Electronic Travel Authority

An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is an authorization for entry to Australia available to holders of certain states' passports. Established in 1996 to remove the need for some people to apply for full visas, they can be applied for over the Internet, through travel agents and through airlines. Unless there is some problem with the application, the ETA is granted immediately. Unlike ordinary visas, when an ETA is issued, no stamp or other documentation is added to the holder's passport; instead the computer-based system links the passport number to the ETA and is accessible by immigration officials.cite web|url=http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/55eta.htm|title=Australian Immigration Fact Sheet 55: Electronic Travel Authority|publisher=Department of Immigration and Citizenship|accessdate=2007-08-31]

ETAs are issued by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship in three different types: the short-validity tourist and business ETAs, each valid for one year [cite web|title=What types of ETA are there?|url=http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/ETAAus3En.html|publisher=Department of Immigration and Citizenship|accessdate=2007-08-31] and the long-validity business visa, valid for the life of the holder's passport. [cite web|title=ETA (Business Entrant)(Subclass 956 and 977)|url=http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/business/956-977/index.htm|publisher=Department of Immigration and Citizenship|accessdate=2007-08-31] All three types allow entry as often as desired during the validity of the ETA for stays of up to three months (and for a stay up to three months beyond the expiration of the ETA provided entry is during the validity period). None of them allow the holder to take up new paid employment.cite web| title=ETA - FAQ| accessdate=2007-08-31 | publisher=Department of Immigration and Citizenship | url=http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/ETAInfoFAQFrameEn.html]

As of June 2007, more than 23 million people had been granted ETAs and ETAs accounted for almost 80% of all tourist and short-term business visas granted worldwide.

Eligible passports

Holders of thirty-four different passports are eligible for ETAs: [cite web|title= ETA Eligibility| publisher=Department of Immigration and Citizenship | url=http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/976/eligibility.htm| accessdate=2007-12-07]

*AND
*AUT
*BEL
*BRN
*CAN
*DEN
*FIN
*FRA
*GER
*GRE
*HKG (Hong Kong SAR passport)
*ISL
*IRL
*ITA
*JPN
*LIE
*LUX
*MYS
*MLT
*MON
*NED
*NOR
*POR
*SIN
*KOR
*ESP
*SWE
*SUI
*ROC-TW
*UK, including British National (Overseas)
*USA
*VAT

Holders of Taiwan (ROC) passports must be resident in and apply from within Taiwan and are not able to apply online. Holders of British National (Overseas) passports must be resident in and apply from within Hong Kong. New Zealanders are not eligible for the ETA, but may enter Australia without giving notice; they are given a Special Category Visa on arrival.

Only British citizens and British National (Overseas) are eligible for ETA. Other British passport holders (even if they have the right of abode in the UK) are not eligible. [http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/travel/passport/results.aspx?SID=10CE19A9B34B4CD0AD487906DBBA8461]

Reciprocity

Some countries regard the ETA as being equivalent to visa-free travel when deciding whether to grant the same to Australians wishing to enter their territory. The United States, for example, offers their Visa Waiver Program to Australian passport-holders, [cite web|url=http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#2|title=Visa Waiver Program (VWP)|publisher=U.S. Department of State|accessdate=2007-08-31] and one of the conditions for joining this scheme is that "Governments provide reciprocal visa-free travel for U.S. citizens (90 days for tourism or business purposes)". [cite web|url=http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1255.html|title=Visa Waiver Program - How a Country Qualifies|publisher=U.S. Department of State|accessdate=2007-08-31] Japan has also granted visa-free access to Australians. [cite web|url=http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/media-releases/1998/r98145.htm|title=Visa Free Entry to Japan for Short-term Visitors from Australia|publisher=Department of Immigration and Citizenship|year=1998-11-05|accessdate=2007-08-31]

Whilst several countries in the European Union have access to the ETA system, not all of them regard it as being visa-free travel. [cite web|url=http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2006:0003:FIN:EN:DOC|title=Report from the Commission to the Council - on visa waiver reciprocity with certain third countries, COM(2006) 3 final|publisher=Commission of the European Communities|format=.doc|accessdate=2007-08-31] As a matter of EU policy, however, none of them impose reciprocal requirements on Australian nationals for short-term stays. [cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/fsj/freetravel/visa/fsj_freetravel_visa_en.htm|title=Same visa policy for all European Union Member States|publisher=EUROPA|accessdate=2007-08-31] [cite journal|title=Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001|journal=Official Journal of the European Communities|author=Office for Official Publications of the European Communities|url=http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2001/l_081/l_08120010321en00010007.pdf|date=2001-03-21|volume=44|issue=L 81|pages=1–7; Article 1(2) and Annex II|id=ISSN|0378-6978|format=subscription required] (The United Kingdom and Ireland are exempt from this particular EU policy, but still do not impose any short-term visa requirements on Australians.) [cite web|url=http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1020786334922|title=Visa and Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) nationals|publisher=UK Visas|accessdate=2007-08-31] [cite web|url=http://193.178.1.205/services/visa/01.asp|title=Do I need a visa to come to Ireland?|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs, Government of Ireland|accessdate=2007-08-31]

ee also

*Immigration
*Immigration to Australia
*Tourism in Australia
*Special purpose visa
*Permanent Resident of Norfolk Island visa

References

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