Australia entry requirements for travellers from Italy
Do Italian citizens need a visa for Australia?
Yes, though it is free and applied for online. Italian passport holders qualify for the eVisitor (subclass 651) and must hold it before boarding. There is no visa free entry to Australia and nothing can be arranged at the airport.
Italian citizens are also on the Electronic Travel Authority list, which carries an AUD20 service charge for the Australian ETA App. The entitlement is the same, so there is no reason to pay when the eVisitor is free.
How long can you stay in Australia?
The eVisitor allows up to three months on each entry and is valid for twelve months with unlimited entries. Italy has a large diaspora in Melbourne and Sydney, and family visits often run close to the full three months, so it is worth being clear that the cap applies to each entry rather than to the year.
For one longer stay of six or twelve months, apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600), which costs from AUD250.
Passport validity requirements
Your passport must be valid throughout your stay. Australia does not require six months of validity beyond your departure date, though airlines and transit countries may. The eVisitor is linked to your passport, so apply again after a renewal.
Proof of funds
You must have enough money to support yourself and to leave at the end of the visit. There is no published minimum, and Italian visitors are seldom asked at the border.
Onward or return travel
A return ticket is not formally required, though airlines occasionally ask on one way bookings.
Applying for your eVisitor
Apply online through ImmiAccount from outside Australia. It is free. You must be an Italian citizen holding an Italian passport, and you will need an email address and your travel details.
Applications are often decided quickly, but apply when you book rather than at the airport. If you have a criminal conviction, apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) instead.
Health requirements
No vaccinations are required for entry from Italy. A yellow fever certificate is needed only if you have been in a yellow fever risk country in the six days before arrival.
Australia and Italy have a reciprocal health care agreement, which covers medically necessary treatment in public hospitals for a limited period. It does not cover ambulance transport, repatriation or ongoing care, so travel insurance is still needed.
Other entry requirements
Complete the Incoming Passenger Card on the flight. Australian biosecurity is far stricter than anything within the EU, and the items most often seized from Italian travellers are cured meats, cheese, fresh fruit, seeds, nuts and homemade preserves. Declare all of it.
Cash of AUD10,000 or more, or the euro equivalent, must be declared.
Frequently asked questions
eVisitor or ETA?
The eVisitor, because it is free. The ETA carries an AUD20 app charge for the same entitlement.
Can I stay six months on an eVisitor?
Not in one visit. Each entry is capped at three months. For a genuine longer stay, apply for a Visitor visa.
Does the reciprocal health care agreement replace insurance?
No. It covers medically necessary treatment in public hospitals for a limited period only. Travel insurance is still needed for ambulance costs, repatriation and treatment outside the public system.
Can I work on an eVisitor?
No. Business visitor activities such as meetings and conferences are allowed, but paid work is not.
Do children need their own eVisitor?
Yes, including infants.
I hold Italian and Australian citizenship. What do I need?
If you are an Australian citizen you cannot hold an eVisitor. Travel on your Australian passport instead.