Australian Electronic Travel Authority (eta)

[peter991]

What is an ETA?

"An ETA is equivalent to a visa, but there is no stamp or label in your passport and there is no need for you to visit an Australian diplomatic office to submit an application. Applications for ETAs can be submitted through travel agents or airlines.

Applications can be submitted directly to a web site by clicking on the Apply for ETA button and, in most cases, you will be able to get an approved ETA in less than 30 seconds.

The ETA is issued electronically by a computer system operated for the Department of Immigration And Citizenship (DIAC) of Australia.

When an application for an ETA is submitted through the site, all you need to do is enter the details from your passport and your credit card information. The application is processed immediately. Approved applications are electronically recorded on Australian Government systems.

When you arrive at an airport for check-in on a flight to Australia, the airline check-in staff can electronically confirm that you have authority to board the flight to Australia."

That's great if you are from one of the following countries: Travellers holding the following passports may now apply for an ETA through this site: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States Of America or Vatican City.

No mention of Thailand. Why? Because Thailand is considered a High Risk country.

I am wondering if there are any plans to include Thailand on the list. There's a Federal Election coming at the end of this year. Time to put some pressure on powers that be who want to hold onto their seats or want a seat in Canberra?

Your thoughts please.

Peter

[Krub]

What is an ETA?

"An ETA is equivalent to a visa, but there is no stamp or label in your passport and there is no need for you to visit an Australian diplomatic office to submit an application. Applications for ETAs can be submitted through travel agents or airlines.

Applications can be submitted directly to a web site by clicking on the Apply for ETA button and, in most cases, you will be able to get an approved ETA in less than 30 seconds.

The ETA is issued electronically by a computer system operated for the Department of Immigration And Citizenship (DIAC) of Australia.

When an application for an ETA is submitted through the site, all you need to do is enter the details from your passport and your credit card information. The application is processed immediately. Approved applications are electronically recorded on Australian Government systems.

When you arrive at an airport for check-in on a flight to Australia, the airline check-in staff can electronically confirm that you have authority to board the flight to Australia."

That's great if you are from one of the following countries: Travellers holding the following passports may now apply for an ETA through this site: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States Of America or Vatican City.

No mention of Thailand. Why? Because Thailand is considered a High Risk country.

I am wondering if there are any plans to include Thailand on the list. There's a Federal Election coming at the end of this year. Time to put some pressure on powers that be who want to hold onto their seats or want a seat in Canberra?

Your thoughts please.

Peter

Unfortunately I don't think it is going to happen soon.

The list of countries is nearly the same as the list of countries not needing visas to enter the USA, Japan or Europe. It is a club of their own and they will not make it easy for 'poor' Thais to cross their boarders freely.

They are afraid and for many good reasons that if they did it would result in a big wave of potential uncontrolable immigration......

[samran]

haha.

Me thinks it is the other way around. You try to liberalise the visa rules, and little johnny will bang on about how it is he 'who decides to come in for and how long'. It will guarantee him the next election by protecting red blooded Aussies from the yellow peril to the north. Border protection and keeping out people who look funny is a vote winner in Australia.

It is all about image I'm afraid (regardless of the reality), until Thailand does something about the sex industry, Thai girls stop being caught working illegally in knock shops down in OZ(it only has to be one), and Thailand doubles its GDP so it isn't a net exporter of labour (think Malaysia in terms of levels of development), and then you might get Thailand on the e-visa list.

Thing is, young Thai's can already go and work in OZ on working holiday visas. A little known liberalisation that has happened between Australia and Thailand. It isn't all doom and gloom.

[gburns57au]

Thailand is considered high risk and for that reason I cant see any changes in the future....

Nothing to do with little Johnny...it is an immigration issue.