Do French passport holders need a tourist visa for Australia?

Australia eVisitor (Subclass 651). Maximum stay is 90 days. Apply: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/evisitor-651/apply

How much does a Australia tourist visa cost?

Cost varies. Check the official source linked on this page for current fees.

How long does it take to get a Australia tourist visa?

Processing time varies. Apply well in advance of your planned travel.

Captivating view of Eiffel Tower over Seine River with lush trees in Paris, France.

Iconic view of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge on a sunny day.

Photos: Özgür KAYA, Moritz Feldmann · Pexels

Can a French traveller visit Australia?

Tourism visa requirements · See all destinations for French travellers

Most French travellers don't need a visa, but they do need an electronic travel authorisation before boarding when heading to Australia for tourism.

The route most travellers use is the Australia eVisitor (Subclass 651). Stays go up to 90 days per visit, processing usually takes 0–1 days.

The paperwork is straightforward — 2/10 difficulty (easy), and 9/10 realism (likely). Approval is likely if your documents are in order.

2 other routes sit below if this one doesn't fit.

Straight from immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.

What it's like in Australia

as of 2024

Difficulty

2/10

Quick paperwork

Strong

Processing

0–1d

from application to decision

Strong

PR pathway

4 yrs

Skilled PR (189/190); citizenship after 4 yrs

Good

Avg salary

$64k

OECD-style average wages, USD

Strong

Cost of living

Numbeo COL (NYC = 100)

Weak

Top tax rate

45%

Personal income top marginal

Weak

Healthcare

77/100

Numbeo Healthcare Index

Good

Safety

#19

Global Peace Index rank (lower = safer)

Strong

English proficiency

Very high

EF EPI band

Strong

Sort for your profile

Pick the option that fits best — we'll surface visa routes designed for you and push less-relevant ones below. Optional; the full 12-field questionnaire tunes results even more.

3 options available.

Tourism / Short stay3

Visa-free, eTA, e-Visa, and embassy short-stay routes for tourism, business, or transit visits.

Visa-free with eTATourism

Australia eVisitor (Subclass 651)

Max stay: 90days
Processing: 0–1days
Fee: —

Apply on official siteimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au

Difficulty2/10·Realism9/10

Why? ▾

Difficulty

Easy1–4

2/10

Quick to obtain, light documentation, fast turnaround. Difficulty 1–4.

Why this score?

—Visa-free with eTA — quick online authorisation
-0.5Fast processing (under a week)

Approval realism

Approval is likely

9/10

Most applicants with the right paperwork get approved.

What drives this score?

—Approval is near-automatic for visa-free-with-eTA routes

Step-by-step checklist

Your application checklist

1
Check your passport validity
32+ days before
Most countries require 0+ months of validity beyond your travel dates and at least one blank page. If it's close, renew before applying.
2
Gather supporting documents
16+ days before
You'll need: Hold an eligible passport (EU / EEA + a few others); Apply online via ImmiAccount before booking; Health and character requirements (declared on application); No tuberculosis or criminal record exclusions.
3
On the day of travel
day of travel
Carry: passport (printed visa if applicable), onward ticket, proof of accommodation, proof of funds, travel insurance. Border officers retain discretion regardless of visa status.

Show full requirements, fees, and source

What you need

Hold an eligible passport (EU / EEA + a few others)
Apply online via ImmiAccount before booking
Health and character requirements (declared on application)
No tuberculosis or criminal record exclusions

View primary source (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) →

e-VisaTourism

e-Visa (90 days)

Max stay: 90days
Processing: —
Fee: —

Apply on official siteimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au

Difficulty4/10·Realism8/10

Why? ▾

Difficulty

Easy1–4

4/10

Quick to obtain, light documentation, fast turnaround. Difficulty 1–4.

Why this score?

—Online e-Visa — no embassy appointment

Approval realism

Approval is likely

8/10

Most applicants with the right paperwork get approved.

What drives this score?

—e-Visa applications are commonly approved when documentation is complete

Step-by-step checklist

Your application checklist

1
Check your passport validity
60+ days before
Most countries require 6+ months of validity beyond your travel dates and at least one blank page. If it's close, renew before applying.
2
Gather supporting documents
45+ days before
You'll need: Valid passport; Online application before travel; Print or digital copy of approved e-visa.
3
Submit the e-Visa application online
14+ days before
Apply directly at the official portal. Save the reference number — you'll need it for arrival.
4
Track the application; print the approval
7+ days before
Print or save a clear PDF of the approved visa. Airlines check this at check-in.
5
On the day of travel
day of travel
Carry: passport (printed visa if applicable), onward ticket, proof of accommodation, proof of funds, travel insurance. Border officers retain discretion regardless of visa status.

Show full requirements, fees, and source

Passport valid 6+ months

What you need

Valid passport
Online application before travel
Print or digital copy of approved e-visa

View primary source (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) →

Embassy visaTourism

Visitor visa (Subclass 600) — Australia

Max stay: 90days
Processing: 14–60days
Fee: A$190.00≈ $137.57

Apply on official siteimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au

Difficulty9/10·Realism7/10

Why? ▾

Difficulty

Difficult7–10

9/10

Lots of documentation, eligibility thresholds, or a sponsor required. Start months ahead and consider professional advice. Difficulty 7–10.

