Updated Guide | Short Visits to Australia
A practical guide to the Electronic Travel Authority, eligible passports, application steps, permitted activities and conditions.
The 601 visa Australia pathway, or the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), is a digital travel permission for eligible passport holders visiting Australia for tourism, family visits, cruises or limited business visitor activities. It is electronically linked to the passport used in the application, so there is no visa label to collect.
At a glance: the ETA usually allows multiple entries during a 12-month period, with a stay of up to three months on each visit. There is no Visa Application Charge, but the official AustralianETA app charges a non-refundable AUD 20 service fee for each applicant.
A visa subclass 601 is convenient, but it is not permission to work, live in Australia for 12 continuous months, or make repeated long stays that are inconsistent with a genuine visit. Travellers who need a longer stay or hold an ineligible passport should compare VEM’s Visitor visa subclass 600 guide.
What is an Australian 601 visa?
The ETA is a short-stay visitor visa available only to people travelling on specified passports and applying from outside Australia. It is designed for low-risk, temporary travel. Airlines and Australian border systems read the authority from the passport record rather than a paper document.
Validity
Usually 12 months from grant or until the linked passport expires, whichever comes first.
Entries
Multiple entries may be made while the ETA and passport remain valid.
Stay per visit
Up to three months on each arrival, subject to the grant and border entry decision.
Twelve-month validity does not mean a 12-month stay
The validity period is the window in which the ETA can be used. The maximum stay on each visit is normally three months. Leaving briefly and returning does not guarantee entry or make repeated extended residence acceptable.
Who is eligible for visa subclass 601?
Applicants must be outside Australia, travel on an ETA-eligible passport, intend a genuine temporary visit and satisfy health and character requirements. A non-citizen passport, certificate of identity or other travel document does not qualify merely because its holder lives in an eligible country.
ETA-eligible passports
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (excluding official or diplomatic passports), the Netherlands, the United Kingdom – British Citizen, the United Kingdom – British National (Overseas), the United States and Vatican City.
Eligibility can change, and passport endorsements matter, so confirm the current Home Affairs list before applying. Australian citizens, including dual citizens, should normally travel on an Australian passport rather than apply for an ETA. Australian permanent residents should check their travel facility instead of using a visitor visa.
Genuine visitor
You must intend to stay temporarily, comply with the permitted purpose and leave within the authorised period.
Health
You must meet the relevant health criteria, including the tuberculosis-related condition commonly attached to the ETA.
Character
Answer criminal-history questions accurately. A substantial conviction history can make the Visitor visa 600 a more appropriate application.
Financial capacity
Be able to support the trip, accommodation, and return travel without working unlawfully in Australia.
What can you do on a 601 Australian visa?
The Australia visa 601 supports tourism and specified business visitor activities. The purpose must remain temporary and must not become employment or the supply of services to an Australian business.
Tourism and cruises
Take a holiday, sightsee, join a cruise or undertake ordinary recreational travel.
Visit family or friends
Stay with relatives or friends for a short visit without becoming a de facto resident.
Business visitor activity
Attend meetings, negotiate or review contracts, make general business enquiries or attend an unpaid conference.
You may study or train for up to three months, but a Student visa may be more appropriate when study is the main reason for travel. Limited volunteer activity may be possible when it is genuinely voluntary, incidental to tourism and does not replace paid Australian work. Obtain advice before relying on a volunteer arrangement.
Subclass 601 visa conditions
The exact conditions appear on the grant notice and in VEVO. Common ETA conditions include:
Condition 8115 – limited activities
You must not work in Australia. Permitted business visitor activities do not include providing services to an Australian organisation, selling directly to the public, or taking local employment.
Condition 8201 – maximum three months study
You must not study or train for more than three months while in Australia on the ETA.
Condition 8527 – tuberculosis
You must be free from tuberculosis when travelling to and entering Australia.
Condition 8528 – criminal convictions
You must not have criminal convictions for which the total sentence or sentences are 12 months or more, whether or not the time was served.
An ETA grant does not guarantee entry. Border officers may ask about the purpose, funds, accommodation, return plans and prior travel. Travellers who appear to be working, living in Australia through repeated visits or withholding material information may be questioned or refused entry.
How to apply for visa 601 Australia
All eligible applicants apply through the official AustralianETA mobile app published by the Department of Home Affairs. A website offering to issue an ETA directly is not the official application channel. The applicant must be physically present because the app uses the passport chip and a live facial image.
