Australia is a fantastic place for your next trip. It’s a beautiful place for US citizens who love nature, but the country also offers business opportunities. Therefore, if Australia is part of your travel plans, you will need a visa to enter Australia. US citizens can apply for Electronic Travel Authorization. (ETA)

Electronic Travel Authorization is one of the electronic Australian tourist visas. The Australian government developed this Australian ETA to facilitate the influx of tourists into the country without needing embassy appointments to get a valid visa. But, it is vital to know that Australian immigration only permits business travel and tourism with this visa. If you are traveling to Australia for medical treatment or work, you will need other travel documents to go to the country.

USA passport holders may apply for an ETA online, which is the best way to acquire an Australia visa. Application takes only a few minutes, and they will send the ETA document to your email once it’s ready. It is not expensive and doesn’t take much of your time compared to a paper visa.

In this article, you can get an Australia ETA Visa for USA citizens and everything you need to know about it.

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How to Apply for Australian ETA for US Citizens

 Australian ETA visa for US citizens

Electronic Australian visa was introduced in 1996 by the department of Home Affairs. Since then, many countries have been qualified to enter Australia without long waiting periods for documents at the embassy. USA passport holders fall in the group of nationals eligible to apply for an Australian ETA.

The Australian visa application form takes about 30 minutes to be completed. You only need a few documents and a mobile device connected to the internet to get it done. When you are done applying online, your visa notification will be sent to your email once it is ready. Other than providing the supposed documentation during the visa application, the ETA has an additional policy that; visitors cannot have a criminal record to be eligible for an ETA.

This document is electronically linked to your passport number in order t enable the immigration officer to check the status of passengers arriving in the country. This visa is known as a Multiple Entry visa; hence, if you have gotten the visa for the USA online, you are free to enter Australia multiple times in 1 year after it’s been issued to you.

Note that visitors are not allowed to apply for their ETA from Australia. They will need to complete their application from the USA or any other country outside of Australia to be eligible to get into the country.

Read about the application steps and processing times to get the document to enter Australia.

Electronic Travel Authorization visa requirements to visit Australia

You will need the following documents:

1. Valid passport: Your passport needs to be valid for a maximum of not less than six months from your arrival in Australia.

2. You must have a means of online payment: since you are required to make an online payment, you should have a credit or debit card.

3. You must have an email address: The email address is used to communicate an important message or information.

4. Health requirements and panel physicians

Australia enjoys the best health standards in the world. So to maintain these standards, all visa applicants must meet a specific minimum health standard to be granted a visa.

5. Character requirements

Anyone who wants to enter Australia must be of good character and is assessed against the character requirements. 

It is time to fill out the Australian ETA form if you have all the necessary documents. You should follow these 3 simple steps:

First, you will need to fill out the online form on the visa application page with 

your personal information, contact details,  and passport information.

Second, you are advised to double-check the information you filled in to ensure there is no error in the information you provided. You can choose how soon you want to get your ETA if everything is correctly filled in.

Third, Pay for visa services with your debit or credit card and apply.

Remember that you cannot apply for this document if you have criminal convictions or records.

Processing time and visa fee

The visa price depends on how soon you want to receive the document. There are three options for each :

1. For standard processing, that is in 24 hours – USD $81.99. This may also be the longest processing time, but it is considered the most affordable and comfortable for most travelers.

2. For rush processing, within 4 hours – USD $133.99. You must choose this option if you want to get your ETA faster.

3. For super rush processing within 2 hours – USD $196.99. This is the fastest option that can be offered to you. The ETA to travel to Australia will be sent to your email as soon as possible.

Conclusion 

Getting an Australian ETA visa for USA citizens is possible following due process. How to get an Australia ETA visa for USA citizens is in detail here.

1. What is the best time to APPLY FOR MY AUSTRALIAN VISA?

Getting your Australia document ahead of time can be helpful as it reduces stress from the planning process. This visa can also be processed within 24 hours or less but will cost more than when it is processed ahead of time.

2. How long can a person stay in Australia with a travel visa Australia?

This travel document is only valid for 1 year after issue or at the exact expiration date of your passport, whichever comes first.

If your visa expires while in Australia, you must go back to your country and apply for a new ETA before returning.

3. Who is eligible to apply for an Australia ETA? 

The only people allowed to acquire Australian ETA visas are citizens from 7 eligible countries. These eligible countries include Canada, Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong, Brunei, Japan, and South Korea.