Travel Documents Needed

Everyone travelling to Australia needs an approved travel document, visa or authority to enter Australia.

Australia has entry visas specifically for visits by business people.  People seeking to attend a conference or event in Australia should, in most cases, apply for a short stay Business Visitor Visa (subclass 456) or an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA).  Those who are able to obtain an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) may obtain either a short or long-validity short-stay business ETA. 

For more information on the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs' Electronic Travel Authority system, visit www.immi.gov.au/eta.

The information given below is for business visitors who plan to stay in Australia for less than three months. If you plan to stay longer, please read Long Business Visits to Australia.

Note: those documents marked with an asterisk (*) are PDF files, which require the Adobe Reader, on your computer.
See: Using PDF Files)

The Business (Short Stay) visa (subclass 456) allows the bona fide business person to make a visit to Australia of up to three months to conduct business. Examples of appropriate activities include a conference, negotiation or an exploratory business visit, but do not include acting or music performance or commercial film making.

A single-entry or multiple-entry visa may be issued.

In many countries, you can obtain a Business (Short Stay) visa at the same time you purchase an airline ticket. Ask for a Business Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) for Australia.

Alternately, you can apply for a short-stay visa on the Internet.
See: ETA website.

Or you can lodge a written application at a departmental office by using a form.
See:
Form 456, Application for a business (short stay) visa*.
Form 1238, Application for a sponsored business visitor (short stay) visa.*

For more information, see Visiting for business - frequently asked questions.   For  "Frequently Asked Questions" on Australian visas, visit http://www.immi.gov.au/facts/45visas.htm.