1. Download the official app
Use the Apple App Store or Google Play listing published by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Avoid lookalike apps and third-party websites.
2. Scan the passport and electronic chip
Use the exact eligible passport intended for travel. Remove covers, enable NFC, and follow the app prompts to read the biodata page and chip.
3. Take the live photograph
Use clear lighting, remove glasses or face coverings where permitted, and centre the applicant’s face. An agent cannot complete this biometric-style step remotely.
4. Enter personal and travel details
Answer identity, contact, intended address, health and character questions accurately. Declare other names and criminal history.
5. Pay AUD 20 and submit
Pay the non-refundable app service fee using an available card, Apple Pay or Google Pay method. Each person, including an infant, needs a separate application and fee.
6. Wait for written confirmation
Do not assume payment means approval. Read the email or app notification and verify the passport number, validity, permitted stay, and conditions before booking travel.
How much does an Australia visa 601 cost?
Visa Application Charge
AUD 0
No separate VAC is charged for the standard ETA application.
Australian ETA app fee
AUD 20
Mandatory, non-refundable service fee for each application, including children.
Family of four
AUD 80
Four separate app applications at AUD 20 each.
Avoid ETA scams and unnecessary charges
Home Affairs warns that ETAs are applied for through the official app. A third party may charge a separate assistance fee, but cannot guarantee or expedite approval. Repeated applications can produce the same result and charge the AUD 20 fee again.
601 visa processing time
Many ETA applications are decided within minutes, and Home Affairs currently reports a combined visitor-visa median of less than one day for subclasses 600, 601 and 651. This is an indicator, not a guarantee. An application requiring identity, health, character or security checks can take longer.
If the app says the application cannot be assessed or asks for more information, follow that instruction. Do not submit the same application repeatedly. Allow time before travel and do not assume an airline ticket creates a right to board. For current figures, see VEM’s visa processing-times guide.
ETA 601 vs eVisitor 651 vs Visitor visa 600
ETA subclass 601
Eligible ETA passports; app-only; AUD 20 service fee; generally multiple three-month visits over 12 months.
eVisitor subclass 651
Available to specified European passport holders; online application; generally similar visit period and permitted purposes.
Visitor visa subclass 600
Open to more nationalities and circumstances, with fuller evidence and potentially longer stays depending on the stream and grant.
Passport eligibility, travel purpose, intended length, medical plans, criminal history and prior Australian travel can determine the better option. See VEM’s eVisitor visa 651 guide and Australian tourist visa overview.
Common 601 visa mistakes
- Using an unofficial website: paying inflated fees or sharing passport details with a lookalike service.
- Applying with the wrong document: using a travel document or passport that is not ETA-eligible.
- Entering mismatched passport data: causing the ETA not to link to the passport presented at check-in.
- Applying for a child under the parent’s record: every traveller needs their own ETA and fee.
- Hiding criminal history: treating an automated process as permission to omit material information.
- Planning to work: confusing business visitor activities with employment or service delivery.
- Assuming three months resets automatically: repeated long stays may undermine the genuine-visitor purpose.
- Using an old ETA after a new passport: obtaining a replacement passport generally requires a new linked authority.
Unsure whether ETA 601 suits your trip?
Compare your passport, intended stay, travel history and purpose before making non-refundable bookings.
Contact VEM Visa
601 visa Australia FAQs
How long can I stay on an Australian 601 visa?
Usually up to three months on each visit during the ETA’s 12-month validity period or the linked passport’s remaining validity, whichever ends first. Check the individual grant.
Can I work on a subclass 601 visa?
No. Condition 8115 limits activities to permitted business visitor matters and prohibits ordinary work. Meetings or contract negotiations are different from providing services or taking Australian employment.
Can I extend a visa Australia 601?
The ETA itself is not extended. If eligible, you may apply for another visa before your authorised stay ends, subject to the conditions and requirements applying to your case.
Do children need a separate ETA?
Yes. Each traveller, including an infant, needs a separate application linked to their own passport and a separate AUD 20 app service fee.
What happens if I get a new passport?
Because the ETA is electronically linked to the passport used to apply, obtain a new ETA for the new passport before travel unless Home Affairs instructs otherwise.
VN
Người
đăng
Ngày
cập nhật:
