Entry Requirements

Passports

For information on how to obtain a passport, go to "Passports," in "Fast Facts." The websites listed provide downloadable passport applications as well as the current fees for processing passport applications. Don't forget that children entering Australia on their parent's passport still need their own visa. For an up-to-date, country-by-country listing of passport requirements around the world, go to the "Foreign Entry Requirement" Web page of the U.S. Department of State at www.travel.state.gov.

Visas

Along with a current passport valid for the duration of your stay, the Australian government requires a visa from visitors of every nation, except New Zealand, to be issued before you arrive. If you are a short-term visitor or business traveler, the process is easy and can be done in a few minutes on the Internet using the Australian government's Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). This is an electronic visa that takes the place of a stamp in your passport.

Tourists should apply for a Visitor ETA. The visa itself is free, though there is a service charge for getting it via the Internet, and permits unlimited visits to Australia of up to 3 months each, within a 1-year period. Tourists may not work in Australia, so if you are visiting for business, you have two choices: Apply for a Short Validity Business ETA, which covers a single visit of 3 months within a 1-year period, or pay A$70 (US$63/£32) to apply for a Long Validity Business visa, which entitles you to as many 3-month stays in Australia as you like, for the life of your passport; but this cannot be done online.

You can apply for an ETA yourself, or have your travel agent or airline do it when you book your plane ticket. (This service may incur an additional fee from the airline or travel agent.) To apply online, visit www.eta.immi.gov.au; the A$20 (US$18/£9) charge is payable by credit card (Amex, Diners Club, MasterCard, or Visa). Assuming you do not have a criminal conviction and are in good health, your ETA should be approved quickly. You can also apply for the visa at Australian embassies, high commissions, and consulates. Children traveling on their parent's passport must have their own ETA.

Fees mentioned in this section are in Australian dollars; the exact amount charged by the Australian embassy, consulate, or high commission in your country will depend on the foreign currency exchange rate.

If your travel agent or airline is not connected to the ETA system, you will need to apply for a visa the old-fashioned way -- by taking or mailing your passport, a completed visa application form, and the appropriate payment to your nearest Australian embassy or consulate.

In the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and many other countries, most agents and airlines are ETA-compatible. You will also need to go the old-fashioned route if you are someone other than a tourist or a business traveler -- for example, a student studying in Australia; a businessperson staying longer than 3 months; a long-term resident; an athlete going for a competition; a member of the media on assignment; a performer; or a member of a social group or cultural exchange. If you fall into one of these categories, you will need to apply for a Temporary Residence visa. Non-ETA visa application fees for other kinds of travelers vary, from free to thousands of dollars. Contact the Australian embassy, consulate, or high commission to check the forms of payment they accept.

Apply for non-ETA visas at Australian embassies, consulates, and high commissions. In the United States, apply to the Australian Embassy, 1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036 (tel. 888/990-8888 toll-free or 202/797-3000; immigration.washington@dfat.gov.au). The website of the Australian Embassy in North America is www.austemb.org.

In Canada, contact the Australian High Commission, Suite 710, 50 O'Connor St., Ottawa, ON K1P 6L2 (tel. 613/236-0841; www.canada.embassy.gov.au).

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, contact the Australian High Commission, Australia House, The Strand, London WC2B 4LA (tel. 09065/508 900 for 24-hr. recorded information, or you can speak to an operator Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; www.australia.org.uk). There is counter service only by appointment at the High Commission in London, and you should obtain an application form for a non-ETA visa by post or over the Internet at the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs website (www.immi.gov.au). This site also has a good explanation of the ETA system. Allow at least a month for processing of non-ETA visas.

U.S., Canadian, British and Irish citizens ages 18 to 30 may qualify for a working holiday visa that allows them to stay and work in Australia for a year (with conditions).

Medical Requirements

You don't have to worry much about health issues on a trip to Australia. Hygiene standards are high, hospitals are modern, and doctors and dentists are well qualified. Because of the continent's size, you can sometimes be a long way from a hospital or a doctor, but help is never far away, thanks to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. However, standard medical travel insurance may be advisable. No vaccinations are needed to enter Australia unless you have been in a yellow fever danger zone -- that is, South America or Africa -- in the 6 days prior to your arrival.

Australian pharmacists may only fill prescriptions written by Australian doctors, so carry enough medication with you for your trip. Doctors are listed under "M," for "Medical Practitioners," in the yellow pages, and most large towns and cities have 24-hour clinics. Failing that, go to the local emergency room.

Contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT; tel. 716/754-4883 or, in Canada, 416/652-0137; www.iamat.org) for tips on travel and health concerns in the countries you're visiting. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (tel. 800/311-3435; www.cdc.gov) provides up-to-date information on health hazards by region or country and offers tips on food safety.

Travel Health Online (www.tripprep.com), sponsored by a consortium of travel medicine practitioners, may also offer helpful advice on traveling abroad. You can find listings of reliable medical clinics overseas at the International Society of Travel Medicine (www.istm.org).

The following government websites offer up-to-date health-related travel advice.

• Australia: www.dfat.gov.au/travel.
• Canada: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html.
• U.K.: www.dh.gov.uk/en/healthcare/Healthadvicefortravellers/index.htm.
• U.S.: www.cdc.gov.