How to Get a Visa to Visit Australia?

An Australia trip sounds exciting, but the visa paperwork can sometimes feel confusing, especially when you are unsure about the process or how long it may take. The good news is that most of the application process is online, making it relatively simple and convenient for British travellers.

If you are planning to visit Australia and want to understand the visa process and expected timeline, this guide covers the key details you need. We will also explain how to check your Australian visa application status after applying, so you know exactly what to expect at each stage. Let us get into the details.

Getting Started: What You Will Need Before You Apply

Anyone who is not an Australian citizen needs a visa to enter Australia. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade makes clear that this applies whether you are staying for under 72 hours or for several years, and it directs travellers to the Department of Home Affairs for visa information. According to experts, only New Zealand passport holders can apply on arrival, so everyone else should apply before leaving home.

Next, choose the right visa. Most British visitors will look at one of these three options:

• Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601): You apply through the official AustralianETA app. It allows repeat visits over 12 months, with stays of up to three months each time.
• eVisitor (subclass 651): It is a free visa for tourism or business visits of up to three months at a time within 12 months. It is open to passport holders from certain European countries and cannot be extended.
• Visitor visa (subclass 600): Open to all nationalities for tourism or business. A stay of up to three months is usually granted, though up to 12 months may be given in certain circumstances, and a fee applies.

The UK government notes that British citizens can usually get an electronic visitor visa, meaning either the eVisitor or the ETA. If electronic travel authorisations are new to you, our blog on ETAs and eVisas answers common questions.

Before you start your application, gather the following:

• A passport that is valid for the full length of your planned stay.
• Your travel dates and personal details, ready to enter accurately.
• Evidence that you meet the financial and health requirements, plus health insurance for your stay.
• English translations of any document written in another language, because missing translations may delay processing.
• A smartphone if you plan to use the ETA app, because a live facial image is required.

Travelling for a different purpose? Australia also runs a Working Holiday Maker program for visitors under 30, or 35 in certain cases, who hold a passport from a participating country. Those visas are valid for one year, or up to three years if conditions are met, so they sit outside this visitor guide. British Australian dual nationals should also note that research says they must leave and enter Australia on their Australian passport, or they could face delays. 

Applying for Your Visa, Step by Step

Once you know which visa suits your trip, the application itself is straightforward. Here is how to apply for a visa to visit Australia:

• Confirm your visa. Use the Home Affairs Visa Finder to check which option matches your passport, trip length and purpose.
• Apply for an ETA through the app. If you are eligible, download the AustralianETA app. Agents can assist, but you must be physically present because the app captures a live facial image.
• Use ImmiAccount for other visas. For the eVisitor or Visitor visa, you apply online through ImmiAccount, where you can also pay and upload documents.
• Attach everything at lodgement. The High Commission warns that a decision may be made at any time after you submit, so supporting documents should go in with the application.
• Submit one application per person. Children need their own application, and lodging several applications at once can slow the process.

Remember that you must be outside Australia when you apply.

Australia visit visa fees. Costs depend on the visa you choose. The UK government states that the eVisitor carries no visa application charge or service fee, while the ETA has no visa application charge but may carry a service fee when you apply through the app. The Visitor visa requires a payment, and visa charges change from time to time. Before you pay, check the current amount on the Home Affairs visa fees page, which the High Commission also lists alongside a pricing estimator.

What Happens After You Apply

After you apply for your Australian visa the following processes takes place:

Australia Visiting Visa Processing Time

No single timeframe fits every traveller. Experts published a global visa processing times guide that gives an indication based on recently decided applications. It is updated monthly, but it does not guarantee a decision within that window. Apply well ahead of your travel date, and follow the High Commission’s advice to avoid non-refundable bookings until your visa is granted.

You may be contacted for more information. Some applicants are asked for biometrics, and the High Commission notes that there are no Australian biometrics collection centres in the UK. It points applicants to a list of offices outside Australia instead. If you are asked for biometrics but cannot provide them, attach a written statement explaining your circumstances through ImmiAccount.

How to Check Australian Visa Status?

You have three useful routes:

• ImmiAccount: Track the progress of your application, update your details and upload documents.
• VEVO: Once a visa is in effect, Visa Entitlement Verification Online shows which visa you hold, its expiry date, the must not arrive after date, your period of stay and your conditions.
• Global Service Centre: Call +61 2 6196 0196, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm your local time. Be aware that no progress updates are given while an application sits within standard processing times.

If you are approved, you will be notified in writing, and the visa is digitally linked to your passport. If you email documents to the department, you will receive an automated acknowledgement, so check your junk folder too.

Avoiding the Common Mistakes

Most delays come from small errors rather than complex problems. Watch out for these five:

• Choosing the wrong visa. Your passport, trip length and purpose all matter, so use the Visa Finder before you begin.
• Sending incomplete or incorrect details. Tourism Australia warns that this can delay your visa.
• Lodging duplicate applications. Several applications at the same time can slow things down.
• Booking before you are approved. The High Commission recommends against non-refundable financial commitments until the visa arrives.
• Skipping translations. Documents not in English should come with an English translation, along with a copy of the original.

Another common slip is leaving everything until the last minute. As processing times are only indicative and no updates are given within standard timeframes, build in generous time before your flights, and keep your passport details, email address and ImmiAccount login somewhere safe so nothing holds you up.

Be careful about who you trust with your passport and personal details. The High Commission’s visa page links to Australian guidance on protecting yourself from migration fraud, and it is worth reading before you pay anyone. If you are unsure which route suits your plans, our visa services team can talk it through with you.

Once You Are Approved: What’s Next?

Approval is not quite the finish line. Work through this checklist before you fly:

• Check VEVO for your expiry date, period of stay and visa conditions.
• Confirm that your passport stays valid for your whole trip.
• Carry a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you are arriving from a country listed as a transmission risk, as the UK government explains.
• Complete the Incoming Passenger Card and declare food, animal products and plant material. Quarantine breaches can bring heavy fines.
• If one parent is travelling with a child, check whether the High Commission’s one parent travelling with a child form applies to you.

Officers screen luggage using X-rays, and you must also declare any contact with farms, farm animals, wilderness areas or freshwater streams and lakes in the past 30 days. Items of concern can be inspected, treated or destroyed, so declaring everything honestly is always the safest approach.

Want to stay longer? Tourism Australia explains that ETA holders already in Australia can extend by applying for another visa, such as the Visitor visa, while the eVisitor cannot be extended. If your plans are moving beyond a holiday, read our blog on migrating to Australia from the UK.

Rules and charges can change, so check the official government platform and Home Affairs before you travel. If you would like support with your plans, contact WeSolution and our team will be happy to help. At WeSolution, we help clients make sense of visa rules, so you do not have to work through the paperwork alone.