Applications with no health or character issues are frequently decided automatically — often in minutes to a few days. There is no service standard that guarantees it.
What causes a longer wait
- A health declaration that requires assessment
- A declared criminal conviction
- Details that do not match the passport
- A previous visa refusal or cancellation
How far ahead to apply
The visa is valid 12 months from grant, so applying early costs nothing — but note that the clock starts at grant, not at travel. Applying a few weeks before departure is the usual balance.
There is no paid priority processing for the eVisitor. Sites offering it are selling a form-filling service.
More on the eVisitor
Validity
An eVisitor lasts 12 months from the date of grant, or until your passport expires, and allows as many entries as you like within that period.
Length of stay
Up to 3 months per entry, with conditions: no work for an Australian employer and study limited to 3 months.
Check your status
Where the grant notice is sent, how to check an existing visa through VEVO, and what to do if the email never arrives.
FAQ
Short answers to the questions travellers ask most about Australia's free visitor visa.
Three months per visit
The eVisitor lasts twelve months, but each visit is capped at three months. The two numbers are separate, and mixing them up is the most common planning error.
Leaving and returning
Each entry restarts the three-month clock, but back-to-back visits attract questions, and the border officer can refuse entry.