Do Cruise Ship Passengers Need A Visa For Australia?

Cruise ships in Australia are subject to customs, immigration, and biosecurity controls when entering and or departing the country. To enter Australia for an Australian cruise, travelers may need to obtain a specific visa depending on their circumstances. There are four common types of Australian visas:

1. Transit visa: This visa usually applies to a one-ticket or travel-organized style of travel. For domestic cruises, Australian residents must provide a government-issued photo ID or passport. Children must also have a government-issued ID or passport.

2. Maritime Crew visa: This visa allows foreign crew on a Maritime Crew visa eligible ship to enter Australia by sea when on an international voyage. For domestic cruises, Australian residents must provide a government-issued photo ID or passport.

3. Children must also have a government-issued ID or passport. If your cruise is not leaving Australian waters, you still need travel insurance for your health. You may be unable to claim Medicare or private insurance.

In summary, all guests require an Australian visa to enter and leave Australia for any cruise that visits ports in Australia. Non-residents with an Australian or New Zealand passport can apply for an electronic visa online for a fee, which can be paid by credit card.


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Do cruise ship passengers need a visa for australia from usa
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Which countries can enter Australia without a visa?

Do I need a visa to enter Australia? Unless you are an Australian citizen, you will need a valid Australian visa to enter the country. New Zealand passport holders can apply for a visa upon arrival in the country. All other passport holders, regardless of age, must apply for a visa before leaving home.

There are different Australian visa types available for travellers to Australia. Knowing which Australian visa to apply for depends on the length of your stay, your passport and the purpose of your visit. You’ll also need to meet certain financial and medical requirements, be outside of Australia when applying and maintain health insurance for the duration of your stay.

Electronic Travel Authority visa(subclass 601)This visa allows you to visit Australia as many times as you want, for up to a year, and stay for three months each visit. This visa is available to passport holders from a number of countries and regions, who live outside Australia. A step-by-step guide on how to apply ishere.

All ETA-eligible passport holders must apply for an ETA using the Australian ETA app. Agents can assist you in the application process, but you must be physically present as a live facial image is required.

Do cruise ship passengers need visas
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How much is an ETA for Australia?

CIBTvisas is not part of the Australian Government. The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship is responsible for issuing visas, including Electronic Travel Authorities. You can apply for an ETA directly through the DIAC website for $20, but you will not benefit from the extended services listed above.

ETA stands for Electronic Travel Authority. ETA is equivalent to a visa but requires no stamp or sticker in your passport. The ETA application is online and when your application is approved, your ETA is recorded electronically with the Australian government.

In most cases, your ETA will be approved in less than 30 seconds. In a small number of cases, your application status will be pending for up to 12 hours. If this is the case for your application, you can check your application status on CIBTvisas’s website until it is approved.

ETA visa Australia
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Can you go on a cruise without a visa?

Do You Need a Visa for a Cruise?. For many cruises, like closed loop cruises, a visa isn’t required. But, just like with passports, this varies by country and port. While you can generally assume that you won’t need a visa, it would still be wise to check with your cruise company, especially if your cruise is outside of the Western Hemisphere or Europe. Some countries allow the cruise line to handle visas upon arrival in port. While in other cases your cruise line will only advise that you might need one. If you are still concerned about visa requirements, we recommend you check with official government websites for the countries you’ll be visiting.

If you know you’re going to need a passport for your cruise, or just want one so you’re prepared for potential emergencies, CIBTvisas can help.

CIBTvisas can guide you throughout the entire process of applying for your passport. Our team of expert immigration and visa professionals submit all of the required documentation on your behalf, greatly minimizing the length of time needed to process your passport, and ensuring all documents are correctly filled out and submitted. Learn more about how our passport services can serve you today!

Entering Australia by cruise ship
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What paperwork do you need to go on a cruise?

Identification. For most cruises, you’ll need a passport book that’s valid for at least six months from the day your sailing ends. In some cases, you can use a passport card instead of a passport book, but that will only work if you plan to reenter the U.S. via your ship from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean.

Boarding a cruise ship isn’t like boarding a city bus or hopping on the subway. Because cruises involve international travel, you won’t be allowed to sail if you don’t have all the proper cruise documents and identification. That means you’ll want to know exactly what to take with you and, once you have a list, double- and triple-check it to ensure you haven’t forgotten anything.

The check-in process can be intimidating if you haven’t gone through it before. You might wonder what, exactly, cruise documents are, which ones you need and how you obtain them.

