Travellers often assume these are two routes to the same thing and pick whichever looks easier. They are not interchangeable. Your passport decides which one you are eligible for, and applying for the wrong one wastes both time and, in the case of the ETA, money.
eVisitor (subclass 651)
- Free of charge. There is no application fee and no service fee.
- Open to passport holders from 36 eligible countries, largely European.
- Applied for online, through the Department of Home Affairs.
ETA (subclass 601)
- Costs AUD $20, charged as a service fee.
- Applied for through the official mobile app, not the website.
- Covers a different list of passports — including several that eVisitor does not.
What is the same
Both allow visits of up to 3 months at a time and stay valid for 12 months. Both are electronically linked to your passport, so there is nothing to print or carry. Neither lets you work.
If you hold two passports, check both. It is common for one to qualify for the free eVisitor while the other only qualifies for the paid ETA.
Source: Department of Home Affairs — eVisitor (subclass 651)
More on the eVisitor
If refused
A refusal changes what you must do next. What to check, what not to do, and why reapplying immediately is usually the wrong move.
Children
Every traveller needs their own visa, including infants. Children are not covered by a parent's eVisitor, and the application is made the same way.
New passport
The visa is linked to the passport it was granted against. Renewing or replacing that passport does not cancel the visa, but you must tell the Department.
Which one do I need?
Similar names, very different rules. Which scheme applies to which destination, what each costs, and the mistakes that come from mixing them up.
After you land
Your visa gets you on the plane. What comes after — SmartGate, cash, tax refunds, healthcare, driving, emergencies — checked against official sources.
SmartGate on arrival
Arrival SmartGates take travellers aged 7+ on any valid passport during an ABF trial. The paper Incoming Passenger Card is still required.