Australian Tourist Visa - British Passport

[eek]

Will be traveling to Australia for the first time in a couple of months from now. Intend to stay two-three weeks only.

I live here in Thailand, have done for quite some time now.

My passport is British.

Just wondered what visa i need (checked out http://www.immi.gov.au but first hand experiences would be really appreciated).

Is a visa on arrival possible or must apply for an e-tourist visa? Seems to be three different kinds of temp e-visas, but im guessing the "e676 Tourist Visa" is the one i would need?

Would they have any issues about me living here at all? (Of course dont see why tbh, but you never know!)

Thank you in advance!

[edwinclapham]

Hi Eeek.

No issues with you living in Thailand at all.

You can get your 3 month visa on line free of charge for Oz. holding a British passport. It usually comes through within a day or so.

Until I received my PR for Oz I travelled very easily on this visa.

Will take a look at your link also.

There are no visa on arrivals for Australia at all. Your Airline at point of embarkation must see a valid visa (electronic) before travel.

http://www.immi.gov....eligibility.htm

http://www.immi.gov....ow-to-apply.htm

Hopefully this link should take you straight to your on line application form https://www.ecom.imm.../app/uu?form=TV

This visa will entitle you to enter Australia as many times as you want for 3 months within the 12 month duration.

Edited April 19, 2012 by edwinclapham

[eek]

Thank you very very much!

[edwinclapham]

Thank you very very much!

Enjoy yourself Eeek and you are very welcome.

[Will27]

Just a small correction.

There is a $20 service fee for the s/c 976 online.

Regards

Will

[edwinclapham]

Just a small correction.

There is a $20 service fee for the s/c 976 online.

Regards

Will

Will, it is absolutely FOC. I use this service constantly for family and friends. Somewhere on some web sites it mentions $20 but no payment is ever required.

[Maestro]

I suspect edwinclapham and Will27 are talking about two different types of visa. Will27 mentions s/c976, ie "ETA (Visitor) (subclass 976)"; edwinclapham does not mention the visa type but as his post is in reply to a post mentioning the "e676 Tourist Visa" it is obviously with reference to that type, ie "Tourist (subclass 676)".

Information about visa fees is on this page of the website of Australian immigration: http://www.immi.gov....90i/tourist.htm. 976 is free but a service charge of AUD 20 applies. 676 is free, without service charge. A UK national qualifies for both types.

[eek]

(Edit: posted same time as Maesto)

Hi Will. I confirm that edwin is correct. No money was asked for at all. I applied online a couple of hours ago.

More detail here: http://www.immi.gov....sa/evisitor.htm

eVisitor is available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for applicants outside Australia who want to visit Australia for tourism or business purposes.

eVisitor applications are free. There is no application charge or service fee.

An eVisitor allows the holder to travel to Australia as many times as required within the validity period, which is 12 months from the date of issue. The maximum length of each visit is three months.

An eVisitor application has to be completed by all family members travelling to Australia, including children.

Some other e-visas stated 19 Euro, (including the eta/e676) but this one free.

Edited April 19, 2012 by eek

[oldsailor35]

Hi Eeek.

No issues with you living in Thailand at all.

You can get your 3 month visa on line free of charge for Oz. holding a British passport. It usually comes through within a day or so.

Until I received my PR for Oz I travelled very easily on this visa.

Will take a look at your link also.

There are no visa on arrivals for Australia at all. Your Airline at point of embarkation must see a valid visa (electronic) before travel.

http://www.immi.gov....eligibility.htm

http://www.immi.gov....ow-to-apply.htm

Hopefully this link should take you straight to your on line application form https://www.ecom.imm.../app/uu?form=TV

This visa will entitle you to enter Australia as many times as you want for 3 months within the 12 month duration.

I do not see any mention there of Thai pp holders. Any problem here.

[edwinclapham]

Hi Eeek.

No issues with you living in Thailand at all.

You can get your 3 month visa on line free of charge for Oz. holding a British passport. It usually comes through within a day or so.

Until I received my PR for Oz I travelled very easily on this visa.

Will take a look at your link also.

There are no visa on arrivals for Australia at all. Your Airline at point of embarkation must see a valid visa (electronic) before travel.

http://www.immi.gov....eligibility.htm

http://www.immi.gov....ow-to-apply.htm

Hopefully this link should take you straight to your on line application form https://www.ecom.imm.../app/uu?form=TV

This visa will entitle you to enter Australia as many times as you want for 3 months within the 12 month duration.

I do not see any mention there of Thai pp holders. Any problem here.

Hi Old Sailor, My Thai wife holds Australian citizenship so I am not the best person to advise you on this one.

Enclosing the link for eligible persons able to apply on line http://www.immi.gov....eligibility.htm

I do believe Thai passports holders have to apply in person through an agent or Oz Embassy but someone should be around shortly to put you on the right path I am sure.

Edited to add: Just found another thread which might give you some answers http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/541655-australian-visa-for-gf/

Edited April 19, 2012 by edwinclapham

[gburns57au]

Thai passport holders are not eligible for the E Visa.

[tombkk]

I also carry a EU passport (German) and can report from experience, as the OP asked.

I have done the online thing for a couple of years, it is always valid for 2 years or until the passport expires.

The airline checks whether you have the visa. They should usually be able to verify this in the computer with your passport number when you check in, but that not always works. Therefore, print out the visa approval and bring it with you, it shows a visa number that they can check too.

Note that the airline is not allowed to check you in unless you have the visa, see here.

[harrry]

You will have to check this out yourself as I cannot guarantee it but Australian Medicare and the UK nhs have a reciprocal agreement so you may if you are lucky be covered for healthcare.

[eek]

You will have to check this out yourself as I cannot guarantee it but Australian Medicare and the UK nhs have a reciprocal agreement so you may if you are lucky be covered for healthcare.

Wow..really? Thank you harry, will see if i can find out more.

[harrry]

You will have to check this out yourself as I cannot guarantee it but Australian Medicare and the UK nhs have a reciprocal agreement so you may if you are lucky be covered for healthcare.

Wow..really? Thank you harry, will see if i can find out more.

http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/migrants/visitors/uk.jsp

may help....

[eek]

You will have to check this out yourself as I cannot guarantee it but Australian Medicare and the UK nhs have a reciprocal agreement so you may if you are lucky be covered for healthcare.

Wow..really? Thank you harry, will see if i can find out more.

http://www.medicarea...visitors/uk.jsp

may help....

Was just looking at this as you posted

Thank you.

I havent been a resident of UK for some years though, so may not be eligible sadly. Will read in more depth. Helpful for others in any case.

[edwinclapham]

I confirm that you will be eligible for Medicare Eek.

If you require urgent medical help, just present yourself at a hospital and if you require a GP only, keep your receipts and head for your nearest Medicare Office where you will be reimbursed a percentage of your prescription and consulting fees.

NB On presentation of your British passport this is usually sufficient.

Reciprocal cover does not cover ambulance costs/flying doctors and these fees vary from state to state and can be crippling.

I believe you will be in Queensland Eek, where AC's are attributed to a residents electricity bill and Tasmania is also exempt. St. John's usually do a very cheap cover.

Edited April 22, 2012 by edwinclapham

[eek]

Edwin, you are proving to be a bit of a guardian angel to me! Maybe one day can say hello down under. In the meantime, just a big thank you.