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Is a visa required, or is just a passport enough, for a short holiday trip to Australia?

Specifically, how is it for citizens of Nordic EU member countries such as Finland?

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Yes, a visa is required for EU citizens.

Fortunately, getting one is free and (usually) pretty quick. The easiest way is to apply for eVisitor online. See "Eligible passport holders" on that page to check if you are eligible for eVisitor.

The eVisitor allows visitors to travel to Australia for short term business or tourism purposes for up to three months. eVisitor applications are free and are available to passport holders from the European Union and a number of other European countries.

More information on Australian visas can be found at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visi

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    Personally this surprised me last spring (as pampered EU/Nordic tourists rarely need a visa and I assumed a passport would suffice). I'm glad someone happened to ask me about it while I still had a week or two in my previous destination before flight to Australia.
    – Jonik
    Commented Sep 5, 2011 at 21:50
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    If you are going to some of the small island such as Norfolk Island you should do some reading as they come under different rules. wikitravel.org/en/Norfolk_Island#Get_in
    – Stuart
    Commented Oct 5, 2011 at 15:55
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    Interestingly, Australia changed the name of the thing to pretend it's not a visa but a mere electronic authorization like the US ESTA for the sake of reciprocity. It is easier to get than a regular visa but refusal rates for some EU countries like Romania and Bulgaria are close to 20%, which is why they consider it to be a visa and asked the EU Commission to take action.
    – Relaxed
    Commented Jun 6, 2016 at 8:42
  • The eVisitor is as much of a visa as the ESTA, but eh!
    – Crazydre
    Commented May 16, 2018 at 7:16
  • First link is broken
    – Nathan G
    Commented May 11, 2019 at 13:59
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Many visitors to Australia like to stay longer than the 90 days you get on the free eVisitor visa.

In that case you need an Tourist Visa (Subclass 676), which allows you to stay six or even twelve months. This visa is not free, more information can be found at www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/676/

Please note that after applying for a visa you need to use it within a year. I never made it to Australia in the first 12 months of my trip and had to buy another visa when I finally got there.

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Actually... ALL citizens, except New Zealand citizens need a visa to enter Australia. As other people have suggested above, only European and a few other countries can apply online, which is quick. Visitors from most other countries are ineligible to do it online and must wait days for a paper based application process to be complete.

So, although you need a visa, it is a quick, online one... and issued free of charge :)

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  • Wouldn't an American passport work for up to 90 days?
    – Panzercrisis
    Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 15:51
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    @Panzercrisis, US citizens also need a visa (like everyone else, except New Zealand citizens)
    – Jonik
    Commented May 8, 2016 at 20:10

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