Australia entry requirements for travellers from Brunei
Do Bruneian citizens need a visa for Australia?
Yes, in the form of an Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601). Brunei passport holders are on the ETA list, so the process is a short application through the Australian ETA App with a service charge of AUD20 and no separate visa fee.
Brunei is also one of the countries covered by the frequent traveller stream of the Visitor visa, which can be granted for up to ten years and suits people who travel to Australia regularly for business or family.
How long can you stay in Australia?
The ETA allows up to three months on each entry and is valid for twelve months with unlimited entries.
The frequent traveller stream also caps each visit at three months, but the visa itself can run for up to ten years. For a single longer visit, the Visitor visa tourist stream can be granted for three, six or twelve months and costs from AUD250.
Passport validity requirements
Your passport must be valid for the whole of your stay. Australia does not require six months of validity beyond your departure, though airlines and transit countries may. The ETA is linked to your passport number, so a renewal means applying again.
Proof of funds
You must be able to support yourself during the visit and to pay for your departure. No minimum figure is published.
Onward or return travel
A return ticket is not a formal requirement, though airlines sometimes ask on one way bookings.
Applying for your ETA
Use the Australian ETA App, which is the only channel for an ETA. Scan your passport chip, take a photograph, answer the questions and pay the AUD20 service charge. Most applications are decided immediately.
The frequent traveller stream is applied for through ImmiAccount instead, costs AUD1,845, and requires biometrics at an Australian Biometric Collection Centre.
If you have a criminal conviction, or the app cannot read your passport, apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) rather than an ETA.
Health requirements
No vaccinations are required for entry from Brunei. A yellow fever certificate is required only if you have been in a declared yellow fever risk country in the six days before arrival.
Australia and Brunei do not have a reciprocal health care agreement, so travel insurance is worth holding.
Other entry requirements
Complete the Incoming Passenger Card on the flight. Australian biosecurity is strict, and items most often seized from travellers arriving from Brunei and the wider region include fresh fruit, dried and salted seafood, meat products, seeds and herbal medicines. Declare all of it.
Cash of AUD10,000 or more, or the Brunei dollar equivalent, must be declared.
Frequently asked questions
Is the ETA the only option?
It is the simplest. Brunei citizens can also apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) for a longer single stay, or the frequent traveller stream for a visa lasting up to ten years.
Can I apply for the ETA on a website?
No. The Australian ETA App is the only route to an ETA.
What does the frequent traveller stream cost?
AUD1,845, with biometrics required. Each stay is limited to three months and the visa can be granted for up to ten years.
Can I work on an ETA?
No. Business visitor activities such as meetings and conferences are allowed, paid work is not.
Do children need their own ETA?
Yes, including infants.
How soon should I apply?
As soon as your trip is booked. Most ETAs are decided immediately, but a minority take longer and nothing can be resolved at the airport.