The different documents needed to travel to Australia

Australia is an increasingly popular destination for travellers from all over the world. But such a trip to the other side of the world needs to be prepared in advance and we are not only talking about your itinerary or your stay but especially about the administrative formalities you need to complete before going to this country. Here are some tips to help you travel to Australia with peace of mind thanks to the documents you will need for your trip.

A valid passport is essential to travel to Australia:

Whatever the reason for your trip to Australia and its duration, you must have a valid passport for your stay. As Australia is not part of the European Union, your identity card alone will not allow you to travel to this country. It is therefore essential that you have a valid passport.

If this is not the case, you must apply for a passport as soon as possible, as it can sometimes take a long time to obtain one. This administrative procedure must be carried out at the town hall of your place of residence at least one to two months before your departure date. You will need to present the following documents to complete your application:

• An identity card in your name
• A copy of your birth certificate (available from the town hall of your place of birth)
• Proof of address less than 3 months old
• Two passport photos that comply with current standards

Passports are also required for children.

If your passport expires during your trip, it is also recommended that you renew it before your departure.

Visa, e-Visitor or eTA to Australia:

In addition to your passport, you will need to obtain a residence permit to travel to Australia. This can be a visa, an e-Visitor or an eTA.

If your stay in Australia lasts less than 90 days, we advise you to opt for the eVisitor which is the equivalent of the eTA but the administrative process is simplified because it is done only online. French residents have access to this simplified procedure and you just need to fill in a simple application form like the one on our website to obtain this authorisation in less than 72 hours. This authorisation will then be valid for one year.

To apply for an eVisitor, you will need your passport, the number of which you will be asked for, and a bank card to pay the processing and transfer fees for your travel authorisation application online.

However, if your stay is longer than 90 days or you wish to work in Australia, you will need to apply for a traditional visa at the Australian Embassy in your country.

The eTA is the equivalent of the eVisitor but for other nationalities. If you are an EU national, you will need to apply for an eVisitor.

Is it possible to do this for multiple travellers?

If you are planning to travel to Australia with more than one traveller, it is possible to apply for an eTA or eVisitor for you and your companions. It is important to remember that even minors must have a travel authorisation to travel to Australia, even if they are just transiting or transferring. If you are travelling as a family, you must apply for each member who will be travelling with you.

If you are applying as a family, you should remember to bring with you the necessary documents and information for each traveller, such as

• The passport or passport number. This passport must of course be valid and cover the entire duration of your trip. It is essential because it is to this passport number that the travel authorisation will be attached for each traveller.
• Basic personal information: This includes, of course, the traveller's full identity with date and place of birth, surname and first names, but also address, email address and telephone number.
• Of course, the answers to the questions asked in the form are individual and you cannot answer them yourself in place of other travellers. You must therefore ask each person accompanying you to answer them truthfully. Of course, as a parent, you will answer the questions about your children yourself.
• The payment for the grouped administrative procedures for an eTA application is the same as for an individual application, since each traveller must pay the same fee. It is therefore not possible to benefit from reduced rates even for special cases such as large families or large groups.

What are the differences between an eTA and an eVisitor for travel to Australia?

Many travellers who wish to visit Australia confuse two types of residence permits, the eTA and the eVisitor. Here we explain the major differences between these two official travel documents.

First of all, what is the eTA? To understand what the eTA is, let's remember that this abbreviation stands for Electronic Travel Authority. It is therefore an electronic travel authorisation, also known as an e-Visa, which is similar in many respects to the ESTA required to travel to the United States or the AVE to travel to Canada. The eTA is therefore a residence permit and not a physical document.

Therefore, no paper document will be requested from the traveller or affixed to his/her passport, as is the case with other residence permits. Instead, when the eTA is granted, the traveller will receive a simple email notification with the good news. This eTA will then be automatically associated with the passport, digitally, and the traveller will be able to embark for Australia. It should also be noted that the possibility of obtaining an eTA for Australia, as well as the cost of this application which is 100% online, will depend largely on the nationality of the applicant.

The eVisitor for travel to Australia is very similar to the eTA but has some differences. For example, it is also an electronic travel authorisation or e-visa for travel to Australia. The application process is therefore also online and the e-Visa does not appear on the passport in a physical way either. The conditions and period of validity of the eVisitor visa are also the same as for the eTA.

Thus, both travel authorisations can be solutions as a tourist visa or as a business visa. However, the difference between these two authorisations lies in the country and nationality of the applicants. Indeed, the eVisitor does not concern the same nationalities as the eTA.

Travellers from the European Union must apply for an eVisitor, while Americans must opt for an eTA authorization

Some tips to prepare for your trip in Australia:

Once you have obtained your authorization or Visa for Australia, there are other things you need to know to ensure you have a safe trip to Australia.

Be aware of the various customs requirements, agricultural quarantine, wildlife protection and the country's economic and fiscal rights and obligations. It is, of course, forbidden to bring drugs into the country, where the penalties for foreign travellers are often very severe.

Misrepresentation when filling in the passenger card provided to you on the flight to Australia may also prevent you from entering the country and you should not try to hide goods from the customs officer at the time of inspection.

Also, if you are taking medical treatment, check that the medication you need to take there is authorised and considered legal before boarding.

Finally, in addition to the usual recommendations for destinations other than Australia, such as not accepting goods for other travellers, or carrying counterfeit goods, it is obvious that you should not make any false declarations when completing the eTA or eVisitor application form online. This can effectively jeopardise your entry into the country and result in a ban on entry for several years and therefore prevent you from travelling there.