Traveling to Australia can be more complicated than traveling to other countries. Therefore, in this guide you will find information about everything you need to visit the country. In addition, we tell you about the existing options to work in this State, we talk about the requirements to enter with animals and we give you some practical advice.

Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.

Tourist visa

Except for the people of New Zealand, the rest of foreigners must apply for a visa to enter Australia. However, there are different types:



eVisitor

The eVisitor (visa subtype 651) is a permit price quotation that allows you to enter the country several times for business or tourism. It has a total duration of three months within a year and is not extendable.

This visa is requested online and takes between 1 and 2 days to process. The countries that are entitled to it are the following:

  • A: Germany, Andorra, Austria
  • B: Belgium, Bulgaria
  • C: Vatican City, Cyprus, Croatia
  • D: Denmark
  • E: Slovakia, Spain, Estonia
  • F: Finland, France
  • G: Greece
  • H: Hungary
  • I: Ireland, Iceland, Italy
  • L: Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
  • M: Malta, Monaco
  • N: Norway
  • P: Netherlands, Poland, Portugal
  • R: UK, Czech Republic, Romania
  • S: San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland
If you have a criminal record with a sentence of 12 months or more, you will not be able to get an eVisitor.

All people must have a valid passport in order to apply for the eVisitor (even if you live in another country, if you have an Italian passport you can process it). You can enter the website of the procedure by clicking this link. To be able to carry it out, you will have to register on the web (it is the same to request any type of visa).

Visa of the Electronic Travel Authority

The Visa of the Electronic Travel Authority or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is visa subtype 601. It allows you to enter Australia as many times as you want for one year and stay each time for up to three months. It's free, unless you request it online, they charge $ 20. The countries that can enjoy this permit are these:

  • A: Germany, Andorra, Austria
  • B: Belgium, Brunei
  • C: Canada, Vatican City, South Korea
  • D: Denmark
  • E: Spain, United States
  • F: Finland, France
  • G: Greece
  • H: Hong Kong
  • I: Ireland, Iceland, Italy
  • J: Japan
  • L: Liechtenstein, Luxembourg
  • M: Malaysia, Malta, Monaco
  • N: Norway
  • P: Netherlands, Portugal
  • R: UK
  • S: San Marino, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland
  • T: Taiwan

It must be requested at least two weeks before From the trip. Only people from Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and the United States can complete the procedure online. The rest must go to the Australian Embassy or Consulate. You cannot have a criminal record.

Visitor Visa

People of other nationalities who wish to visit Australia must apply for a Visitor visa. The countries that can carry out this procedure online are:

  • A: Afghanistan, Albania, Germany, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan
  • B: Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bahrain, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Belarus, Burma, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Bhutan
  • C: Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Cyprus, Vatican City, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, North Korea, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba
  • D: Denmark, Dominica
  • E: equator, Egypt, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, Eritrea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States of America, Estonia, Ethiopia
  • F: Philippines, Finland, Fiji, France
  • G: Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Guyana
  • H: Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary
  • I: India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Iceland, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Marshall Islands, Pitcairn Islands, Solomon Islands ,, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands, Israel, Italy
  • J: Jamaica, Japan, Jordan
  • K: Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait
  • L: Laos, Lesotho, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
  • M: Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Morocco, Mauritius, Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozambique
  • N: Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, New Zealand
  • O: Oman
  • P: Netherlands, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal
  • Q: Qatari
  • R: United Kingdom, Central African Republic, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Rwanda, Romania, Russia
  • S: Samoa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Marino, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristán de Acuña, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Syria, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, South Africa, North Sudan, South Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname
  • T: Thailand, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tajikistan, East Timor, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu
  • U: Ukraine, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan
  • V: Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam
  • Y: Yemen, Djibouti
  • Z: Zambia, Zimbabwe

This visa allows you to stay as a tourist in Australia for up to three, six or twelve months. Its price is set between $ 135 and $ 340. Although they may vary for each country, documents that must be attached to the application are the following:

  • Copy of the passport.
  • Passport size photograph (45 x 35 mm).
  • Copy of the birth certificate.
  • Evidence of financial solvency, such as a bank account statement.
  • If you are going to visit a family member or friend, an invitation letter. If she will pay for your visit, proof of her financial solvency.
  • If you are traveling as a tourist, Australia travel itinerary.
  • Proof that you intend to return to your country: letter from your employer, evidence of property, etc.

If the person traveling is a minor child or baby and one of his parents or guardians does not go with him, an authorization must also be attached, as well as proof that he is enrolled in a study center.

The documents must be certified and accompanied by an official translation in English. Until the visa is granted, several weeks may pass, so it is advisable to do the process several months in advance.

Visas to study and work

If you want to get to know Australia and work at the same time, or definitely go to live in this country, you must apply for a special visa.

Work and Holiday Visa

This visa allows you to live in Australia for one year. During that time, you can work for the same employer for up to 6 months and study for 4 months. The countries whose citizens can apply for a visa are the following:

  • To Argentina
  • B: Bangladeshi
  • C: Chile, China
  • E: Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States
  • H: Hungary
  • I: Indonesian
  • L: Luxembourg
  • M: Malaysia
  • Q: Poland, Portugal
  • S: San Marino, Singapore
  • T: Thailand, Turkey
  • U: Uruguay
  • V: vietnam

Likewise, members from other countries can apply for a similar permit, the Working Holiday Visa:

  • A: Germany
  • B: Belgium
  • C: Canada, Cyprus, South Korea
  • D: Denmark
  • E: Estonian
  • F: Finland, France
  • H: Hong Kong
  • I: Ireland, Italy
  • J: Japan
  • M: Malt
  • N: Norway
  • P: Netherlands
  • R: UK
  • S: Sweden
  • T: Taiwan

There are limited places for each country and the process opens every year on July 1. The price of the visa is $ 440. To be able to request it, you must meet these requirements:

  • Be between 18 and 31 years of age.
  • Not having dependent children with you during your stay.
  • Have a valid passport.
  • Have enough money for the trip (around 5.000 australian dollars).
  • Be in good health.

