOT you getting an ETA on arrival. Worst comes to worst, you get deported. If an ETA on arrival is possible (which I haven't heard of until now), then that could give you a way in, but if your ETA doesn't go through for whatever reason (and it could be no fault of your own), then you are on the first middle seat going home.
Anyone arriving from the USA to Australia without an airline checking their visa is truly bizarre. I know many people who failed to get their ETA and they were all stopped by the airline at check-in. Luckily their ETA went through in time to board. I fly with a PR from Australia so the airlines don't see an ETA and I get asked to show my visa every single time.
Is it possible these people were arriving from somewhere besides the USA (even if they were US citizens)?
Anyone arriving from the USA to Australia without an airline checking their visa is truly bizarre. I know many people who failed to get their ETA and they were all stopped by the airline at check-in. Luckily their ETA went through in time to board. I fly with a PR from Australia so the airlines don't see an ETA and I get asked to show my visa every single time.
Is it possible these people were arriving from somewhere besides the USA (even if they were US citizens)?
Nov 20, 2018, 5:41 pm
#108
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
It should be noted that 'worst comes to worst' is NOT you getting an ETA on arrival. Worst comes to worst, you get deported. If an ETA on arrival is possible (which I haven't heard of until now), then that could give you a way in, but if your ETA doesn't go through for whatever reason (and it could be no fault of your own), then you are on the first middle seat going home.
Anyone arriving from the USA to Australia without an airline checking their visa is truly bizarre. I know many people who failed to get their ETA and they were all stopped by the airline at check-in. Luckily their ETA went through in time to board. I fly with a PR from Australia so the airlines don't see an ETA and I get asked to show my visa every single time.
Is it possible these people were arriving from somewhere besides the USA (even if they were US citizens)?
Anyone arriving from the USA to Australia without an airline checking their visa is truly bizarre. I know many people who failed to get their ETA and they were all stopped by the airline at check-in. Luckily their ETA went through in time to board. I fly with a PR from Australia so the airlines don't see an ETA and I get asked to show my visa every single time.
Is it possible these people were arriving from somewhere besides the USA (even if they were US citizens)?
I obviously wouldn't suggest flying without an ETA on the hope that I could get one on arrival. I just think that getting an ETA on arrival is apparently possible. That just makes me more confident that the compounding probability that a) the ETA without a middle name is a problem and b) that the OP can't get an ETA in Australia in the unlikely event that they need a new ETA is small enough so that I personally wouldn't worry about it.
Aside: when I lived in Australia, I was on an electronic 457 visa and never had an airline ask for an ETA.
Nov 20, 2018, 7:23 pm
#109
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Ah, my mistake, I misread the context. I thought you meant the worst case scenario of not having a visa would be to just get one on arrival.
I agree that with the post you quoted, the middle name is not likely to be a major issue.
I agree that with the post you quoted, the middle name is not likely to be a major issue.
Nov 21, 2018, 4:45 am
#110
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,159
Wow - that's one of those "shouldn't be possible" things. Australian visas/ETAs are 100% electronic now days (and have been for several years), so it's mandatory for all airlines to do an electronic check that a passenger has a valid visa/ETA before a boarding pass is issued. The only exceptions should be those in international-to-international transit, or Australian/NZ citizens.
It's not likely to be a major issue, but it does have the potential to be an issue. If you can check-in online, do it. If that works, you're good.
If you can't check-in online, then get to the airport at least 30 minutes earlier than you would have otherwise. It likely means the electronic check I mentioned above has failed. The check-in staff have a number they can call to get exceptions for issues like that, and odds are they will need to go through that process. It should be approved without issue, but could potentially burn a little time.
If you can't check-in online, then get to the airport at least 30 minutes earlier than you would have otherwise. It likely means the electronic check I mentioned above has failed. The check-in staff have a number they can call to get exceptions for issues like that, and odds are they will need to go through that process. It should be approved without issue, but could potentially burn a little time.
Jan 3, 2019, 10:11 am
#111
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Continental OnePass
Posts: 856
I'm a little confused about the Australian ETA with respect to criminal convictions. I have a friend who is thinking about going to Australia, but he has an old DUI conviction form over 10 years ago, for which he didn't serve any jail time. The question on the ETA application simply asks if you have any criminal convictions but if you click the info button it mentions criminal convictions in which more than 1 year of jail time was served, so the question is, should they answer Yes or No?
