AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Business & Tourist eVisitor Visa's soon available to 35 European Countries

Tuesday, 7 October 2008

Visitors from all European Union countries as well as eight other European countries will be able to apply over the internet for an eVisitor Visa from the 27th October 2008.

The Minister for Immigration & Citizenship, and the Minister for Tourism issued a joint release announcing that citizens from a number of European countries will be able to apply for Tourist and Business travel visas online at the end of this month.

The EU Countries that are eligible are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Other European countries that can apply online are: Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and the Vatican City.

eVisitor Visa holders will be able to visit Australia for up-to 3 months at a time for business or tourist purposes as many times as they choose over a 12 month period.

The Department of Immigration And Citizenship (DIAC) Australia estimate that 260,000 eVisitor applications will be lodged online between October 2008 and July 2009.

Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson estimates that the eVisitor Visa will provide a boost to Australia's tourism industry.

"Making travel to Australia simpler for more than 1.2 million people from the EU each year will encourage tourism growth, strengthen cultural links and facilitate business relationships with Australia’s largest continental trade partner," said the minister.

The new eVisitor visa represents a completion of the reciprocal short-term entry agreement between Australia and the EU for tourist and business purposes.

If you are interested in Visas to Australia, contact Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Australia.