Australia ETA

 

ETA is more like a version or counterpart of the United States’ Electronic System for Travel Authorization or ESTA, a visa waiver program. Eligible nationalities are exempted from processing a visa and instead could just secure an Australia ETA so they could tour or travel anywhere in the country. Australia has entered into agreements to allow travelers from the following countries to use ETA instead of regular visas: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK, the US and Vatican. When the program was started in 1996, it was originally intended to remove requirements for full visas. The authorization to travel to Australia is quickly and easily granted.

 

When a traveler is granted an ETA, his passport number is linked electronically and virtually to the ETA system. In turn, the authorization could be immediately accessed by Australian immigration officials. The country’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship is responsible for issuing the travel authorization.   ETA has three major types, namely, the short validity, business ETA and long validity business visa.   The first two types are valid just for a year in maximum, while the third is valid for life. All will allow any holder to enter Australia anytime and as often as wanted. How to process the authorization? Airlines and travel agencies could facilitate and take care of the procedures.   You could also opt to take the process online; it could only take about 30 seconds to be approved, while confirmation of the application’s success is ensured within 12 hours. Using specified Websites, enter your personal and passport details, plus your credit card data. Upon arrival at any Australia airport, carrier check-in staff could electronically confirm your ETA as well.   There were about 23 million travelers who had been granted ETAs as of June 2007.

Tourism authorities also reveal that such travel authorizations account for almost 80% of overall Australia-bound tourist and business travels from worldwide. An ETA application would cost about A$20, the rate as of January 2009.