Which passports are eligible for Australia's Subclass 601 ETA in 2026?
Only passports from the countries and jurisdictions listed on the Department of Home Affairs' official Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601) page can be used for an ETA, and that list, as at July 2026, contains 34 entries — including two separate United Kingdom passport categories and Hong Kong (SAR of China), Taiwan (excluding official or diplomatic passports), and Vatican City. Non-citizen passports, certificates of identity and other travel documents such as a Titre de Voyage are excluded outright, so eligibility is decided before any other criterion is considered.
Which passports qualify for the Subclass 601 ETA?
The eligibility requirement traces back to the Migration Regulations 1994, which frame the grant condition as the applicant holding an ETA-eligible passport. The Department of Home Affairs publishes that list as follows.
- Western and Northern Europe: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City
- Southern and Eastern Europe: Greece, Italy
- Asia-Pacific: Brunei, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (excluding official or diplomatic passports)
- North America: Canada, United States of America
- United Kingdom: United Kingdom — British Citizen; United Kingdom — British National (Overseas)
Two details in this list trip people up. The UK appears twice, and only those two categories count — other British nationality statuses (for example British Overseas Territories Citizen or British Protected Person, where these are separate passport types) are not named on the page. For Taiwan, holding an ordinary passport satisfies this first criterion, whereas official or diplomatic passports do not, so people travelling on those need a different visa route.
Why won't my non-citizen travel document work?
Because the published criterion is expressed as holding a valid passport from one of the listed countries or jurisdictions, not merely travelling on something usable at a border. Document type matters as much as nationality.
| Document | Outcome for ETA purposes |
|---|---|
| Valid ordinary passport from a listed country/jurisdiction | Passes the passport criterion — other criteria still apply |
| Official or diplomatic passport issued by Taiwan | Excluded — needs a different visa route |
| Non-citizen passport (for example a British non-citizen document not named above) | Excluded |
| Certificate of identity | Excluded |
| Titre de Voyage or similar travel document | Excluded |
Refugee travel documents, stateless persons' documents and emergency certificates are the practical cases: they can be perfectly valid for travel generally and still leave the holder outside the ETA channel, redirecting them to a Visitor (subclass 600) visa applied for online.
I hold more than one passport — which one do I use, and do I have to say so?
Use the eligible one to apply, but declare every passport you hold. The official page states that if you hold more than one passport you must declare this in the ETA application and provide details of your other passports, alongside travelling under any other name you have been known by. That declaration is part of providing accurate information; if an ETA is granted and incorrect information is later found, it may be cancelled. Read it as a disclosure duty rather than an optional field: undeclared second citizenship is a common source of ETA cancellation.
I'm also an Australian citizen. Do I still need an ETA?
No, and you cannot get one. The official page is explicit that holding an ETA-eligible passport does not help if you are also an Australian citizen: Australian citizens have an automatic right of entry and do not need a visa to enter Australia. The practical failure mode is booking based on the wrong travel document — an Australian citizen should travel on the Australian passport, since the dual-citizen travel rules, not the ETA, apply.
Does holding an eligible passport guarantee that an ETA is granted?
No. The passport is one of several criteria, and all of them must be met. The remaining ones are:
- Genuine visitor: you must only intend to stay temporarily in Australia and obey any condition or stay period attached to the visa.
- Health: you must meet the health requirement; if you previously failed to meet it, or you will be entering health care or hospital environments, the Visitor (subclass 600) visa is the appropriate route instead.
- Character: you must meet the character requirement; with a criminal conviction in any country, you should apply for a Visitor (subclass 600) visa and provide evidence about the convictions. A granted ETA may also be cancelled if incorrect information was provided.
- Debt to the Australian Government: if you or any family member — including those not applying with you — owe the Australian Government money, it must be repaid or an arrangement to repay it must be in place.
- Best interests of the child: the visa might not be granted if doing so would not be in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
This article sets out published requirements for general reference and is not advice on any individual situation; because eligibility turns on personal facts such as health, character and outstanding government debt, anyone whose circumstances are not straightforward should rely on the official page and on qualified professional advice before acting.
What does the app actually check about my passport?
The passport criterion is enforced at scan time, not at the border. In the Australian ETA app you scan your passport to pre-fill your name, date of birth, passport number and other details, take a photo of yourself, answer questions including prior names, criminal convictions and contact details in Australia, pay the service fee and submit. To do this you need a camera device able to photograph you and the passport data page, near-field communication (NFC) enabled, location services enabled, a valid email address and a valid payment method for the service fee.
Three passport-related consequences follow from that design. First, each family member must submit a separate application — you cannot include family members in yours, even children listed on your passport — though applications from one device can be submitted and paid for together. Second, if your ETA details do not exactly match your passport details you may face boarding delays or be refused entry, and details cannot be changed once an ETA is issued; every name and date must be checked before submitting. Third, if an ETA loses its passport — for example through expiry, loss or replacement — the link between visa and document is broken, so a fresh application is needed for the new passport.
My passport isn't on the list. What's the realistic next step?
It depends on the passport you hold. European passport holders may be eligible for the eVisitor (subclass 651) visa, and there is no charge to make an eVisitor application; other passport holders may be eligible for the Visitor (subclass 600) visa, applied for online through ImmiAccount. Note also that people who cannot use the Australian ETA app at all — because their device lacks NFC, for instance — fall back to ImmiAccount and a visa suited to their needs, so a missing phone feature and a missing passport produce the same detour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which passports are eligible for Australia's ETA in 2026?
Australia's Department of Home Affairs lists 34 eligible countries and passport categories on the Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601) page as at July 2026, covering most of Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Taiwan (excluding official or diplomatic passports), Canada, the United States, and two United Kingdom categories. Anything not named on that page does not satisfy the passport criterion. The list can change, so confirm it on the official page immediately before applying.
Can I apply for an ETA with a refugee travel document or certificate of identity?
No. The official page states you cannot apply with a non-citizen passport, a certificate of identity or any other travel document such as a Titre de Voyage, regardless of which country issued it. Holders of these documents are directed to other visa routes, typically the Visitor (subclass 600) visa through ImmiAccount.
Do I have to declare my second passport when applying for an ETA?
Yes. Home Affairs requires you to declare that you hold more than one passport and to provide details of the other passports in the application, together with any other names you have been known by. Failing to provide accurate information can lead to the ETA being cancelled, even after it has been granted.
Does having an ETA-eligible passport mean my ETA will be granted?
No, holding an eligible passport is only one of several criteria that must all be met. A genuine temporary stay intention, the health requirement, the character requirement, repayment of any debt to the Australian Government, and the best interests of any applicant under 18 are assessed as well. Criminal convictions, entering health care environments, and previously failing the health requirement are all situations where the Visitor (subclass 600) visa is the appropriate pathway instead.
My passport is not eligible — what can I do instead?
European passport holders may be eligible for the eVisitor (subclass 651) visa, which attracts no application charge, while other passport holders may look at the Visitor (subclass 600) visa applied for online through ImmiAccount. Since the two routes have different evidence expectations, compare them against your travel purpose and timing before committing to flights.
How long can I stay in Australia on an ETA?
The Migration Regulations 1994 and the Department of Home Affairs' PAM3 guidance provide that the ETA allows multiple visits over up to 12 months (or until the passport expires, whichever is earlier), with each stay limited to three months, and that business visitor activity does not include working for an Australian employer. The conditions actually attached to your visa are set out in the written grant notification, and those should be treated as authoritative for your travel.