eVisitor Visa (Subclass 651): Free Australian Visa for Europeans

The eVisitor (Subclass 651) is a free electronic visa that allows passport holders from 36 European countries to visit Australia for tourism or business for up to 3 months per stay. There is no application charge at all — not even a service fee. The visa is valid for 12 months with unlimited entries, and Home Affairs publishes a processing time of less than 1 day at every percentile. You apply online through ImmiAccount.

Quick Facts

Eligible Countries

The eVisitor visa is available to passport holders from the following 36 European countries and territories, as listed by Home Affairs:

Important: British Citizen passport holders are eligible for the eVisitor, making this the simplest and cheapest option for British travellers visiting Australia. Despite Brexit, the UK British Citizen passport remains on the eVisitor eligibility list. The other UK nationality classes are excluded by name: you cannot apply with a British National (Overseas), British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen, British Protected Person or British Subject passport. BN(O) holders can use the $20 ETA instead.

Twenty-four of these passports are also on the $20 ETA (Subclass 601) list, which is applied for through a mobile app. Twelve EU countries are eVisitor-only and cannot use the ETA at all: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Either way there's no reason to pay — the eVisitor allows the same activities and costs nothing.

If your country isn't listed above, check whether you qualify for an ETA (Subclass 601) or you'll need a Subclass 600 visitor visa.

How to Apply for the eVisitor

Unlike the ETA which requires a mobile app, the eVisitor application is done through the standard ImmiAccount online portal. The process is simple.

Step 1: Create an ImmiAccount. Go to the Department of Home Affairs website and register for an ImmiAccount. You'll need an email address and to set up a password.

Step 2: Start a new application. Select "New application," then navigate to "Visitor" and choose "eVisitor (651)."

Step 3: Fill in your details. Enter your personal information, passport details, and answer the health and character declaration questions. The form is short compared to other visa applications.

Step 4: Submit. There's no payment step because the eVisitor is completely free. Just review your answers and submit.

Step 5: Wait for the outcome. Home Affairs publishes an eVisitor processing time of less than 1 day at the 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles. If you don't get an email within 12 hours of applying, check your application status in ImmiAccount. Don't arrange to travel until you are told in writing that the visa is granted.

The eVisitor is electronically linked to your passport. No sticker, no stamp, no printout needed — though saving the grant notification email is always a good idea.

What You Can and Can't Do

The eVisitor covers tourism and business visitor activities, with the same boundaries as the ETA (Subclass 601).

Permitted activities:

• Tourism, sightseeing, and holidays
• Visiting family and friends
• Short-term study or training (up to 3 months)
• Attending conferences, trade fairs, and seminars
• Business meetings, negotiations, and enquiries

Not permitted:

• Paid work for an Australian employer (Home Affairs says you might be able to do some volunteer work)
• Selling goods or services to the public
• Providing professional services
• Any activity that would normally require an employment contract

The distinction between "business visitor" and "worker" matters. A German engineer flying to Melbourne to inspect a factory and discuss a supply contract? That's a business visit. The same engineer spending three weeks on-site fixing machinery? That crosses into work territory and requires a work visa.

Processing Times

The eVisitor is one of the fastest Australian visas to process. The Department of Home Affairs publishes the same figure at every percentile — 25%, 50%, 75% and 90% of applications: less than 1 day.

However, some applications take longer if:

• You have a criminal record (even traffic offences in some cases)
• You've previously overstayed in Australia or any other country
• You have a complex immigration history
• Additional security checks are triggered
• You answered "yes" to any health or character declaration question

If your eVisitor hasn't been processed within two weeks, something's likely flagged your application for manual review. Contact the Department of Home Affairs for an update, or consider whether a Subclass 600 application might be more appropriate for your circumstances.

eVisitor Conditions and Rules

Every eVisitor grant comes with standard conditions. Familiarise yourself with these before travelling.

Home Affairs lists four conditions that might be attached to an eVisitor: 8115, 8201, 8527 and 8528.

