Australian visa

[rg123]

I know that this is country specific and have posted this topic on ‘Australian and New Zealand Cruisers’ forum, too, but thought maybe some Royal cruisers might have experience with this and could provide guidance.

 

We have an Australia/New Zealand cruise in January 2023 and are getting ready to fill out applications for both electronic visas. I was under the impression that they were very simple to do and could be granted within minutes. 
 

However, after reading some posts here, I am already in a panic about getting mine. It appears women are getting caught up on the Australian application due to inputting their maiden names and their married names and it is causing considerable delays.  I am one more into it. I was widowed and have been remarried for 13 years. So now I have a maiden name, the name I used in my first marriage, and my current name. My passport reflects my current name.

 

Is there anything I should gather in advance of completing the app or a specific way to fill out the information?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated from anyone who has experience with this. Thank you

[bonsai3s]

No worries.

When applying for the Australian visa online, enter the name you have on your current passport.

 

* Getting the Australian visa online,  is perhaps one of the easiest (and cheapest), and quickest in the world. You will get an almost immediate response and receipt. 

Edited September 9, 2022 by bonsai3s

[kernow]

We are cruising to Australia and New Zealand in Nov and have recently done our visas for both. I'm British but think it's still the same form as you. My passport is in my married name and I also entered my maiden name, both visas came back in a couple of minutes as did my husbands. I was impressed how easy it was.

[Ferry_Watcher]

The Carnival Splendor left for a repositioning cruise to Australia on 9/6 from Seattle at the end of it's Alaska cruise season.  Carnival must have heard that some passengers were having problems  navigating the online Australian Visa system.  Carnival actually set up a help desk at Pier 91 to assist any passenger who arrived at embarkation without an Australian Visa. 

On this repositioning sailing, no passenger was denied boarding due to a visa issue.

[Zach1213]

2 hours ago, rg123 said:

I was under the impression that they were very simple to do and could be granted within minutes. 

 

I always joke that the only entry requirement Australia is looking at is that you have a valid credit card 🙂

[birdylady]

Great thread.  I was playing with doing an Australian cruise next year.  When I went to look at Visas, it looked overwhelming as they have MANY types and looked as if it could take months to get. This thread is alleviating my fears.  What type is needed?

 

Thanx

Erika

[IndyCapt]

Following as well…currently have a TP next April. This sounds encouraging on the turnaround time for approval. What type Visa  is necessary and what is the cost?

 Thanks 

[rg123]

I believe it is the subclass 601 with a 20AUD service charge.

Someone please correct me if I’m wrong!!!

[kernow]

37 minutes ago, rg123 said:

I believe it is the subclass 601 with a 20AUD service charge.

Someone please correct me if I’m wrong!!!

Yes, that looks to be correct for US citizens. As a UK citizen I was able to get an evisitor subclass 651 which is free. 

 

You can find out which one you need here

 

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder

 

This is the official government site, others may charge an extra fee so be careful.

[Mikamarii]

I just completed both Aus and NZ ETAs for our Oct transpacific cruise for myself, wife and 2 kids. Took less than 10 minutes each on the app. The longest part was convincing my wife and daughter their picture I took was fine. Both approvals arrived in less than 30 minutes. 

 

I spent more time on the phone with my bank as they flagged my card for fraud for completing two foreign transactions in less than an hour without the card present.

 

ETA: i put my wife's married name first and then put her maiden name under the "have you ever used another name portion"

Edited September 9, 2022 by Mikamarii

[rg123]

7 minutes ago, Mikamarii said:

I just completed both Aus and NZ ETAs for our Oct transpacific cruise for myself, wife and 2 kids. Took less than 10 minutes each on the app. The longest part was convincing my wife and daughter their picture I took was fine. Both approvals arrived in less than 30 minutes. 

 

I spent more time on the phone with my bank as they flagged my card for fraud for completing two foreign transactions in less than an hour without the card present.

 

ETA: i put my wife's married name first and then put her maiden name under the "have you ever used another name portion"

Thank you! Good to know. Just hope there’s no issue if I put both my maiden name and then that of my first marriage in the ‘other names section’

[pcur]

Thanks  for this link.  Just what I need.

[wallyj]

I am traveling on a Transpacific sailing LA to SYD later this month on Princess.

 

A few days ago, I applied for the Australian and NZ ETA’s. I felt the process was simple, use the official APP’s. I am a U.S. citizen so for Australia, I believe the ETA is no charge it is the processing fee of $20 AUD, for NZ on our roll call some passengers were confused about whether they should also pay the IVL, which is essentially a Govt Tourist fee to help fund maintaining resources and the answer is YES you pay this fee. 
 

Both ETA’s were granted in about 10 minutes from submission. YMMV.

 

Since someone posted about the Carnival Splendor sailing SEA to SYD, I had friends on that sailing and they received an email approx 3 weeks from sailing saying you needed to be boosted and you had to have proof of Travel insurance that covered Covid. I believe because their cruise was stopping in Fiji, it is Fiji that requires you to have Covid insurance. I think Carnival was allowing to to buy their insurance at the pier at check in if you did not have insurance .

[mugtech]

What if you have a criminal record?  Is that still part of the application?  Has anyone been denied a visa because of a criminal record?  Possession of an oz of marijuana in 1970 in Pennsylvania was a felony.

[IndyCapt]

Thanks for clarification on this. Does anyone have the link to the Australia ETA app?  I’m understanding it’s best to apply via the app and not the website?

[pcur]

10 minutes ago, IndyCapt said:

Thanks for clarification on this. Does anyone have the link to the Australia ETA app?  I’m understanding it’s best to apply via the app and not the website?

This is what I read, also.  I downloaded it through the App Store on my iphone:  Australian ETA.

 

If you're going to New Zealand, theirs is NZeTA.

[Ferry_Watcher]

6 hours ago, wallyj said:

Since someone posted about the Carnival Splendor sailing SEA to SYD, I had friends on that sailing and they received an email approx 3 weeks from sailing saying you needed to be boosted and you had to have proof of Travel insurance that covered Covid.

A passenger on that cruise actually had to leave Pier 91 and took a taxi to (probably a local drug store) to get a booster.  It was either that, or be denied boarding.

[kernow]

8 hours ago, mugtech said:

What if you have a criminal record?  Is that still part of the application?  Has anyone been denied a visa because of a criminal record?  Possession of an oz of marijuana in 1970 in Pennsylvania was a felony.

Both the NZ and Aus applications ask if you have a criminal record (as does the ESTA that we have to get to come to the US). I don't know what happens if you have, maybe more questions?