Australia eVisa for Indians: Who Can Apply Online

So Australia does have an 'eVisa' for Indians in the practical sense: no embassy visit, no passport submission and no sticker. What it does not have is the quick ETA or eVisitor authorisation that some other nationalities use. Here is who can apply online for what, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026.

Which Australian visas can Indians apply for online?

The Visitor visa covers tourism, family visits and business meetings such as conferences or contract negotiations. Online lodgement has been mandatory since 30 September 2021.

Is the Australian eVisa the same as an ETA?

No. The Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) and the eVisitor (subclass 651) are authorisations for listed passports only, and India is on neither eligibility list. Home Affairs also says only New Zealand passport holders can get a visa on arrival; all other passport holders, including Indians, must get the right visa before travelling.

If a website offers Indians an 'Australia ETA', it is not offering an official route. Apply through ImmiAccount on the Home Affairs site.

How do you apply for the Visitor visa online from India?

1. Create an ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website.
2. Choose the stream: Tourist (apply outside Australia), Business Visitor or Sponsored Family. You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is decided.
3. Fill in each applicant separately. Family members cannot be included in one application; each person, including children, applies and pays separately.
4. Attach documents. Scan or photograph them in colour, upload multi-page documents as one file, and translate non-English documents into English with the translator's details.
5. Pay AUD 250 online. The application is not processed until the fee is paid.
6. Give biometrics only if asked. Home Affairs tells you if biometrics are needed. India is not on its list of Australian Biometrics Collection Centre locations (March 2026), so follow the instructions you receive.

Visa and citizenship enquiries go to the Home Affairs helpline +61 2 6196 0196. The Department's office at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi manages many visa services for India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Which documents do you upload for a tourist visa?

• Passport pages with photo, personal details and issue and expiry dates.
• Proof of funds for the stay and to leave Australia: itemised personal bank statements for a 3-month period, pay slips, tax records such as your ITR, term deposits or credit card statements.
• Your plans while in Australia.
• Proof of reasons to return: an employer letter stating you will return to your job (a leave letter or NOC), proof of study in India, immediate family in India, or ownership of a house or major assets.
• An optional invitation letter from a relative or friend in Australia.
• For anyone under 18: a birth certificate showing both parents and Form 1229 consent from a non-travelling parent.

How long does an online visitor application take?

The Home Affairs global guide shows Tourist stream applications decided in 21 days for 50% and 33 days for 90%, across all nationalities. India-specific figures from the Home Affairs Visitor visa program report are lower: for Indian citizens, tourist visitor visas granted from October to December 2025 took a median of 14 days, with 75% within 23 days.

Business Visitor applications take 7 days for 50% and 19 days for 90%. Sponsored Family takes 40 days for 50% and 3 months for 90%.

Home Affairs also reports a grant rate of 69.8% for Indian citizens' tourist visitor visas in October to December 2025, counting grants as a share of grants plus refusals. That describes past decisions, not your chances.

What does a label-free visa mean at the airport?

There is no sticker in your passport. The visa is linked to your passport number, and your grant letter shows the stay period or dates and whether you have single or multiple entries. You can also check your entitlements in VEVO.

Two practical points follow. Travel on the same passport you applied with. And note that visitor visas cannot be extended: you must apply for a new visa, which is not possible if condition 8503 (No Further Stay) is attached unless it is waived.

Which online application mistakes should you avoid?

• Adding a spouse or child to your application; each person needs their own.
• Uploading black-and-white scans or splitting a bank statement into many files.
• Applying for the Tourist stream from inside Australia, which is a different stream with an AUD 630 charge.
• Buying non-refundable flights before the grant. A verifiable flight reservation can show your plans instead.

For student and work routes, see our Australia visa guide for Indians or the Home Affairs Visitor visa page.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visitor visa files. Packages run from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Do Indians get a visa sticker for Australia?

No. Australian visas are granted electronically and digitally linked to your passport, with no label. Your grant letter shows the stay period and number of entries.

Can Indians apply for an Australian ETA?

No. India is not on the eligible-passport lists for the ETA (subclass 601) or the eVisitor (subclass 651). Indians apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) in ImmiAccount instead.

Can I include my family in one Australian visitor visa application?

No. Each person, including children, applies and pays the AUD 250 charge separately.

Is travel insurance compulsory for an Australian visitor visa?

Home Affairs strongly recommends adequate health insurance because you are liable for all healthcare costs in Australia. In some cases the visa is granted with Condition 8501, which requires you to maintain adequate health insurance.