Entering Australia
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Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)
An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is equivalent to a visa and allows travel to Australia for a short stay, but there is no stamp or label placed in your passport.
The Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is available online, from participating travel agencies when making travel arrangements, or through participating airlines, as well as at Australian visa offices overseas.
See: Australian Electronic Travel Authority
Visas
If you do not hold an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), you will need to apply for a visa.
See: Visas & Immigration
Transiting through Australia
Most non-Australian citizens passing through Australia must obtain a visa overseas before travelling to Australia.
See: Transiting through Australia
Passports
Passports with no visa label
When your visa is granted, you may not be given a visa label in your passport. This is nothing to worry about, as immigration and customs officers can check your visa details electronically against your passport number.
The most important thing you must remember about not having a visa label in your passport is that you should use the same passport for travel to Australia that you used for your visa application.
New passports
If you obtain a new passport after you have been granted your visa, you must advise the department of your new passport details.
It is especially important that you let the department know about your new passport before you board your 'plane for travel to Australia. If you do not provide this information you may experience significant delays at the airport and may not be allowed to board your 'plane.
See: Contact Us
Multiple passports
You should travel on the same passport used for your visa application. If you need to travel on any other passport you must advise the department of your new passport details.
It is especially important that you let the department know that you will be travelling on another passport before you board your plane for travel to Australia. If you do not provide this information you may experience significant delays at the airport and may not be allowed to board your plane.
See: Contact Us
Checking your visa details
The department has a service called Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) through which registered organisations and visa holders can check visa information online.
If you applied online and provided a password you will be able to check your visa information through the VEVO service.
The department will show your visa information to organisations or other third parties only with your consent. You can consent by giving the organisation your name, date of birth, passport number and passport country of issue. Please do not provide these details if you do not want an organisation to check your visa information.
See: Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)
Further information is available about your visa information.
See: Information form 993i Safeguarding your personal information (72KB PDF file)
Visa grant number
If the department gave you a letter about the grant of your visa, the letter should contain a 'visa grant number'. If you don't have a visa label in your passport, it is important that you remember the visa grant number while you hold your visa. Please keep a copy of the grant letter with you when you travel and while you stay in Australia.