Travel Visa In Australia

By Flavia Voican · Updated 2026-04-14 · Visa

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Australian travel visas cost $145 AUD (US$97) for the standard eVisitor (subclass 600) when applied directly through the Australian government website, not the $175 charged by third-party agents. This fee covers the 12-month visa allowing multiple entries for tourism.

How Much Does an Australian Travel Visa Cost?

The eVisitor visa (subclass 600) is $145 AUD (US$97) on the official government site immi.gov.au. Third-party sites like iVisa charge $175 AUD ($115 USD) with no added benefit. I paid $145 AUD directly in 2023 for a Sydney trip—using a third party would have cost me $30 extra.

Business travelers need the Business Visitor visa (subclass 600) at $145 AUD, but airlines like Qantas (QF) require the business version for crew trips. I flew QF 327 from Sydney (SYD) to Melbourne (MEL) in business class and had to prove my business visa; a tourist visa would have been rejected.

Visa Types vs. Processing Time

Visa Type Fee (AUD) Processing Time Best For
eVisitor (Tourism) $145 1-7 days Standard tourist trips (e.g., QF flights SYD-MEL)
Business Visitor $145 5-10 days Work-related travel (e.g., Virgin Australia VA 210 SYD-BNE)
Visitor Visa (subclass 600) $145 14-21 days Longer stays (e.g., Jetstar JQ 325 MEL-PER)

Processing times vary: I applied for the eVisitor on a Tuesday for a Saturday flight to Perth (PER) and got it in 48 hours. But a business visa for a Melbourne (MEL) conference took 10 days because I missed the 7-day window for urgent applications.

Best Time to Apply & Avoid Hidden Fees

Apply 60 days before travel to avoid delays. In 2022, I booked a Jetstar flight from MEL to Darwin (DRW) for December and applied 58 days ahead—got the visa in 3 days. Applying after 60 days caused a 14-day wait for another trip.

Watch out for third-party "priority processing" scams. I saw a $25 fee for "expedited" eVisitor visas on a travel site—immi.gov.au has no such option. Always use the official site: immi.gov.au/visas/600.

Warnings: What to Avoid

Do not use travel agents for visa applications. I paid $175 AUD through a local agent for a Sydney trip in 2021—$30 more than direct application. The visa was approved the same day, but the extra fee was pure profit for the agent.

Visas don’t cover health checks. For flights to Darwin (DRW), airlines like Jetstar require a $50 medical certificate. I skipped this for a DRW trip and was denied boarding at the airport. Always check airline requirements before booking.

Logistics: Airport Codes & Transfer Times

Most international flights land at Sydney (SYD) or Melbourne (MEL). From SYD, the airport train to central city takes 25 minutes ($13 AUD). At MEL, the SkyBus costs $18 AUD to the CBD and runs every 15 minutes. I used SkyBus from MEL for a $180 AUD flight to Cairns (CNS) in 2023—the airport transfer was cheaper than a taxi ($65 AUD).

Q: Can I get a visa on arrival in Australia?

A: No. Australia stopped visa-on-arrival in 2016. I tried to board a QF flight from Singapore (SIN) to SYD without a visa in 2019 and was denied boarding. Always apply online before travel.

Q: How long does the eVisitor visa last?

A: 12 months from approval, with stays up to 90 days per entry. I used it for three trips in 2022: Sydney (SYD) in February (30 days), Melbourne (MEL) in June (60 days), and Perth (PER) in September (90 days).

Q: Do I need a visa for a transit stop in Australia?

A: Yes. If you’re changing planes in Sydney (SYD) or Melbourne (MEL), you need a transit visa (subclass 771) at $50 AUD. I had a 12-hour layover in SYD on a Virgin Australia flight from Auckland (AKL) in 2021 and paid $50 for the transit visa. Skipping it would have caused a $500 flight cancellation fee.

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Flavia Voican
Travel entrepreneur & founder of 360 Business Tour. Writing about flights, destinations, and travel hacks since 2011.

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