Visa's for Austrailia and New Zealand

[Keith1010]

Well two nights ago I got an e-mail from Princess that stated we were already approved for our Australian Visa and to confirm the information that was on the document from Princess. All the information was correct so I guess it is too late to get our own Visa's on-line from one of the web sites listed on previous posts.

I printed out the message from Princess and will keep it with us and hope that we do not have any problems.

Has anyone ever gotten anything from Princess about their Visa's being approved and not any problems upon entry to Australia.

Or have you had any problems with the way Princess did this.

I tend to worry about things unti they happen and I don't need one more thing to worry about like a Visa so anyone's experience in this aspect would be appreciated.

Is there a way to check to make sure that the Visa issued is attached to my passport with Australia authorities.:eek:

 

I worry about a lot but if you have the confirmation from Princess don't worry about it. Just take it with you and you'll be all set.

 

Even if you got the on line visa using the ETA system it doesn't go into your passport. It's not the usual looking visa. As I have mentioned in other threads when we got the on line ETA it didn't even show our names on it. So, to me that was something to worry about.

 

Enjoy the cruise.

 

Keith

[kenish]

One reason the name is missing from the confirmation is they probably don't want to send out full passport details via email in an unencrypted format. That would be ripe for passport forgery with the millions of confirmations they send out monthly.

 

FYI when we were checking in at LAX for our Qantas flight my son's visa showed but mine did not. The agent was working with it for several minutes and seemed used to the situation. He said "I'm sure I can find it but even if I can't we can just get approval instantly". After a few more minutes he figured out the issue....point is they can get it online at check-in worst case.

[Glaciers]

Most travel agencies subscribe to a service that includes processing visas for free. If you booked through a TA ask them if the visa processing fee might be included in your cruise reservation.

[Fabian52]

I did not go through a travel agent this time. I booked directly with Princess and am doing everything myself. I have traveled enough to know what to do by now. Last cruise to South America every time I called my TA she was either not there on a trip or never called me back for days.

If I am giving an expensive 14 days commission to a travel agent I want to be able to speak to them. Was not happy with her and would not use her again.

I already got the confirmation about the Visa from Princess so there should not be any problems. We already paid $20 per person extra to Princess that's done. Final payment is due next week so am trusting Princess to handle it. I will let you know if we have any problems.

Thanks anyway. :)

[greenvigo]

My wife & I are travelling from the UK to Australia in November & later sailing on RCI's Rhapsody of the Seas cruise departing 1st Dec from Sydney.

 

To obtain an eVisitor visa I simply logged on to www.immi.gov.au and completed the short online applications (one for each person travelling)

 

There is no fee for this service and I received confirmation emails the same day granting our applications.

 

The email replies we received lists our names, dates of birth, ID reference, application reference & transaction reference.

 

There is no printed visa , but the details are stored electronically against your passport number ( the confirmation email can be retained for reference purposes but should not be required).

 

The eVisitor visa is valid for 12 months from the date of granting and can be used as many times as required in that period, but the maximum continuous stay is a 3 month period.

 

I think the travel agents/cruise lines are "ripping off" unsuspecting tourists who are charged extortionate fees for this free service, which is easily accessed & simple to use.

 

Hope this information is helpful.

[Fabian52]

I just went to that website and there is a $20 charge per person to obtain an ETA visa for Australia. Maybe because you are from the UK there is no charge. It looks like if you are from the US there is a charge. :confused::confused::confused:

[kenish]

Oz and the UK have administrative ties and agreements that the US does not have. So it's possible UK residents are not charged a fee where everyone else is. I know in areas such as medical insurance, citizens of either country are parly or fully covered for medical expenses in the other country.

 

The fee is administrative; we are US citiizens but we provided an Aussie friend with our data. She did the work and got our e-visas for free.

[Globaliser]

Maybe because you are from the UK there is no charge. It looks like if you are from the US there is a charge.

This is correct. The free eVisitor to which greenvigo refers is only available to European nationals:-

• Andorra
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Monaco
• The Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Republic of San Marino
• Slovak Republic
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom - British Citizen
• Vatican City

An ETA is available only to the following nationals:-

• Brunei
• Canada
• Hong Kong SAR
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Singapore
• South Korea
• United States of America

I think the travel agents/cruise lines are "ripping off" unsuspecting tourists who are charged extortionate fees for this free service, which is easily accessed & simple to use.

Most CC members won't, alas, qualify for the free eVisitor.

 

Technically, the ETA is also free, if you can get direct access to the system. But that direct access is typically available only to travel agents, airlines, cruise lines and the like, and they are free to make a service charge for arranging it for you. It is possible to find travel agents who will do it for free, but they are few and far between. AUD 20 or thereabouts seems to be a pretty standard fee for this, so anyone who's paying this sort of money is not being ripped off.

[Landth]

Aussies and New Zealanders do not need visas to visit each others countries, we are that intertwined its considered irrelevant. They are about to remove the international status on flights between the two and reclassify them domestic......

 

So if they automatically charge passengers for visas it would surely be nationality based??

[moyaroo]

Technically, the ETA is also free, if you can get direct access to the system. But that direct access is typically available only to travel agents, airlines, cruise lines and the like, and they are free to make a service charge for arranging it for you. It is possible to find travel agents who will do it for free, but they are few and far between. AUD 20 or thereabouts seems to be a pretty standard fee for this, so anyone who's paying this sort of money is not being ripped off.

 

 

The service that you are refering to is not available to most TAs these days as it was a part of the Airline Reservation system to which many TAs no longer subscribe since there is no (OK very limited) money in air. the Australian Goverment site http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/ETAAus5En.html

charges the 20AUD fee. So from the US side some dollars seem to be required to change hands to get this done.

[painfree]

Hi..

 

Looking for some clarification on visas and visits to mutiple sites in Australia..

 

There appears to be some confusion..believe me it might be on my part...about a multiple visit vs single visit visa..We will be visiting Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney aboard the Diamond Princess..Then spend a few days post cruise in Cairns before returning to Sydney prior to flying home..

 

Anyone aware or had problems with their visas while visiting these areas?..Do we need a multi visit visa?

 

Thanks in advance..

 

Carol

 

What are the conditions?

Visitor ETA conditions

Valid for visits to Australia for tourism or to visit friends or relatives

Valid for multiple visits within 12 months from date of issue

Maximum length of each visit is three months

You must not work while in Australia

 

I think I answered my own question..The above quote is from the Australian website for immigration..

[Globaliser]

There appears to be some confusion..believe me it might be on my part...about a multiple visit vs single visit visa.

Both ETAs and eVisitors are multiple entry documents (I think that technically neither is a visa - rather, they are both substitutes for visas); all entries must be made before the expiry date of the ETA/eVisitor; maximum stay is 90 days/3 months from the date of entry (even if that takes you beyond the expiry date of the ETA/eVisitor itself).

[Keith1010]

From the web site where you get the ETA's.

 

Visitor ETA conditions

================

Valid for visits to Australia for tourism or to visit friends or relatives

Valid for multiple visits within 12 months from date of issue

Maximum length of each visit is three months

You must not work while in Australia

 

Keith

[NewYearsBaby]

It sounds like you've gotten a lot of good advice about your question. We went in 2002. Our travel agent directed us to the website to get visa's on-line. It saved us quite a bit of money over having the cruise line do it for us. That said, you're going to have the time of your life! Down under has been our absolute favorite cruise. We wish we could go back and stay for months at a time. Report back to us, okay?