To travel to Australia, you will need a number of official documents and you may be wondering whether a passport is essential to travel to Australia. In this article, we will explain why a passport is required for any trip to Australia and what other documents you will need for a safe and legal stay in Australia.
Passport for Australia: Key points
- A passport is one of the essential documents for travelling to Australia.
- A passport is also required to apply for an ETA or eVisitor for Australia.
- A passport application must be made at least two months before the date of departure for Australia.
The passport: an essential document for travelling in Australia
Of course, as Australia is not part of the European Union, a passport is required to enter the country and a simple identity card will not suffice for this trip.
The need to have a valid passport also applies to any minor children who will be travelling with you. In addition, the passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of your arrival in the country.
Not only is this passport a compulsory document to visit this country, but it will also be necessary when applying for your visa or eVisitor. Indeed, as we will see below, your mandatory residence permit will be electronically linked to your passport number.
When you arrive in Australia, it is also essential that the passport number on your visa is the same as the passport you will be presenting. It is therefore important to bear in mind that you will be travelling on the same passport that you registered when you applied.
If your passport is no longer valid or is not valid for 6 months after your arrival in Australia, you should apply for a new one. You can then apply for your eVisa or Classic Visa on the basis of this new passport. If your passport is delivered to you just before your departure date, you can get an eVisitor online within 72 hours and even apply urgently.
Passports admitted to the eVisitor procedure:
Please note! Not all passports are eligible for the eVisitor electronic residence permit for Australia. In particular, the country issuing the passport must be on the list of countries eligible for this scheme. This is the case for France, Belgium and other European Union countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, the Vatican City, the United Kingdom and Switzerland for the eVisitor. The eTA is open to nationals of other countries such as the United States.
Of course, if you are an Australian citizen, you will not need a visa to travel to Australia, even if Australia is your second nationality and you are travelling on a passport issued by another country. However, make sure you travel on your Australian passport.
How do I get a passport before I go to Australia?
The passport is therefore an official document that proves your identity and nationality. You can only obtain it from the authorities in your country. If you live in France, you must be of French nationality to obtain or renew your passport.
The procedure for doing this is to go to a town hall or a consulate if you live in a foreign country. It will be necessary to go in person to apply for the passport and submit the application, as the new biometric passports require fingerprints to be taken, which cannot be done remotely.
The documents you need to provide when you apply vary according to the documents you have in your possession. For example, if you already have an expired passport or identity card, you will need to provide :
- 2 passport photos
- Proof of address less than 6 months old (one original and one copy)
- Identity card or passport
If you do not have a secure identity card, you will also need to attach an original birth certificate less than 3 months old with an extract of filiation to your application.
The procedure is exactly the same for children, who, as mentioned above, must also be in possession of a valid passport. The parent making the application must also enclose his or her identity document. If the child is over 12 years old, he or she must also be present at the time of application.
It should be noted that passport applications can take a long time to be processed as these documents are not manufactured locally and contain sensitive biometric data. It may take at least several weeks before the passport can be collected.
The eTA or eVisitor: two documents that are also essential for travelling to Australia
You will also need a travel authorisation such as a visa to be able to travel to Australia. Here you can choose between an eTA and an eVisitor, both of which can be applied for online.
The eVisitor for Australia is very similar to the eTA as it is also an electronic travel authorisation that is done online. It is also not physically visible on the passport and offers the same validity conditions.
However, it is not a physical document as it does not physically appear on the passport. It is simply attached to it digitally. The eVisitor can therefore be checked by scanning the passport to which it is attached.
The eVisitor process for Australia is a 100% online process that simply requires you to fill in a form and it is then issued within 72 hours. If you are a European Union national, you will need to apply for this travel authorisation.
The eTA for Electronic Travel Authority, is an electronic travel authorisation also known as an e-visa and is similar to the ESTA for the USA or the eTA for Canada. However, it should be noted that these two types of electronic visas can only be used as a tourist or business visa and only for stays of up to 3 consecutive months.
Apply for your Australia e-visa!
Adeline HARMANT
As a web writer and globetrotter with a passion for travel and tourism, I have acquired in-depth knowledge of the procedures that are essential for travellers. I help travellers to complete all the formalities required for a successful trip, particularly when it comes to obtaining a visa online. With several years' experience in this field, I'd like to offer you some valuable advice to help you discover the world with complete peace of mind.