In addition to the above, to obtain the Work and Holiday visa, these conditions must also be met:

  • For the Work and Holiday Visa, have a good level of English.
  • For the Work and Holiday Visa, you must have a university qualification or have completed two years of university studies, three for Chile. For Israel it is required to have finished secondary school and military services, for Thailand to be graduated in specific subjects; and for the United States to have finished high school.
  • Also in the case of the Work and Holiday Visa, that the government of your country provides you with a letter of support.

If, during the permit, you work for three months in certain regions of Australia in the tourism, agriculture, forestry or fishing sectors, you can request a second Work and Holiday Visa. During the visa, you can leave and enter the country as many times as you want.

Visas to work

On the other hand, there are numerous types of permits to be able to work in Australia. Here are some of them:

Temporary Work Skilled visa
a temporary work visa with which you can stay in the country for up to four years. It has a cost of 1.080 australian dollars (AUD).
Temporary Work Short Stay Specialist visa
you can be in Australia for up to three months. It costs AUD 280.
Temporary Graduate visa
for recent graduates from an Australian institution. You can work up to 18 months in Australia, from two to four years if you are a postgraduate. Its price is 1.500 AUD.
Skilled Independent visa
you will be able to live in Australia permanently. You must have a specific ability and be under 45 years old.
Skilled Nominated visa
it also allows you to stay permanently in the country. The age limit to apply is 50 years.
Employer Nomination Scheme
when a worker requests your services. It is also permanent and you must be a maximum of 50 years old. The price of these last three visas is AUD 3.670.

Visa to study

If what you want is to go to study in Australia, you must request a Student Visa, which will allow you to study throughout the course. To do this, you must be at least 6 years old, have been accepted by an Australian education center and have health insurance. Its price is 560 AUD.



The permit lasts for five years and allows you to work part-time. If you are a minor and a person travels with you to take care of you, you must request the Student Guardian Visa.

Traveling with animals

In order to preserve Australia's valuable biodiversity, there are numerous restricciones when taking animals to the country that you must take into account if you want travel with your pet.

On the one hand, some countries are not allowed to import animals, among which are Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Panama. Therefore, it is notoriously difficult to bring your dog or cat from one of them.

People from other countries such as Spain or Argentina can travel with their pet. The general requirements for cats and dogs are the following:

  • Be vaccinated against rabies.
  • That an authorized laboratory has carried out the rabies antibody titration test (TTANR).
  • Have lived in the country of origin for at least six months.
  • Be at least 12 weeks old.
  • Carry a microchip that can be read by Avid, Trovan or Destron.
  • If female, not more than three weeks pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Enter the country through Sydney, Melbourne or Peth airports.
  • Once in Australia, stay in quarantine for at least 10 days.

Also, the vaccines they should have are these:

DogsCats
DistemperFeline enteritis
Infectious hepatitisRhinotracheitis
Canine parvoviruscalicivirus
parainfluenza
Bordetella bronchiseptica

Unfortunately, they are prohibited Serval cats. Dogs that are not allowed are the following:

  • American Pit Bull Terrier
  • Argentine Dogo
  • Brazilian Row
  • Canary Dam
  • Tosa inu

In addition, there are many animals that cannot enter Australia, including fish, chinchillas, hamsters, guinea pigs and turtles.

Recommendations

No compulsory vaccinations to enter Australia, except for people coming from a country where there is a risk of yellow fever, who must be vaccinated against this disease. You should also get vaccinated against it if you have been in one of those territories in the last six days and you are more than one year old.

The vaccines recommended for all travelers are tetanus-diphtheria and MMR (measles, rubella, and mumps).

As indicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, foreigners do not have free medical assistance, so it is advisable to have high coverage medical insurance. Also, due to the high incidence of the sun, it is advisable to wear sun protection.

Australia is a safe country with no special risks. When camping in Queensland and the Northern Territory, be careful due to the possible presence of Crocodiles.

Also, it is convenient to use mosquito repellent. As for the beaches, you have to bathe in those that are limited and guarded, as there may be sharks and jellyfish.

Questions from users

Is it better to travel to Australia or New Zealand?

This depends on your tastes, since both countries are unique. However, in some cases, such as for Spaniards, it is easier to travel to New Zealand, as they do not need a visa. Here you can find more information: Requirements and documentation to travel to New Zealand.

Is it expensive to travel to Australia?

It is more expensive than going to other countries, since it is quite far from most countries, so the price of the flight is high. In addition, it is a country with higher prices than others.

What is the best time to travel to Australia?

Keep in mind that Australia is in the southern hemisphere, so summer is between December and February. This time of year is highly recommended, as you can enjoy the beaches. However, it depends on the area you are going to visit, as Australia is a large country.

Is it advisable to travel to Australia without knowing English?

Yes, it is possible, but keep in mind that English is the official language and, therefore, the one spoken by all its inhabitants.

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