RSSFor all non citizens of Australia need a valid visa or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) for entering Australia. But New Zealand citizens are an exception to this rule as they are issued with a visa on arrival at Australia.
You could obtain a visa from Australian embassies/consulates or high commissions. It could also be obtained over the Internet. With an ETA, you don’t need a stamp in your passport, as they are confirmed electronically on your arrival.
Visit the Australian Government's Electronic Travel Authority site to check your eligibility for an online ETA. A service charge of $20 AUD applies for online applications. Some travel agents and airlines may also assit you with visas.
Standard three-month tourist visas are valid for multiple entries over one year. Six-month visas are also available. If you’re on a three-month visa and want to stay longer, you can extend your visa in Melbourne. Contact the Department of Immigration and Citizenship at 2 Lonsdale Street, in Melbourne's city centre (Ph 131 881). Apply at least a month prior to expiration of your visa.
Citizens from Britain, the Republic of Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Malta, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Hong Kong – aged between 18 and 30 and without children – can also apply for a 12-month working holiday visa, which allows the holder to work for up to three months with any one employer. Visas must be arranged several months prior to travel to Australia.
Customs
Prior to landing on Australian soil, you will be given an incoming passenger card to complete, as well as Customs and quarantine forms. Australia has particularly strict quarantine laws – you must declare all goods of animal or plant origin, and you’re not allowed to bring fresh fruit or vegetables into the country.
If you’re unsure about any items, you should declare them. And if you’ve been snacking on the flight, place any leftovers in the amnesty quarantine bins in the arrival area or on the way to the luggage collection bay.
Australian customs regulations allow anyone over 18 to import the following goods duty free: $400 AUD worth of goods, not including alcohol or tobacco; 2.25 litres of alcohol; 250 cigarettes, or 250 grams of cigars or tobacco products (other than cigarettes).
Money
If you are carrying $10,000 AUD cash or more (or foreign currency equivalent) into or out of Australia you will need to fill out a Cross-Border Movement – Physical Currency (CBM-PC) form.
If asked at the border, you must also tell a Customs or police officer, if you are carrying any Bearer Negotiable Instruments (BNIs) – also known as promissory notes, travellers cheques, personal cheques, money orders and postal orders.
Even if the BNI has no face value (for example, a blank cheque), it still needs to be disclosed to a Customs or police officer on request. You will be given a form to fill out if required.
Documents Needed to Enter Australia
Passports: A current Australian passport ensures the holder can enter Australia. A current New Zealand passport ensures the holder can enter Australia, subject to health and character requirements.
Migrant visas: New migrants are issued with a multiple re-entry visa when their immigration to Australia is approved. These visas allow holders to travel to and from Australia as permanent residents for up to five years from the date of grant.
After the initial visa has expired, if the holder wants to continue to travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident, they must obtain a Resident Return Visa (RRV).
Resident Return visas: RRVs allow permanent residents of Australia to re-enter Australia as often as they want during the validity of the visa. RRVs may be valid for five years or three months.
Permanent residents should obtain their RRVs before leaving Australia to avoid travel delays and the need to obtain an RRV through an overseas office of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Permanent residents can also travel with an 'old-style' RRV, such as an Authority to Return or a Return Endorsement. Australian citizens are not eligible for an RRV.
Source: immi.gov.au, visitmelbourne.com
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