By Contributing Writer
Australia is a popular tourist destination with many beautiful sights to behold, but, just like any other country, it has its entry requirements. Entry requirements vary depending on the cause of your travel to Australia, but you will need either an Australian passport or visa and can enter the country on a student, humanitarian, worker, refugee, immigrant, tourist or returning resident basis.
Passports
According to the Australian Embassy, "the most common and preferred travel document for international travel is a passport." If you hold an Australian passport, you do not need a visa to enter the country; a passport will suffice.
Visas
All travelers who do not have an Australian passport need a visa or ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) to enter the country. Visas are issued depending on your reason for travel; there are several categories of visas to fit anyone's needs, such as, but not limited to, student, work, refugee, migrant and tourist categories. The tourist visa is the most common, it varies from 3 to 12 months, and is for anyone who holds another nation's passport and would like to visit Australia as a tourist.
Visa Requirements
To obtain a visa, you must qualify by passing a series of exams to verify that you are acceptable for travel to Australia. You will be required to submit to a criminal background check, medical health check-up to see if you are fit for travel, and sometimes a financial check to verify that your stay in Australia is for the purposes intended and can be accounted for.
Travel Restrictions
Travel restrictions apply to certain methods of entry. Visas are sometimes given on a "no further stay" basis; under these conditions, you will not be granted an extension upon the expiration of your visa. Similarly, if you enter Australia with a tourist visa, then you will be prohibited from working (excluding volunteer work) and attending school for longer than a few months (student visas are available for longer study periods).
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