Canadians need to get a ETA for Australia question.

[gam888]

We are Canadian citizens and would need to apply for an ETA (subclass 600) visa to visit Australia. We are considering visiting Australia in the beginning of February 2025 on a cruise. I am trying to find some information about when I should start to apply for the ETA visa for Australia. I have read that you might be granted a 3 month, 6 month, or 12 month visa. The processing time might be a month? I think on the application form there is a question asking you when you plan to visit Australia. I am wondering if I put down February 1, 2025, if I apply for this visa soon, and if it's approved let's say by November, and let's say they approve a visa that is valid for 3 months, then by the time I really need to use it for February 2025, it will almost be expired! Or would the visa start being effective on February 2025 according to what I put down on the application form? I don't want to apply way too early, but I just want to have plenty of time to get the visa in case I want to advance my travel day. I can't find any offices or organization on the the internet that I can send a email to regarding this question. Does anyone have any information about this, or can direct me where to get this information? Thank you in advance.

[SinbadThePorter]

The Australia ETA is valid for a year from date of issue.

 

The ETA is not a visa, it's a visa waiver.

 

It's assigned to your passport so if your passport runs out during the ETA period, so does your ETA.

 

You don't need an application form, there is an app you install on your phone that will answer your questions and allow you to apply over the internet.

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.gov.homeaffairs.eta&hl=en_AU

 

There is a small cost.

Edited Friday at 04:02 AM by SinbadThePorter

[isnowman]

5 hours ago, gam888 said:

We are Canadian citizens and would need to apply for an ETA (subclass 600) visa to visit Australia. We are considering visiting Australia in the beginning of February 2025 on a cruise. I am trying to find some information about when I should start to apply for the ETA visa for Australia. I have read that you might be granted a 3 month, 6 month, or 12 month visa. The processing time might be a month? I think on the application form there is a question asking you when you plan to visit Australia. I am wondering if I put down February 1, 2025, if I apply for this visa soon, and if it's approved let's say by November, and let's say they approve a visa that is valid for 3 months, then by the time I really need to use it for February 2025, it will almost be expired! Or would the visa start being effective on February 2025 according to what I put down on the application form? I don't want to apply way too early, but I just want to have plenty of time to get the visa in case I want to advance my travel day. I can't find any offices or organization on the the internet that I can send a email to regarding this question. Does anyone have any information about this, or can direct me where to get this information? Thank you in advance.

Hi gam888,

Fellow Canadian who just went through ETA process. The above post from Sinbad was spot on, I'll add what we went through. Download the Australian ETA from the app store. Once installed it's very easy to navigate, added my spouse when asked if we wanted to add another applicant. Was approved less than 10 minutes after applying. 

The terms of the Visa are it is valid for 1 year after application date, period of stay 3 months, multiple entry and NO WORK, business visitor activity only. Total cost for 2 visas was $38.00 CDN.

Hope this helps.

[yarramar]

6 hours ago, gam888 said:

We are Canadian citizens and would need to apply for an ETA (subclass 600) visa to visit Australia. We are considering visiting Australia in the beginning of February 2025 on a cruise. I am trying to find some information about when I should start to apply for the ETA visa for Australia. I have read that you might be granted a 3 month, 6 month, or 12 month visa. The processing time might be a month? I think on the application form there is a question asking you when you plan to visit Australia. I am wondering if I put down February 1, 2025, if I apply for this visa soon, and if it's approved let's say by November, and let's say they approve a visa that is valid for 3 months, then by the time I really need to use it for February 2025, it will almost be expired! Or would the visa start being effective on February 2025 according to what I put down on the application form? I don't want to apply way too early, but I just want to have plenty of time to get the visa in case I want to advance my travel day. I can't find any offices or organization on the the internet that I can send a email to regarding this question. Does anyone have any information about this, or can direct me where to get this information? Thank you in advance.

Get your ETA as soon as possible. It is subclass 601, the 600 is much more expensive and onerous. This site is the one you need to explain which visa you are eligible for and instructions on getting it. I think there is a video on there to walk you through the process, if not, YouTube has them.

In a nutshell, the ETA is approx AUD$20.00 each and you need a phone or tablet with NFC & camera. You get the app from your phone's app store, download it and follow the instructions.

The ETA is valid for stays of 3 months at a time for 12 months and starts only once you arrive at immigration. That is, if you wait for 11 months and 29 days after it being granted before landing in Australia, you then can stay here for 3 months, go away & come back, etc.

[gam888]

On 9/26/2024 at 11:39 PM, gam888 said:

y too early, but I just want to have plenty of time to get the visa in case I want to advance my travel day. I can't find any offices or organization on the the internet that I can send a email to regarding this question. Does anyone have any information about this, or can direct me where to get this information? Thank you in advance.

