Holidays Down Under: Steps In Getting An Australian Tourist Visa

Officially called the Commonwealth of Australia, this country is located on the southern hemisphere, and is considered the world's smallest continent. It's comprised of mainland Australia, the major island of Tasmania, and other islands located within the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its capital is Canberra, which is situated in the Australian Capital Territory, or ACT. The country has a population of just around 21.3 million and 60% of the country's population lives mostly around the state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. For those who wish to acquire a tourist visa for short visits or long vacations to this lovely part of the planet, you could ask for assistance from your travel agent, go personally to any Australian visa center, or mail your passport and visa application forms to this office.

Australia is considered to be among the most popular and exciting tourism destinations in the world. It attracts millions of tourists annually, who frequent its lovely beaches, scenic landscapes and adventure destinations. Among the top tourist attractions here is the Great Barrier Reef, which is the world's largest coral reef system which stretches for 2,000 kilometers. This natural wonder consists of 20,000 individual reefs and 600 islands, and many waterfront resorts, beach side condominiums and mansions abound in this area.

Sydney is also one top destination. This city is considered as one of the world's most beautiful cities, and is surrounded by lovely beaches, lush hinterlands, wine-producing districts and world-class entertainment and cultural facilities. The Opera House and Harbour Bridge are really nice places of interest as well as the Harbour itself, which is noted for offering spectacular views of the city and the bay, particularly at night. Byron Bay is also another popular destination here with its numerous beaches, relaxed lifestyle and wide array of adventure activities. Ayers Rock, also called Uluru by the indigenous Australians, is also a famous Aussie landmark. This large sandstone formation is located in Central Australia, and is listed as a World Heritage site.
For those who wish to personally apply for an Australian tourist visa, these can be issued on the spot, usually within an hour or two, and won't require you to return the next day. According to visa experts, there may or may not be a charge levied for the tourist visa. First, you should, fully determine your length of stay for a specific visit, and you may choose from an electronic travel authority (ETA) visa, which is applicable for up to 3 months or a tourist visa which will allow you to stay up to 12 months. Next, make sure that you provide all the required information for your visa application. You need to have your passport ready, since an ETA visa will be linked to your passport number you're currently carrying. However, if you wish to renew your passport, then wait to apply for your visa first. Third, pay the required service fees. While ETA visas do not have any fees levied, you still need to pay for the processing charges.

Australian visa applications done by mail or personal application require the payment of fees. After the processing and payment of required charges, you may now be able to get your tourist visa once it's approved. You need to print all the documents you receive and include these with your valid travel papers when traveling. In addition, you need to remember that your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of your departure, as well as check in advance the passport requirements with your local or national carrier when booking a flight to this destination.

Jo is a content writer for ‘Australian Travel Visas Ltd’ (http://www.australiantravelvisas.co.uk), experts in Australia tourist visas, Australia business visas and Australia working holiday visas. If you are going to take a trip and apply for an Australian Tourist Visa or you are unsure which Australian travel visa is most suitable for you then you ought to check out Australian Travel Visas Ltd.