Australia entry requirements for travellers from Singapore
Do Singapore citizens need a visa for Australia?
Yes, but the process is light. Singapore passport holders are eligible for the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601), applied for through the Australian ETA App with a service charge of AUD20 and no other fee.
Singapore is consistently one of Australia’s largest visitor markets, helped by short flight times to Perth and Darwin and heavy traffic on the Sydney and Melbourne routes. Frequent business travellers have a second option: the frequent traveller stream of the Visitor visa, which can run for up to ten years.
How long can you stay in Australia?
The ETA allows up to three months on each entry, with unlimited entries during its twelve months of validity.
The frequent traveller stream also limits each stay to three months, but the visa itself can be granted for up to ten years, which suits people crossing regularly for work. A Visitor visa in the tourist stream can be granted for three, six or twelve months for a single longer trip.
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, although airlines 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 pay for your departure. There is no set figure and Singapore passport holders are seldom questioned, but the requirement applies to every visitor.
Onward or return travel
A return ticket is not a formal requirement. Airlines sometimes ask on one way bookings, and border officers may ask about your plans on a long stay.
Applying for your ETA
Use the Australian ETA App, which is the only way to apply. Scan your passport, take a photograph, answer the questions and pay the AUD20 service charge. Most applications are decided immediately.
If you travel to Australia several times a year, compare the AUD1,845 frequent traveller stream against repeated ETAs. It requires biometrics at an Australian Biometric Collection Centre and is applied for through ImmiAccount, not the app.
Anyone with a criminal conviction should apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) rather than an ETA.
Health requirements
No vaccinations are required for entry from Singapore. A yellow fever certificate is required only if you have been in a yellow fever risk country in the six days before arrival.
Australia and Singapore 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 the items most often seized from travellers arriving from Singapore are dried meats such as bak kwa, fresh fruit, seeds and traditional medicines containing animal products. Declare them and let the officer decide.
Cash of AUD10,000 or more, or the Singapore dollar equivalent, must be declared.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for an ETA online instead of using the app?
No. The ETA App is the only channel. If you cannot use it, apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) through ImmiAccount instead.
What is the ten year visitor visa?
It is the frequent traveller stream of the Visitor visa (subclass 600), open to Singapore citizens among others. It costs AUD1,845, requires biometrics, and allows stays of up to three months on each entry over a validity period of up to ten years.
Can I do business meetings on an ETA?
Yes. Business visitor activities such as meetings, conferences and negotiations are allowed. Working for an Australian employer or selling goods and services is not.
How long does the ETA take to come through?
Most are decided immediately. A small number take longer, so apply when you book rather than at the airport.
Do children need their own ETA?
Yes. Every traveller needs an authority linked to their own passport, including infants.
Can I extend my three month stay?
Not on the ETA itself. You would need to apply for a further visa from within Australia, and only if no condition prevents it.