Why this score?

—Embassy/consulate visa application
+2Long processing time (up to 60 days)
+0.25Onward / return ticket required
+0.5Proof of funds required

Approval realism

Approval depends on you

7/10

Approval depends heavily on the documents and circumstances you can show. Read the warning above — it points to what tends to move the needle.

What drives this score?

—Embassy visa applications generally succeed when documentation is complete and ties to home are clear

Step-by-step checklist

Your application checklist

1
Check your passport validity
120+ days before
Most countries require 6+ months of validity beyond your travel dates and at least one blank page. If it's close, renew before applying.
2
Gather supporting documents
104+ days before
You'll need: Streams: Tourist (general visit), Business Visitor, Sponsored Family, Approved Destination Status, Frequent Traveller; Genuine temporary entrant — must intend to leave Australia at end of stay; Health insurance recommended (no public Medicare access); Adequate funds for the stay.
3
Prepare proof of funds
104+ days before
Bank statements covering 3–6 months are standard. Include both savings and recent income flow — adjudicators look for stability, not just balance.
4
Book refundable flight + accommodation
97+ days before
Use a refundable booking (or a free hold/itinerary service) until your visa is approved — embassies want to see real plans, but you don't want to lose the money on a refusal.
5
Submit the application to the embassy or consulate
90+ days before
In person at the consulate with jurisdiction over your residence. Bring originals + photocopies of every document. Most consulates require a prior appointment.
6
Track the application; print the approval
7+ days before
Decisions typically take 14–60 days. Print or save a clear PDF of the approved visa — airlines check this at check-in.
7
On the day of travel
day of travel
Carry: passport (printed visa if applicable), onward ticket, proof of accommodation, proof of funds, travel insurance. Border officers retain discretion regardless of visa status.

Show full requirements, fees, and source

Passport valid 6+ monthsOnward ticket requiredProof of funds

What you need

Streams: Tourist (general visit), Business Visitor, Sponsored Family, Approved Destination Status, Frequent Traveller
Genuine temporary entrant — must intend to leave Australia at end of stay
Health insurance recommended (no public Medicare access)
Adequate funds for the stay

Fee breakdown

Tourist stream base feeA$190.00≈ $137.57

View primary source (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) →

Application prep, advice & sources

Step-by-step checklist, when to hire a lawyer, alternative routes, related country pairs, and the official primary sources behind every claim above.

▾

What you'll need

Tourism visa for Australia

Specific to French passport holders.

Start ~0–8 weeks before your intended travel date.

Order these first — they have the longest lead time

Valid passport
Identity3–8 weeks
Most countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your departure date, with two or more blank pages.
How: Renew at any French mairie or service-public.fr — 3–6 weeks (longer in summer).

Then gather these

Online visa application form
Application1–3 days
The destination's online form (DS-160 for US, gov.uk for UK, IRCC portal for Canada, ImmiAccount for Australia, e-Visa portal for most others).
How: Apply directly on the destination government website — never via a third-party paid service.
Onward or return ticket
Purpose evidence1 day
Proof you intend to leave the country before your permitted stay expires. Most short-stay visas and visa-free entries require this.
How: Book a refundable flight or use a 24-hour hold from an OTA. Border officers can check the booking.
Application fee payment
Application1 day
Payable to the destination government directly. Fees range from ~$25 (e-Visas) to $2,500+ (US EB-1).
How: Card payment on the destination's portal. Receipt required for the application.

Other visa types for this route

We also have data on these visa categories between FR and AU.

Business

2/10

Australia eVisitor (Subclass 651)

1 option · See details

Work

10/10

Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482) — Core Skills stream

7 options · See details

Study

8/10

Student visa (Subclass 500)

1 option · See details

Partner / Family

10/10

Subclass 100 / 309 — Partner (Permanent / Provisional)

1 option · See details

Related routes

Compare other tourism-visa routes

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Sources & references

Every link below is a primary government source. We aggregate; the source is the authority. If anything on this page disagrees with a link below, the link wins.

Where this page's data came from

Embassies & consulates

Australia embassies & consulatesdfat.gov.au

Your country's foreign-affairs ministry

France-Visasfrance-visas.gouv.fr

Independent travel advisories

Relocation services

Everything else you'll need for Australia

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Immigration medical checks—

Travel insurance

All providers →

Single-trip and pay-as-you-go cover for medical emergencies, evacuation, baggage, and trip cancellation. Important when your destination doesn't provide reciprocal healthcare and required for many embassy applications.

AXA Schengen

Official

Built specifically for Schengen short-stay visa applications. Generates the certificate of insurance with the format consulates expect.

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Where can French passport holders go?

Other passports visiting Australia

Who needs a visa for Australia?

Informational only. A valid visa permits entry subject to officer discretion at the border. Always verify with the destination's embassy or official source before travel, employment, or relocation.