Apply for Australia Visa for Free

Are you planning a trip to Australia and need a visa? We will show you how to apply for the eVisitor visa quickly, easily, and for free online. Follow our guide and soon look forward to your Australian adventure - without any additional costs for the visa. Because as a tourist, you don't have to pay anything.

The eVisitor tourist visa (subclass 651) allows citizens from over 30 European countries (including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) to apply for a visa for tourism or business stays in Australia for up to three months, completely free and hassle-free online.

Before submitting your application, you need to prepare relevant documents such as a valid passport and proof of financial means. You can then submit your application through your 'immi account' on the official website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

In addition to the eVisitor visa, there are also other types of visas, such as the Visitor Visa (subclass 600) for short-term tourist visits or the Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417), which require application fees and have different permissions and requirements.

The official website for your application is: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/visit

In general, you can inform yourself on the website of the Foreign Office before every trip whether you need a visa for your destination.

I also had to apply for a tourist visa before my trips to Australia. Since both my travel companions and I, as experienced travelers, truly had trouble navigating the official website on "Visitor Visa Options" from the Immigration Department, and some even ended up on the paid visa process, I have written a detailed guide here. Including a direct link to the correct visa for your entry approval.

Important: I can only explain how to obtain the regular tourist visa. I have neither done work and travel nor studied in Australia. However, I can still provide some general information about it.

Australia attracts millions of tourists and travelers each year with its breathtaking landscapes, world-famous attractions, and welcoming culture. Whether you're exploring cities, enjoying pristine nature on a road trip, or handling business affairs, a visa, particularly a tourist visa, is essential. And that's where the eVisitor visa, also known as the Australia visa, comes into play.

The eVisitor visa (subclass 651) is available for passport holders from over 30 European countries, including all EU member states. It allows entry to Australia for tourism or business purposes for up to three months. The application for the eVisitor visa is completely online and free of charge, making it a convenient choice for many travelers. There are no fees, and no paper documents are required.

After approval, the visa is electronically stored, and a printout is not required. You only need to present your passport upon entry, which is linked to the visa. This way, you can embark on your trip to Australia stress-free.

Note: The regular tourist visa for up to three months is free - if you land on a website that claims otherwise, you are on the wrong path.

You can apply for the eVisitor visa directly online. You should handle this from home before your trip. An important aspect of the application is that the approval is tied to your passport. So make sure your passport is valid during your stay.

Although the procedure is processed online and does not require the mailing of paper documents, certain documents are necessary for applying for an entry permit. You will need a scan (or photo) of your valid passport as well as proof of sufficient financial means and ties to your home country.

These documents serve to confirm that you are capable of financing your stay in Australia and that you intend to return to your home country after your visa expires. Make sure all documents are up to date and correct to avoid delays or rejections.

To apply for an eVisitor visa online, you must register on the official website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs. The data stored there is available to border officials upon entry, which speeds up the entry process.

Once you have registered on the website, you can submit your application. The process is quite straightforward and usually does not take long. Make sure you have all the required information at hand before you begin to make the process as smooth as possible.

Once you have created your account, you can quickly answer three simple questions to find out which visa is suitable for you:

Next, I am presented with 2 options: the eVisitor (651) and the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) with which I can visit Australia as often as I want within 12 months. With each entry into Australia, you can stay for up to 3 months.

One of the biggest advantages of the eVisitor visa is that you can apply for it directly through the online platform of the Home Affairs Ministry without the payment of service fees. This sets it apart from many other visa types and makes it a cost-effective option for entering Australia.

While some travelers might appreciate the convenience of a visa agency, you should be aware that this incurs additional costs. These agencies charge an average of 35 Euro for their services, which include support and advice regarding visa procurement. So, if you want to save money, applying directly is the best option.

Official website for submitting applications

Applying for a visa requires diligence and accuracy. Make sure that all information is correct, as errors or false statements can lead to a rejection. Carefully check all information before submitting your application.

After submission, you can track the status of your visa with the received transaction reference number in your ImmiAccount. This gives you reassurance and allows you to follow the progress of your application.

Don't forget that you must prove that you have sufficient financial means to cover your planned stay in Australia. Upon your arrival, you should be prepared to provide evidence of binding reasons for return, such as employment contracts or study confirmations (update: in 2025 nothing was required. Entry was even electronic and went very quickly through a scan of the passport and a photo taken at the kiosk).

