Australia entry requirements for travellers from France
Do French citizens need a visa for Australia?
Yes, but it is free and applied for online. French passport holders qualify for the eVisitor (subclass 651), which must be granted before you board. There is no visa free entry to Australia and nothing can be arranged on arrival.
French citizens also appear on the Electronic Travel Authority list, which carries a service charge of AUD20 for the Australian ETA App. Both give the same entitlement, so the free eVisitor is the sensible choice.
How long can you stay in Australia?
The eVisitor allows stays of up to three months on each entry and is valid for twelve months, with unlimited entries. Travellers combining Australia with New Zealand or the Pacific often use this to make two separate visits within the same year.
For a single 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 for the whole of your stay. Australia does not require six months of validity beyond your departure date, though airlines and transit countries may apply their own rules. The eVisitor is linked to your passport, so apply again if you renew it.
Proof of funds
You must have enough money to support yourself during the visit and to leave at the end of it. No figure is published. French visitors are rarely asked at the border, though a long stay with no obvious means of support can prompt questions.
Onward or return travel
A return or onward ticket is not a formal requirement, though airlines sometimes ask on one way bookings.
Applying for your eVisitor
Apply online through ImmiAccount from outside Australia. There is no fee. You must be a French citizen holding a French passport. You will need the passport, an email address and your travel details.
Many applications are decided quickly, but do not leave it until 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 France. A yellow fever certificate is required only if you have been in a yellow fever risk country in the six days before arrival, which can apply to travellers routing through parts of Africa or South America.
Australia and France do not have a reciprocal health care agreement, so travel insurance covering medical treatment and repatriation is important.
Other entry requirements
Complete the Incoming Passenger Card handed out on the flight. Australian biosecurity is far stricter than anything within the EU: charcuterie, cheese, fresh fruit, nuts, seeds and wooden items must all be declared, and undeclared goods attract fines on the spot.
Cash of AUD10,000 or more, or the euro equivalent, must be declared.
Frequently asked questions
Should I apply for the eVisitor or the ETA?
The eVisitor, because it is free. The ETA gives the same three months per entry but carries an AUD20 app service charge.
Can I stay six months on an eVisitor?
Not in one visit. Each entry is capped at three months. Repeatedly leaving and returning to reset the clock will attract attention, so for a genuine six month stay apply for a Visitor visa.
Can I study on an eVisitor?
Short study or training of up to three months is allowed in some circumstances. Longer courses require a student visa.
Can I work on an eVisitor?
No. Business visitor activities such as meetings and conferences are permitted, paid work is not. Working holiday arrangements are a separate visa category.
Do children need their own eVisitor?
Yes, including infants.
What if I hold dual nationality?
Apply with the passport you will travel on. If you are also an Australian citizen you cannot hold an eVisitor and should travel on your Australian passport.