DIY Australian Holiday Visa

Do it online!

You can get your 3-month tourist visa (known as an ETA — Electronic Travel Authority) online with instant confirmation (if your application is all OK) for just £9 direct with the Australian government — so don't let your travel agent con you into that 'added service' for their 'small admin fee' (sometimes £20!).

Your travel agent's 'favour' of organising your visa for £20 (or whatever they charge) isn't always a help! You don't need to have confirmed flights to get your ETA. The ETA is associated with your passport so you can get it before or after you book your flights.

It will take you the same amount of time to type in your details yourself online (if not quicker) as it will to read out all the information to your travel agent (and listen while they type it all in!). Instead you can just pay the AUS$20 on your credit card here http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/ (at the exchange rate of 2.2 that's just over £9).

An Australian tourist visa lasts for a year, and you can travel (each time in that year) for up to 3 months in Australia. If you are lucky enough to take 2 trips to Australia in a year (or more!), then you don't need a new visa the next time (unless you get a new passport).

Don't leave home without it!