You don't need a visa — just an eTA.
British citizens travel to Australia on a simple electronic travel authorisation — apply online before boarding, no embassy interview, decision in minutes.
The story of United Kingdom → Australia
British citizens travel to Australia under the eVisitor (subclass 651) — free, multi-entry, 12-month validity, granted online in minutes. Long-stay routes via Subclass 482 (sponsored work), Subclass 189/190 (Skilled Independent / Skilled Nominated), UK-Australia FTA Innovation and Investment categories, Working Holiday Visa Subclass 417 for under-35 Brits (12-36 months with regional work extension). Substantial British community in Sydney + Melbourne + Brisbane + Perth (Brits are Australia's largest single foreign-born community at ~1.2M). UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement (in force 2023) deepened mobility for professionals + short-term business travel.
Your visa options
15 routes availableDo this next
application timelineWhat you'll need
Business visa for Australia
Specific to British passport holders.
Start ~0–3 weeks before your intended travel date.
Order these first — they have the longest lead time
Valid passport
Identity1–3 weeksMost 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 gov.uk/renew-adult-passport — 3 weeks standard, 1 week premium (£177).
Then gather these
Online visa application form
Application1–3 daysThe 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 dayProof 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 dayPayable 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.
For United Kingdom applicants specifically
Your documentation process at a glance.
What the generic requirements above actually mean for you in United Kingdom — the exact agency, fee, and processing time for each.
Police / background check
ACRO Police Certificate
ACRO Criminal Records Office
Fee: £59 (Standard, 10-day)
Processing: 10 working days standard; 2 working days premium (£99)
Covers Police National Computer + force records. Required for most Schengen long-stay, Australian PR, Canadian Express Entry, NZ residence, US adjustment of status.
Official site →Apostille / legalisation
Hague Apostille (single-step)
FCDO Legalisation Office (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
Fee: £45 (Standard, 2-day) / £75 (Premium same-day)
Processing: 2 working days standard; same-day premium at Milton Keynes office
UK joined Hague Apostille 1965. Documents must be notarised by a UK solicitor / notary public FIRST, then sent to FCDO. Online tracking + courier return available.
Official site →Tax records / income proof
SA302 Tax Calculation + Tax Year Overview
HMRC
SA302s download free from HMRC online portal. Most consulates accept the SA302 + Tax Year Overview pair as proof of self-employment income for the last 3 years.
Official site →Certified translation
ITI / CIOL Member or sworn translator for the destination's legal system
Sworn / certified translator
For Spanish NLV, Italian Elective, Portuguese D7, French long-stay: use a translator on the destination consulate's approved list (consulado.uk / it.esteri.it / lisbon.gov.uk). For US: ATA-certified translator OR certified statement of accuracy.
Standard civil documents you'll often need: Full UK passport (not provisional) — issued within 10 years for Schengen entry; UK driving licence or BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) for non-UK-born residents; Council tax bill / utility bill in your name (address proof, within 3 months); Bank statements (UK high-street bank, certified copy if asked); Original birth certificate (long-form, with parents' details — for citizenship-by-descent applications); …
Fees on the destination's visa page are typically quoted in the destination currency. Your preferred currency for budgeting: GBP. Where to apply: Most embassies in London (Belgravia / Mayfair). Spanish + Italian + Portuguese have additional consulates in Edinburgh + Manchester. Australian + NZ + Canadian use VFS Global / TLScontact centres.
Post-Brexit British applicants are 'third-country nationals' for EU long-stay routes — no preferential treatment vs Americans, Australians etc. Some EU member states still offer streamlined processing for British applicants (Spain, Portugal, France in particular).
Documents on this route
No paper forms — just the electronic travel authorisation.
Australia ETA or eVisitor (subclass 651)
ETA is AUD $20 (most non-EU visa-exempt nationalities); eVisitor 651 is free (EU/UK/Schengen). Apply via the official app or website before boarding.
Alternative routes
If this visa doesn't work for you — adjacent passports, related destinations, second-best routes.
▾
Alternative routes
If this visa doesn't work for you — adjacent passports, related destinations, second-best routes.
Other visa types for this route
We also have data on these visa categories between GB and AU.
More for British travellers
Other places to go and other reasons to go to Australia.
Sources & verification
Every claim above traced to an official government source.
▾
Sources & verification
Every claim above traced to an official government source.
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
- Australia ETA (Subclass 601)immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Visitor Visa (subclass 600) Business Visitor stream — Australiaimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- e-Visa (90 days)immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482) — Core Skills streamimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Working Holiday — Australia (Subclass 417)immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent (Permanent)immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Subclass 190 — Skilled Nominated (Permanent)immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Subclass 188 — Business Innovation & Investment (Provisional)immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Student visa (Subclass 500)immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Subclass 100 / 309 — Partner (Permanent / Provisional)immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
Embassies & consulates
Your country's foreign-affairs ministry
Independent travel advisories
While you're here
Practical next steps
Useful links for travel to Australia
Official government and authority links only. Commercial provider slots (travel insurance, international health insurance, passport photos, registered immigration advisers) are coming soon — we're shortlisting the first cohort. Get featured here →
Required vaccinations & shots
All providers →Up-to-date guidance from the CDC, NHS Fit for Travel, and other national health bodies on required and recommended vaccinations for your destination. Yellow Fever certificates are mandatory for entry from some routes.
NHS Fit for Travel (UK)
OfficialUK National Travel Health Network's country-by-country vaccination + malaria advice. Authoritative for UK residents; covers routine, recommended, and certificate-mandatory shots.
Australian Smartraveller
OfficialDFAT travel health guidance for Australians, with country pages covering required and recommended vaccinations plus health-system risk levels.
CDC Yellow Book (US)
OfficialAuthoritative US CDC guidance: required + recommended vaccinations and prophylaxis by destination, plus advisories on outbreaks, food/water safety, and traveller's diarrhoea.
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.