Hi, Iam doing a rtw in Oct and have been told there is a charge for e-visa but that I can do it myself for free: I am not sure how to do it since last few year it was automatic.
I will flying AKL- to BNE.
Thanks in advance, Sara

http://www.austemb.org/DIMA/visiting/eta.html
http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/

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Many airlines (eg. United) will do it for free. Some travel agents will do it for free. Some airlines (eg. Singapore Airlines) will charge random amounts depending on which office in which country does it for you.

Some airlines will do it for free only if you're flying with them. Yes, travel agents can do it for free.. but what are you doing for them to take the time to serve you?

I am surprised by this, or perhaps misunderstanding. There is a non-avoidable A$25 fee associated with the ETA - does this mean that United (in bankruptcy, no less) can afford to just eat that cost? Or is the ETA fee included in the "tax and charges" calc. in the ticket price, which I find much more credible, and they are not charging a separate service fee??

Not long ago I called QF to see if they could arrange an ETA for my wife. They said they would arrange it for US$35, but pointed out I could do it myself for A$25 on the website linked above. As the agent said, the difference between the cost to me (US$35) and the cost to them (A$25) is a service charge.

This is a con job and Qantas lied to you.

There is no fee whatsoever for an ETA. Some of the organisations which issue them, including the Australian Government itself, charge a service fee.
(highlighting is mine)

Personally, I'd include this cost as part of the cost of travel. An airline (or travel agent -- whichever you book through) which chooses to cover its labour costs this way is, in effect, simply charging more for its tickets.

Also, do not assume you will be approved automatically for your ETA. I was recently denied an ETA and I had to go to the Australian Embassy for a quick interview. Here are the facts:

1) Bought ticket cash for same day departure to Australia from Indonesia on Garuda.

2) Travelling on British Passport

3) Denied ETA and Garuda refused to carry me. Because it was Indonesian election day, the Australian embassy was closed - had to delay my trip for 48 hours.

In the end it was no problem but I was worried for a sec as I am actually Australian but I was travelling on British Passport as my Australian Passport was with another Embassy getting a Visa processed.

Do not take it for granted.

Kremmen, thanks for pointing out that FAQ. Interesting stuff.

davistev - was the problem that your were trying to enter on a passport other than your Australian one? Australians are required by law to use their Australian passport to enter/leave Australia, regardless of any other passports held. Glad to hear it worked out, though.

Few weeks ago, CX in SIN charged me S$ 50.00 for the ETA

No, I understand what you mean but I kept that part quiet. I always travel on my Aussie but on this trip, my Aussie passport was in the hands of the Sudanese Embassy. So I had no choice as anyone who has dealt with the Sudanese Embassy will know that the average length of time to get anything done is at least 4 weeks.

So it was really a case of a UK national being required to turn up for interview at Australian Embassy abroad.

More likely someone (a) buying a ticket for cash for (b) same day travel on (c) a flight from Indonesia.

I'm not sure how much information the ETA system gets when the airline does the visa for you. Generally, it's just last name, country and passport number. Presumably, there would be no way for them to know you had an Australian visa. I doubt the ETA system knew you paid cash. Maybe same day travel? Maybe Indonesia? Maybe Garuda?

They wouldn't need to know you had another passport, only that you were not entering the same way you did last time. Thinking about this a bit more, the main data points you enter for the ETA are (from memory):

(a) Name, first and last
(b) Date and place of birth
(c) Passport number
(d) Country which issued your passport

Presumably the DIMA computers scan all of those fields for matches or inconsistencies, or other stored information (like known bad guys). For instance, if you had previously been deported from Australia or overstayed a prior visa, you would expect the computers to ding you when you applied for an ETA, and the only way they could do that is by matching stored information with the information being supplied for purposes of obtaining the ETA. In davistev's case, I wonder if when the computers ran that information they found that davistev had previously entered Australia (several times, no doubt) but that this time the first two points didn't match the passport number and/or nationality on record. In that case I would not be the least bit surprised if the computers were set to reject the ETA and require an in-person interview to explain the incinsistency. No need for DIMA to link to information about carrier/cash purchase on day-of-flight etc, just a simple mis-match of stored records. The commonwealth government has some of the best data-matching computing around, as anyone who has (or hasn't) filed a tax return and has a HECS bill well knows.

I have a friend who has consistently been refused ETAs only because he holds the same name as someone Australia doesn't want. He has had to apply through the Australia High Comm or direct to Canberra every time he needs to renew his visa. I've told him to add a middle name just for the sake of it (he only has a first and last name).