Condition 8115 — Limited activities. You must not work in Australia other than by engaging in a business visitor activity. You can make business or employment enquiries, investigate, negotiate, sign or review contracts, and take part in conferences, trade fairs or seminars as long as the organisers don't pay you. You must not do work for, or supply services to, an organisation or person based in Australia, or sell goods or services directly to the public.

Condition 8201 — Maximum 3 months study. This is a study limit, not a stay limit: you must not engage in any study or training for more than 3 months. Your stay length is set by the visa itself — 3 months after each entry.

Condition 8527 — Must be free from tuberculosis.

Condition 8528 — Have no criminal convictions for which sentences total 12 months or more, whether or not you have served them. Note that this sits alongside, and does not replace, the separate official advice that if you have a criminal conviction in any country you should apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) instead.

Condition 8503 (No further stay) is not among the conditions Home Affairs lists for the eVisitor, so you can generally apply for another visa while in Australia if you need to. Do it before your 3-month stay expires.

Multiple Entries and Re-entry

The eVisitor allows unlimited entries during its 12-month validity. Fly to Australia for two weeks, go to New Zealand, come back for another month — that's perfectly fine. Each re-entry resets your 3-month stay period.

Be aware that immigration officers at the airport do have discretion. If your travel pattern suggests you're effectively living in Australia through repeated short visits, they can question you at the border and potentially refuse entry. This is rare for genuine tourists but worth knowing about.

When to Use a Subclass 600 Instead

The eVisitor is excellent for short visits, but it has limitations. Consider applying for a Subclass 600 visitor visa if:

• You need to stay longer than 3 months. The eVisitor has a hard 3-month cap. The Subclass 600 can grant up to 12 months.
• You want to apply from inside Australia. The eVisitor must be applied for outside Australia. If you're already here and want to extend, you need a Subclass 600.
• Your eVisitor was refused. A Subclass 600 lets you provide more detailed supporting documents to address concerns.

The tradeoff is cost (from $250 vs. free) and processing time (potentially weeks vs. under a day).

Travelling to Australia with an eVisitor

A few practical reminders before you board your flight:

Check your passport expiry. Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force publish no six-month passport-validity rule for entry — what the Border Force asks for is a valid passport or other acceptable travel document and a valid visa. Airlines set their own boarding rules, so check with yours.

Your eVisitor is linked to your passport number. Home Affairs asks you to tell them about changes to your passport. If you renew, apply again against the new document before you travel — it's free, so there's no cost penalty, and you must travel on the passport your visa is attached to.

Have evidence of funds. This one is an actual eVisitor requirement: you must have enough money to support yourself while you are in Australia and to leave at the end of your stay. No minimum figure is published.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the eVisitor really completely free?

Yes. Unlike the ETA (Subclass 601) which has a $20 service charge, the eVisitor has zero cost. No application charge, no service fee, nothing. It's one of the few genuinely free Australian visas.

Can I study on an eVisitor?

You can study for up to 3 months, which covers most short courses, language programs, and holiday courses. If your course exceeds 3 months, you'll need an Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500).

Can I get an eVisitor if I have dual nationality?

You can apply using whichever passport is from an eligible country. If you hold both a French and Algerian passport, apply with the French one. Make sure you travel on the same passport you applied with — the eVisitor is linked to that specific passport number.

What if I need to stay longer than 3 months?

You have two options: leave Australia and re-enter (which resets the 3-month clock) or apply for a Subclass 600 visitor visa before your 3-month stay expires. The second option is cleaner if you genuinely need continuous stay beyond 3 months.

Can I transit through Australia on an eVisitor?

Yes. If you're transiting through an Australian airport and will clear immigration (e.g., to change terminals or airlines), you need a valid visa — and the eVisitor works for this purpose. If you're staying airside and not clearing immigration on a single through-booking, you may not need a visa at all, though it depends on your nationality. Check with your airline.