Use Australian-citizen travel guidance
An Australian citizen has a right to enter Australia and is not eligible to apply for an ETA 601 or eVisitor 651 as a foreign visitor. Home Affairs says Australian citizens should use their Australian passport to enter and leave Australia. A person may still establish citizenship without it, but identity checks and airline boarding can become difficult. Holding another country's passport does not change this starting point.
If you became an Australian citizen after holding a visa, check the current citizen guidance rather than relying on the old visa. Home Affairs says a visa ceases when its holder becomes an Australian citizen.
Official dual-citizen travel guidance · Entering Australia as a citizen
Choose the passport for this journey first
Check the visitor route against the citizenship and exact passport type you will use to apply and travel. For example, a British Citizen passport and a British National (Overseas) passport are treated differently by the eVisitor and ETA lists. Residence in an eligible country does not make an unrelated passport eligible. The visa application can ask about your other passports; answer those questions truthfully.
Home Affairs says a citizen of two or more countries other than Australia must use the passport used for the visa application when both entering and leaving Australia. Presenting a different one can create boarding or travel difficulties. Check the grant and the document linked to it before booking.
Official rule for foreign dual citizens · ETA passport list and declarations · eVisitor passport list · Compare visitor routes →
A non-citizen document is not an ETA or eVisitor passport
Home Affairs explicitly excludes a non-citizen passport, Certificate of Identity and Titre de Voyage from ETA 601 and eVisitor 651 applications. Do not select an issuing country in our planner and treat the result as proof of eligibility for either route. Check the official visa finder and the exact visa page for an application using your actual document; a Visitor 600 or another route may have different document rules and still requires individual assessment.
A passport cover, document issuer and nationality entry can mean different things. If your travel document is unusual or your citizenship is unclear, seek case-specific help before paying or travelling.
ETA document exclusions · eVisitor document exclusions · Explore other visa options
Check the travel facility before leaving or returning
An Australian permanent resident is not automatically an Australian citizen. A permanent visa can permit an indefinite stay in Australia while its travel facility has a separate end date. Home Affairs says your ability to return as a permanent resident depends on that facility. Find the date in your grant notice or VEVO, especially if it may expire while you are overseas.
If the facility has expired or will expire while you are away, read the official Resident Return visa guidance before travel. Entering on an ETA or Visitor visa can affect permanent-resident entitlements and later applications. Each travelling family member needs their own status checked. If you received a new passport, have Home Affairs link it to the visa before travel.
Official permanent-resident travel guidance · Check your current visa in VEVO · New passport update steps →
Match the visa, document and trip
- List your citizenships and travel documents privately. Choose the document for the Australian journey, then check its exact visa eligibility and your existing Australian status.
- Apply through the official channel for the suitable visa. Disclose other passports if the form asks, and keep every name and document number accurate.
- Read the complete grant notice. Compare its document, permitted stay, dates, entries and conditions with your itinerary; check an in-effect visa in VEVO.
- If your passport changes, follow Home Affairs' update process. An ETA cannot transfer: it ceases with the old passport and needs a new application if you still need that visa.
This list cannot decide your personal eligibility. An Australian citizen, permanent resident and temporary visitor have different travel rules.
Official new-passport process · VEVO checks · Read a grant before travel →
Save a two-passport travel checklist
Use the editable text list on your own device to compare citizenship, passport type, existing status and grant details. Do not send passport numbers to MyAusVisa.