Jan 3, 2019, 11:10 am
#112
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,406
I'm a little confused about the Australian ETA with respect to criminal convictions. I have a friend who is thinking about going to Australia, but he has an old DUI conviction form over 10 years ago, for which he didn't serve any jail time. The question on the ETA application simply asks if you have any criminal convictions but if you click the info button it mentions criminal convictions in which more than 1 year of jail time was served, so the question is, should they answer Yes or No?
Jan 5, 2019, 3:19 pm
#113
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
I'm a little confused about the Australian ETA with respect to criminal convictions. I have a friend who is thinking about going to Australia, but he has an old DUI conviction form over 10 years ago, for which he didn't serve any jail time. The question on the ETA application simply asks if you have any criminal convictions but if you click the info button it mentions criminal convictions in which more than 1 year of jail time was served, so the question is, should they answer Yes or No?
Australia visa DUI
Jan 7, 2019, 10:50 pm
#115
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
Posts: 5,366
May 1, 2019, 2:41 am
#116
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: RSE
Programs: AA Exp|VA Platinum
Posts: 15,504
Didn't see this posted, and only just saw something about it on the news. You can now have your visa cancelled if you do not declare food etc and try to sneak it in to Australia.
Australia's strict bio-security laws prohibit certain foreign foods, plant materials, and animal products from entering the country, due to the threat of introducing serious pests and diseases into Australia, devastating our valuable agriculture and tourism industries, as well as our unique environment.
From April 17, 2019, new rules come into effect allowing airport authorities to shorten or cancel visitor visas if a visitor fails to declare prohibited items upon entry to the country.
From April 17, 2019, new rules come into effect allowing airport authorities to shorten or cancel visitor visas if a visitor fails to declare prohibited items upon entry to the country.
May 2, 2019, 10:54 pm
#117
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Even saw a story of a German tourist who was fined $350 when they found a sandwich in his bag (which his mother packed for him but he forgot about).
May 3, 2019, 9:38 am
#118
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,512
Maybe they are getting more strict, I got sent to the x ray machines last week on my way back from Taipei, first time in well over 100 flights. It was almost kinda confusing as I’m so used to walking straight out so I was a bit ‘... am I doing here?’
Feb 13, 2020, 11:20 am
#119
Join Date: May 2005
Location: YYJ
Programs: AC-E50K / WS-P / Hyatt-G
Posts: 257
Which visa should I get?
I'm a CDN citizen with a CDN passport.
I'm travelling from YVR to AKL this July, transiting through BNE each way.
On the outbound, my connection in BNE is less than 8 hours, so if my understanding is correct, I don't need a visa for that entry / exit. However, on my return, my connection is 16h (thanks, awards availability, hahaha!).
I've identified that the 771 visa (transit visa), the ETA, and the eVisitor (?) may permit me to travel through AUS as described above...
Based on a quick survey, I think the ETA might be my best bet, as the 771 transit visa seems to be very specific in application. Is one "easier" or less administratively difficult to get than the other?
I'd love to spent more time in AUS, but this is for a specific and somewhat time-limited trip!
Thanks in advance fellow FTers!
I'm travelling from YVR to AKL this July, transiting through BNE each way.
On the outbound, my connection in BNE is less than 8 hours, so if my understanding is correct, I don't need a visa for that entry / exit. However, on my return, my connection is 16h (thanks, awards availability, hahaha!).
I've identified that the 771 visa (transit visa), the ETA, and the eVisitor (?) may permit me to travel through AUS as described above...
Based on a quick survey, I think the ETA might be my best bet, as the 771 transit visa seems to be very specific in application. Is one "easier" or less administratively difficult to get than the other?
I'd love to spent more time in AUS, but this is for a specific and somewhat time-limited trip!
Thanks in advance fellow FTers!
Feb 13, 2020, 11:45 am
#120
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,027
FT is not the place for Visa advice
In the 8hrs & 16 hrs are you planning to go landside? Or stay airside in transit? (not go through immigration)
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...sa/visa-finder
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...a-finder/visit
The simplest may be the ETA --> Australian Electronic Travel Authority Application AUD$20. For passports holders from Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Hong Kong (SAR PRC), Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and United States. Check your eligibility & visa type needed. From reports on FT most are processed quickly (~minutes)
In the 8hrs & 16 hrs are you planning to go landside? Or stay airside in transit? (not go through immigration)
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...sa/visa-finder
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...a-finder/visit
The simplest may be the ETA --> Australian Electronic Travel Authority Application AUD$20. For passports holders from Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Hong Kong (SAR PRC), Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and United States. Check your eligibility & visa type needed. From reports on FT most are processed quickly (~minutes)