UAE residence is not visa eligibility
Home Affairs bases ETA and eVisitor eligibility on the citizenship and travel passport, not on a UAE residence permit or Emirates ID. For example, a Canadian passport is on the ETA list and a German passport is on the eVisitor list. A Pakistani or UAE passport is on neither list; for a holiday or family visit, start by checking the overseas Visitor 600 Tourist stream. These are starting points, and your purpose and personal circumstances still matter.
If you have more than one passport, check the one you will use to enter Australia and declare other passports where the application asks. Australian citizens should follow Australian-passport entry guidance instead of applying as foreign visitors.
Official ETA passport list · Official eVisitor passport list · Overseas Visitor 600 Tourist stream
Use the route that matches the trip
For an independent holiday or family visit on a passport without ETA or eVisitor access, read the overseas Visitor 600 Tourist stream. It requires you to be outside Australia when applying and when Home Affairs decides it. Apply online through ImmiAccount and follow its current document prompts, charge and conditions. A visitor visa does not allow employment. Longer study, work or joining family to live in Australia call for their own visa assessment.
Home Affairs says most visas can be lodged online; you do not need to attend an embassy or consulate simply to submit an application. Do not make non-refundable travel commitments before you receive and read the written grant.
Official Tourist stream steps · Find the visa for your purpose · Home Affairs overseas service guidance
Read the biometrics letter before choosing app or centre
Biometrics are a follow-up step only if Home Affairs requests them for your application. The UAE is on Home Affairs' current Australian Immi App country list. If your request letter has an eligible visa lodgement number beginning AUI, you may be able to use the app with a valid passport and compatible phone. If the number does not begin AUI, Home Affairs says to attend an Australian Biometrics Collection Centre. Follow the deadline and method in your own letter and check the current UAE service listing before booking or travelling.
The collection centre does not decide your visa. If you cannot meet a request, explain the circumstances through the official application channel and follow Home Affairs' response; do not assume the requirement has been waived.
Official Immi App country and AUI rules · Current services in the UAE · Our biometrics guide →
Explain your circumstances where you usually live
For a Visitor 600 application, Home Affairs asks you to explain the trip, funds and reasons to return to your home country or usual country of residence. If that is the UAE, relevant work, study, family or residence evidence can help explain your situation. Use the actual prompts in your application; a UAE residence card alone does not guarantee a visa. Include clear scans and English translations for non-English documents under Home Affairs' rules.
Keep your own copies of uploaded records. Monitor ImmiAccount when you lodged there; for an ETA, follow the ETA app and any individual further-processing letter instead. Read the grant dates and conditions before travelling. A biometrics receipt or application status is not a grant.
Official visitor evidence tips · Home Affairs attachment advice · Official ETA app steps · Printable Visitor 600 workbook ↓
Living in the UAE on a Pakistani passport?
The combined Visitor 600 guide joins the passport-based visa route with UAE evidence and local biometrics follow-up for a temporary visit.
Build a starting plan for your combination
Select your citizenship, UAE residence and purpose for a plan and downloadable local checklist.