Tourist visa for Australia, Pacific Center
eVISITOR 651 / ETA 601 / VISITOR 600

Tourist visa for Australia

Three ways to visit Australia. For most travellers, the free eVisitor 651 or the ETA 601 is the right choice. The Visitor 600 suits longer or specific stays. We help you pick the right one and lodge the application for you.

3 monthsStay per entry
12 monthsVisa validity
No workWork rights
3 monthsMax study

Three options for a tourist visa

If you hold an eligible passport (EU citizens and selected nationalities), you qualify for the electronic eVisitor or ETA, which makes travel to Australia straightforward. The choice between the three visas depends on the purpose of your trip, planned length of stay, and prior travel history.

The eVisitor (Subclass 651) is free, lodged online, and available to EU citizens. The ETA (Subclass 601) works similarly, lodged via the AustralianETA mobile app or through an agent, with an A$20 service fee. Both allow multiple entries with a stay of up to 3 months per entry and a validity of 12 months.

The Visitor (Subclass 600) is the traditional tourist visa with a longer stay (3, 6, or 12 months). Choose this when you want to stay longer, your application is complex, or you've had a previous visa issue.

Who the tourist visa suits

Tourism
Visit Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, the Great Ocean Road, or Tasmania. The eVisitor and ETA let you travel across Australia for 3 months per entry.
Family visits
If you have family or a partner in Australia, the tourist visa lets you visit them. For stays over 3 months, use the Visitor 600 (Sponsored Family Stream).
Short business trips
Conferences, meetings with Australian partners, market research. Paid work for an Australian employer is not permitted; that requires a work visa.
Short study
Up to 3 months of English or a short course. Ideal for a summer language course or English for Travel before a longer student visa.
Initial scouting
Many of our clients come first on the eVisitor, check Australia out, and only then apply for a Student, Work and Holiday, or Skilled visa. It's not a bad strategy.
Parent stays
For parents who want to come and stay with you longer. The Visitor 600 (Sponsored Family Stream) allows them to stay up to 12 months.

The three visas compared

eVisitor 651
Free. Online via ImmiAccount. For EU citizens. 3 months per entry, 12 months validity, multiple entries. The easiest option for eligible travellers.
ETA 601
A$20 service fee. AustralianETA mobile app or through an agent. Same stay rules as the eVisitor. Practical for short trips.
Visitor 600
A$250 + CC surcharge. Traditional visa, 3, 6, or 12 months stay, Tourist Stream or Sponsored Family Stream. For longer stays or specific family visits.

How it works with Pacific Center

1
Assessing your situation

We discuss the purpose and length of your trip, prior travel history, and recommend the most suitable visa (eVisitor 651, ETA 601, or Visitor 600).

2
Document preparation

The eVisitor and ETA need only your passport and basic details. For the Visitor 600, we build the full package: travel history, financial documents, invitations, and evidence of intent to return home.

3
Lodgement

We lodge through ImmiAccount. The eVisitor 651 is usually granted within 1 to 7 days; the Visitor 600 takes a few weeks.

4
Monitoring and post-arrival support

We monitor the visa grant, and once you arrive, we help with Medicare, accommodation, a SIM card, and transport. If you want to extend or switch to a different visa, we take care of it.

FAQ

Do I even need an agent for the eVisitor if it's free and online

For simple tourist trips with no complications (no criminal record, no prior visa refusals, no overstay), you can lodge the eVisitor yourself. Pacific Center mainly helps when there's something unusual in the application, when you plan to extend the trip into something longer, or when you want certainty that everything is right.

Can I earn at least something on a tourist visa

No. Any paid work in Australia on a tourist visa breaches the conditions and can lead to visa cancellation, deportation, and a 3-year entry ban. If you want to work in Australia, apply for the Work and Holiday 462 or the Student Visa 500 (which allows 48 hours per fortnight during semester).

What happens if I overstay

Even a single-day overstay leads to visa cancellation, a 3-year entry ban, and negative consequences for future applications. If you realise you need to stay longer, lodge a new visa application BEFORE your current one expires.

Can I move from a tourist visa to a student or work visa

Usually yes, provided your tourist visa doesn't carry condition 8503 (No Further Stay). If it does, the condition can be waived in certain circumstances. We help with the assessment and lodge a new application from within Australia.

My parent wants to visit me, which visa do they need

If your parent is an EU citizen, they use the eVisitor 651 (up to 3 months) or the Visitor 600 (Tourist Stream) for up to 12 months. For older parents, there's also the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa 870, which allows a 3 or 5 year stay but requires sponsorship and a higher fee.

What if I've had a prior refusal or overstay

In that case the eVisitor will likely not be granted automatically and you'll need the Visitor 600 with a detailed explanation. This is exactly the situation where a registered migration agent makes the difference between a grant and a refusal.

What's the difference between eVisitor 651 and ETA 601

Functionally almost identical. The eVisitor 651 is free and only for EU citizens and selected nationalities, lodged via ImmiAccount or through an agent. The ETA 601 costs an A$20 service fee, lodged via the AustralianETA mobile app or through an agent. For EU passport holders, the eVisitor is usually more practical.

Not sure which visa to choose

Book a free 30-minute consultation. We walk through your situation and recommend the right option. MARA-registered agent, multilingual support.

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Information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute migration advice under the Migration Act 1958. Tailored advice on your situation can be provided by a registered migration agent in an individual consultation. Fees, quotas, and requirements may change; the official source is immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.