How to Apply for an Australian Visa On Line

The most popular Australian visa is an Electronic Travel Authority. An ETA is valid for twelve months from the date of issue and can be used for multiple visits to Australia, up to three months each visit. The application is fast and you'll know the result almost instantly. ETAs are ideal for tourists, students and the short-term business traveler.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Check your eligibility. Only passport-holding citizens from selected countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Canada are eligible to apply for the Electronic Travel Authority. You can find a complete list of eligible countries on the Australian Government website.

2. Click the "Apply for ETA" button on the Australian Government website. Read and accept the information on their privacy policy.

3. Enter payment information. Each ETA incurs a service fee of $20 Australian, which is just under $20 U.S. Most major credit cards are accepted.

4. Provide personal information. You will then be asked to complete the required application form for an ETA.

5. Wait for approval. According to the Australian Government website most applications are approved or denied in 30 seconds. However, it's not uncommon for the occasional application to take a bit longer to process. In that case you should revisit the website in about 12 hours and choose the "Check Your ETA" option.

Resources

• Ausatralian Government-Electronic Travel Authority