Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to choose between an Australian Visitor visa (subclass 600) and an ETA
Australian Visitor visa (subclass 600) is Australia's visitor visa for tourists, business visitors and people visiting family, described for visits of 3, 6 or 12 months. [1] It is a separate arrangement from the Australian ETA (subclass 601), which is described around stays of up to 3 months at a time. [2]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- The Visitor visa (subclass 600) is described by the Department of Home Affairs as a visa for tourists, business visitors or to visit family, for 3, 6 or 12 months. [1]
- The Australian ETA (subclass 601) is described around stays of up to 3 months at a time. [2]
- Using the Australian ETA app carries an AUD20 service charge, and no other charge is payable for an ETA. [2]
- An ETA result is usually given immediately, but an application can take longer if it is not completed correctly or further information is required; travellers are advised not to make travel arrangements until the ETA is granted. [2]
What is the Visitor visa (subclass 600) for?
The visa's official description names both the travellers it is meant for and the visit lengths it is built around. On the traveller side, the subclass 600 is described as being for tourists, business visitors or people visiting family. [1] On the length side, the periods named are 3, 6 and 12 months. [1]
That means a holiday, a business trip and a family visit are all described under one visa name and one set of stay lengths. [1] The 3, 6 and 12 month figures are the visit periods the visa is described in terms of, so they are the first thing to match against the trip you are planning. [1]
If you are building an itinerary around a long visit — a twelve-month stay, say — it helps to know the airline vocabulary used across the rest of this site; the frequent flyer glossary covers terms such as stopovers, award availability and open jaws before you start pricing flights.
How does the subclass 600 differ from the Australian ETA?
Length of stay is where the two descriptions differ most plainly. The Visitor visa (subclass 600) is presented around visits of 3, 6 or 12 months [1], while the Australian ETA (subclass 601) is presented as up to 3 months at a time [2].
The ETA is also described with its own application charge: there is a service charge of AUD20 to use the Australian ETA app, and no other charge is payable for an ETA. [2] That figure is specific to the ETA application route and should not be read across to other Australian visitor arrangements. [2]
Process differs too. In most cases the result of an ETA application is given immediately. [2] An application may take longer if the process is not completed correctly or if further information is required. [2] Because the two documents are described with different stay limits and different application steps, the choice between them shapes how long you can remain in Australia and how the application itself runs. [1] [2]
When should you book flights?
For ETA applicants the official guidance is to hold off on travel arrangements until the ETA is granted. [2] That advice sits alongside the note that most ETA results arrive immediately, so the wait is normally short — but an application that is incomplete, or that needs further information, can take longer. [2]
Matching your trip length to the correct arrangement matters before you commit to dates. A trip of up to 3 months at a time fits the ETA description [2], whereas visits of 3, 6 or 12 months are the periods described for the Visitor visa (subclass 600) [1]. Getting that comparison wrong is the kind of detail that only surfaces when a return date is already fixed.
Limits and conditions
- The 3, 6 and 12 month figures are the visit periods named in the visa's description, and they sit alongside the three stated purposes of tourism, business and family visits. [1]
- The AUD20 sum is a service charge for using the Australian ETA app; the same guidance states that no other charge is payable for an ETA. [2]
- Immediate results apply to ETA applications in most cases, not all; applications that are not completed correctly, or that prompt a request for further information, take longer. [2]
- The advice to delay travel arrangements until the document is granted is written for ETA applicants. [2]
- This guide covers the Visitor visa (subclass 600) and the Australian ETA (subclass 601) only. [1] [2]
Frequently asked questions
How long can you stay on the Australian Visitor visa (subclass 600)?
The visa is described as being for tourists, business visitors or family visits for 3, 6 or 12 months. [1]
How long does an Australian ETA allow?
The ETA (subclass 601) is described around stays of up to 3 months at a time. [2]
What does it cost to get an Australian ETA?
Using the Australian ETA app carries an AUD20 service charge, and no other charge is payable for an ETA. [2]
How quickly is an ETA decided?
In most cases the result is given immediately; it may take longer if the application is not completed correctly or further information is required. [2]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. The Australian transit visa and other Australian visa subclasses are not covered here.
- Department of Home Affairs: Visitor visa (subclass 600), checked 18 October 2026
- Department of Home Affairs: Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601), checked 18 October 2026