Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to use the Australian Transit Visa Subclass 771
Australian Transit Visa Subclass 771 is the transit visa listed by the Australian Department of Home Affairs, and the stay it allows is no longer than 72 hours. [1] A separate authorisation, the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601), is listed by the same department as allowing stays of up to 3 months at a time. [2]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- The Transit Visa (subclass 771) is the Australian transit visa on the Department of Home Affairs visa listing, and the stay it grants is no longer than 72 hours. [1]
- The subclass 771 listing was last updated on 8 September 2026, so the 72-hour figure is the position published on that date. [1]
- The Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) is a separate authorisation with a much longer stay — up to 3 months at a time — and carries a AUD20 service charge to use the Australian ETA app, with no other charge payable for an ETA. [2]
What does Australian Transit Visa Subclass 771 allow?
Subclass 771 is the transit visa in the Department of Home Affairs visa listing for Australia. [1] The stay attached to it is no longer than 72 hours. [1] That figure is the ceiling the department publishes for the visa, and it was last updated on 8 September 2026. [1]
Because the published window is counted in hours rather than days, any plan built around subclass 771 has to fit inside a very short space of time, with the 72 hours acting as the outer limit rather than a target. [1] A traveller whose stop in Australia needs to run for days, or weeks, is looking at a different kind of permission from the same department. [1] [2]
How do you check how long a subclass 771 application takes?
For an indication of processing times for this visa, the Department of Home Affairs directs readers to its visa processing time guide tool. [1] The tool shows the processing times of recently decided applications. [1]
The department describes that output as a guide only, and not specific to your application. [1] Read it as a picture of how recent files have moved rather than a commitment about how long a new one will take. [1]
When is the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) the alternative?
The Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is the Australian authorisation listed as subclass 601, and it permits stays of up to 3 months at a time. [2] The contrast with subclass 771 is the clearest thing about the pair: a stay of no longer than 72 hours under the transit visa, against up to 3 months at a time under the ETA. [1] [2] The ETA listing was last updated on 12 October 2026. [2]
Cost is structured differently as well. There is a service charge of AUD20 to use the Australian ETA app, and the department states that there is no other charge payable for an ETA. [2]
An ETA decision is usually quick. In most cases the department tells applicants the result immediately, although an application may take longer if the applicant does not complete the process correctly or if the department requires further information. [2] The department suggests applicants do not make travel arrangements until the ETA has been granted. [2]
Exceptions and limits
- The 72-hour ceiling is a stay limit. It describes how long subclass 771 lets a traveller remain, as published on the listing last updated 8 September 2026. [1]
- The three-month figure is per stay. The ETA allows up to 3 months at a time, which is not the same as a single three-month period in total. [2]
- The AUD20 is an app charge. It is a service charge for using the Australian ETA app, and no other charge is payable for an ETA. [2]
- An immediate ETA result is the usual case, not a guarantee. Applications can take longer where the process is not completed correctly or further information is required. [2]
- Booking before a decision. For ETA applications, the department suggests holding off on travel arrangements until the ETA is granted. [2]
- Processing figures are indicative. The visa processing time guide shows recently decided applications and is a guide only, not specific to any individual application. [1]
Frequently asked questions
How long can I stay in Australia on a subclass 771 transit visa?
No longer than 72 hours, according to the Department of Home Affairs listing for the Transit Visa (subclass 771). [1]
Is there a longer alternative to the transit visa?
Yes. The Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) is listed separately by the same department and allows stays of up to 3 months at a time. [2]
How much does an Australian ETA cost?
There is a service charge of AUD20 to use the Australian ETA app, and the department says there is no other charge payable for an ETA. [2]
How quickly will I know the result of an ETA application?
In most cases the department gives the result immediately; it can take longer if the application is not completed correctly or further information is required. [2]
Where do I find subclass 771 processing times?
The department points to its visa processing time guide tool, which shows times for recently decided applications and is a guide only, not specific to your application. [1]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Australian visitor visas and domestic connecting-flight rules are not covered here.
- Department of Home Affairs: Transit Visa (subclass 771) listing, checked 18 October 2026
- Department of Home Affairs: Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) listing, checked 18 October 2026