Gear up for a successful and stress-free embarkation day, and make sure you have all the necessary items on hand and ready to go with this guide.

Does a cruise count as leaving the country in Australia?

A cruise starting and returning to Australia does not count as time outside the country for visa purposes. You cannot stay for more than 12 months on each entry on this visa. Usually there is a maximum duration of 12 months allowed in any 18 month period.

Australia ETA visa for US citizens
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Is an eVisitor visa for Australia free?

EVisitor visa. There is no visa application charge or service fee. Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) via the iOS App or Android App. There is no visa application charge, but a service fee of A$20 may apply.

This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Australia set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact Australia’s High Commission in the UK.

COVID-19 rules. You do not need a pre-departure COVID-19 test to enter or transit Australia regardless of your COVID-19 vaccination status. See the Australian government’s website for advice on COVID-19 and travelling.

Royal Caribbean cruise visa requirements
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Do you go through immigration at cruise ports?

Immigration officers board the ship when it docks and carry out the necessary checks from the ship’s manifest; guests are not required for this process. Occasionally, some overseas ports will require you to take your passport ashore.

No, you are not requiredto pass through Immigration at every port of callon your cruise, as you will have already supplied us with your passport details on your Guest Information Form.

Immigration officersboard the ship when it docks and carry outthe necessarychecks from the ship’s manifest;guests are not required for this process. Occasionally, some overseas ports will require you to take your passport ashore.

Please help us understand how this page could be more helpful:

Princess cruise visa requirements
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Does a cruise count as leaving the country?

However, if you are on a cruise ship, the only days that count towards your days in the USA are the days you are in the USA.

I don’t even think having a ticket to a Dutch possession/territory is necessary. The US, and most countries, don’t really care where you go…just that you leave. When I show up at the Japanese border, for example, they don’t care if my onward ticket is back to the US or Namibia (the two passports I hold), they just care that it’s to somewhere “not called Japan”. I’ve definitely shown up to the Japanese border with an onward ticket to Singapore, and they don’t give a darn.

Most of the world doesn’t care but the U.S. definitely does. If one enters the U.S on a I94W (or ESTA), going to Canada, Mexico and other nearby countries does not stop the clock on your “U.S. stay”. Say, enter the U.S. on a I-94W, immediately go to Canada or Mexico or “nearby islands” for more than 90ys and you’ve over stayed your U.S. visa unless you go straight home (don’t even think about re-entering the U.S. – even to change flights – to get home).

If you are admitted to the United States under the VWP, you may take a short trip to Canada, Mexico, or a nearby island and generally be readmitted to the United States under the VWP for the remainder of the original 90 days granted upon your initial arrival in the United States. Therefore, the length of time of your total stay, including the short trip, must be 90 days or less.

Australia ETA application
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Do you go through immigration on a cruise Australia?

Cruise ships are subject to Customs, Immigration and Biosecurity controls when entering and/or departing Australia.

Cruise ships providing direct international sea transport require full immigration clearance and inwards Advance Passenger Processing (APP) for all passengers and crew.

Cruise ship representatives seeking to understand APP reporting obligations or to obtain necessary system access to complete APP can contact their shipping agent for assistance.

Where a vessel is seeking to enter an Australian Non-Appointed port, permission is required for first port of entry and/or to enter subsequent ports.

Do I need a visa if I don’t get off the cruise ship?

It is important that you have a valid visa for all ports of call that require them, even if you do not plan to disembark.

Norwegian Cruise visa requirements
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Do I need a visa if I’m on a cruise ship?

Based on your nationality, you may require an entry visa to board your cruise or enter certain countries your cruise visits. It is the guests’ responsibility to identify and to obtain all the necessary visas before commencing their cruise.

Guests of all Nationalities should contact the Embassy (Consular Services) of each country on your cruise for specific visa requirements, information, forms and fees for your nationality. Guests may then contact a company that assists with securing and processing visas for travelers.

Australia visa
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Do I need a visa to go to Australia on a cruise ship?

All foreign travellers, except New Zealand citizens, must obtain a visa or travel authority before travelling to Australia. If you have a specific question, please contact the Department of Home Affairs.


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Do Cruise Ship Passengers Need A Visa For Australia
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Debbie Green

I am a school teacher who was bitten by the travel bug many decades ago. My husband Billy has come along for the ride and now shares my dream to travel the world with our three children.The kids Pollyanna, 13, Cooper, 12 and Tommy 9 are in love with plane trips (thank goodness) and discovering new places, experiences and of course Disneyland.

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