In addition to the eVisitor visa, there are also other visa types you can consider, depending on the purpose and duration of your planned stay. The Visitor Visa (subclass 600) allows for stays for tourist or recreational purposes for up to three, six, or twelve months. Additionally, the Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) permits a stay of up to twelve months and includes permission to work in Australia.

To apply for the Visitor Visa (subclass 600), the following specific documents and proofs are required:

The Visitor Visa 600 can be applied for both outside and inside Australia. The latter is possible if you already hold a valid visa (such as the eVisitor subclass 651) and wish to extend your stay.

For the Working Holiday Visa, a valid identification document and particular care in entering the passport number is required.

The costs for the Visitor Visa vary between 190 AUD and 475 AUD, depending on the applicant.

A second Working Holiday Visa can only be obtained if you can prove at least three months of work in certain jobs in rural Australia.

With the eVisitor visa, a stay of up to three months in Australia for tourist purposes or business visits is permitted. It is also allowed to study or undergo training for up to three months. It is important to adhere to these regulations to avoid problems upon entry or during your stay.

Certain traveler groups, such as those wishing to work in the health sector or with children, must provide a health certificate and be tested for diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. These are essential regulations to ensure that Australia remains a safe and healthy country for all.

For most tourists, this option applies. The eVisitor (subclass 651) is a tourist visa. It is valid for three months within a twelve-month entry window (from the application, you have 12 months to enter. From the entry, it is then valid for three months). This visa is available free of charge.

To obtain the eVisitor tourist visa for Australia, you must submit your application for your visa before entering Australia. I filled out the online application and received my visa approval in just a few minutes.

The visa is stored electronically and does not need to be printed. You will not receive a sticker or stamp in your passport upon entry, thus saving free pages in the passport.

If you want to learn more about the eVisitor tourist visa, check here on the Australian Immigration Department's website.

If you are still unsure which visa is right for you, you can use the Visa Finder on the official Australian immigration authority website. After answering a few questions, your visa options will be displayed.

Less than 5 minutes after filling out the forms, I received an email with the confirmation. My visa was approved.

Note: Here too, there were some misunderstandings because the content of the email does not clearly say: Visa approved (as it does with ESTA for the USA, for example), rather, a 4-page PDF is attached, which contains a lot of text. You can print this form for safety. I didn't do it. The visa is electronically linked to your passport.

As I keep receiving emails and comments, I have uploaded my confirmation.

This arrives directly with the email you get as soon as you fill out the application. I didn't get it either and had to read again.

Once you receive your visa approval, you must adhere to the conditions of your visa. This means that you are restricted to tourism or certain business activities and may not work, even though you are entitled to study or participate in training for up to three months.

Typically, you receive the incoming passenger card on the plane. You have time to fill it out. On the current trip, they forgot about this, and we had to fill in the information shortly on-site. A border officer checks briefly, then you go to the kiosk. There, you scan your passport. After that, a passport photo is taken. A printout is done, which you must give to an officer after picking up your luggage at the exit. Then you're in the country.

Upon arrival in Australia, you must declare all cash over 10,000 AUD, all food, plant and animal products, as well as medications. Keep in mind that children aged 5 to 11 who are traveling alone must be registered as minor travelers with the airline.

At least this was the recent experience in 2025 at Cairns airport. In Adelaide on my first trip, the procedure was much more elaborate, including beagles sniffing all luggage. Perhaps that was going on behind the scenes - I definitely saw dog cages.

In this blog post, I have guided you step by step through the process of applying for the free eVisitor visa for Australia. I hope I was able to help you better understand and navigate the process. With the right information and preparations, obtaining your visa and planning your trip to Australia should be no problem.

Don't forget to adhere to the conditions of your visa and ensure that you have all necessary documents and proofs. With careful planning and preparation, you can ensure that your trip to Australia goes smoothly and that you can fully enjoy your time in the land Down Under.

The eVisitor visa for Australia is free.

To stay longer than 3 months in Australia, you need to apply for a full Visitor Visa.

You can conveniently apply for the ETA visa for Australia online about 72 hours before your departure. It is simple and quick to complete. I applied for the visa 1 to 2 months before my trip. I like to play it safe.

Yes, the regular eVisitor visa for Australia can be applied for free online and is valid for 12 months from approval. Applicants receive notification of successful issuing via email.

I hope you found this article on applying for the Australia visa useful and that it addressed your questions. If you have any ideas or concerns, we look forward to your comment here on the travel blog.

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