Thank you everyone for replying my post. Do I have to download the app and apply for the ETA on my phone, or can I just use the link and apply for the ETA on the website on my computer? I am more comfortable using my keyboard to type on my desk top than trying to look at the small prints on the phone. 

Yarramar: You mentioned that the subclass 601 is the one to apply for, the 600 is more onerous? Please explain more if you can about the differences. I looked at the description of them on the website, and they both seem to be for visitors who want to just visit and not to work. On the application form, would it be easier to indicate that I would be visiting for "tourism" purpose, or to indicate "visiting friends or family". In my situation, could be a bit or both. 

 

So just to verify, my understanding so far, it's I can apply for the ETA earlier, if my travel date starts on February 1, 2025, it doesn't matter what is the estimated travel date I indicate on the application form, when the ETA is approved, it does not start on that date. It only starts on the first date I actually travel to Australia? So for example, if I get the ETA approved by November 1, 2024, it will expire by October 31, 2025. The ETA is valid for 12 months from the date it is approved, I can stay in Australia for 3 months any time during that 12 months period? Is the ETA always valid for 12 months? Thank you in advance.

[Bubbeh]

Crikey I'm glad I'm a local.  Reading all that about VISAs/ETAs seems almost as complex as getting a VISA for India.  Struth, now that was a nightmare!

Edited 22 hours ago by Bubbeh

[possum52]

14 hours ago, gam888 said:

Thank you everyone for replying my post. Do I have to download the app and apply for the ETA on my phone, or can I just use the link and apply for the ETA on the website on my computer? I am more comfortable using my keyboard to type on my desk top than trying to look at the small prints on the phone. 

Yarramar: You mentioned that the subclass 601 is the one to apply for, the 600 is more onerous? Please explain more if you can about the differences. I looked at the description of them on the website, and they both seem to be for visitors who want to just visit and not to work. On the application form, would it be easier to indicate that I would be visiting for "tourism" purpose, or to indicate "visiting friends or family". In my situation, could be a bit or both. 

 

So just to verify, my understanding so far, it's I can apply for the ETA earlier, if my travel date starts on February 1, 2025, it doesn't matter what is the estimated travel date I indicate on the application form, when the ETA is approved, it does not start on that date. It only starts on the first date I actually travel to Australia? So for example, if I get the ETA approved by November 1, 2024, it will expire by October 31, 2025. The ETA is valid for 12 months from the date it is approved, I can stay in Australia for 3 months any time during that 12 months period? Is the ETA always valid for 12 months? Thank you in advance.

Visa subclass 600 is not an ETA , it also costs $195 per person. 

 

[yarramar]

The 600 visa can be done on a PC

The 601 is a travel authority or visa waver. It is $AUD 20 and must be done on the app.

If you cannot do it yourself, you can get someone to help you on their phone, but it must be on the app.

[arxcards]

There are alternatives. 

It must be done on the app. However, I can see my phone and all of its apps on my PC using Phone Link (I am using a Samsung S phone and Android/Google Play with a windoze PC). I don't know if you are using anything compatible and if Apple has a similar option, but for me, I am able to use my apps with a large screen & keyboard on my PC that way.

[yarramar]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

There are alternatives. 

It must be done on the app. However, I can see my phone and all of its apps on my PC using Phone Link (I am using a Samsung S phone and Android/Google Play with a windoze PC). I don't know if you are using anything compatible and if Apple has a similar option, but for me, I am able to use my apps with a large screen & keyboard on my PC that way.

Apple has Microsoft Phone Link but it only works with texting and calling contacts. It won't let you use apps.

The other alternative is to download an android emulator on a PC. This is popular for gamers to play mobile phone game apps but would be too much trouble for something like the ETA app. The other thing is that the phone must have NFC (I assume to communicate with the passport), the passport is captured by the app and uploaded and the camera to upload the applicants photo, possibly using facial recognition.  

[arxcards]

16 minutes ago, yarramar said:

Apple has Microsoft Phone Link but it only works with texting and calling contacts. It won't let you use apps.

The other alternative is to download an android emulator on a PC. This is popular for gamers to play mobile phone game apps but would be too much trouble for something like the ETA app. The other thing is that the phone must have NFC (I assume to communicate with the passport), the passport is captured by the app and uploaded and the camera to upload the applicants photo, possibly using facial recognition.  

I can have a PC format view or an emulated view of the phone screen. It mirrors the phone, do the photo taken on the phone also shows on the PC. All moot for me anyway, I will never need an Aussie ETA.