On a HKSAR passport, your travel authorization for Australia is the ETA (subclass 601) β applied through the official app. We teach you to do it yourself, the right way, the first time: no rejected photos, no NFC headaches, no overpriced agency.
Travelling to Australia from Hong Kong? If you hold an HKSAR passport, your authorization is the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA, subclass 601), applied entirely from your phone in the official "Australian ETA" app. One important note on which passport you use is below β get that right first, then the app takes about 15 minutes.
Yes. You can't board a flight to Australia on your passport alone β you need a travel authorization first. The authorization is the ETA (subclass 601): it allows tourism or business, stays of up to 3 months per entry, and is valid for 12 months. It is granted by the Australian Government (Department of Home Affairs). It is linked to your HKSAR passport β there's no sticker or stamp.
Cathay Pacific and Qantas fly direct from Hong Kong to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Cairns β roughly 9 hours to the east coast. It's a comfortable overnight hop, and your ETA is verified electronically at check-in, so have it approved before you head to the airport.
Hong Kong is in the Northern Hemisphere, so Australia's seasons run opposite. Escape Hong Kong's humid summer (JunβAug) into Australia's cooler, clear winter, or travel DecemberβFebruary for a double summer on the beaches. Spring and autumn in Australia (SepβNov, MarβMay) are mild and great value. The ETA allows up to 3 months per entry.
The ETA carries a small government service charge of about AUD $20, paid inside the official app and billed against the Hong Kong dollar (HKD) on your card. So why do so many travelers pay much more? Because agencies and copycat websites charge the equivalent of USD $50β100 to tap a few buttons for you β and because a single mistake in the app can delay or sink your trip. You don't need either problem.
The ETA is a visitor authorization β it does not allow paid work. If you're under 35 and want to work while you travel, Hong Kong has a separate Working Holiday (subclass 417) agreement with Australia. That's a different visa with its own rules; the ETA on this page is only for tourism and business visits.
Want the full breakdown of the visa itself? See our complete guide to the Australian ETA (subclass 601), or check whether you need a visa at all in Do I need a visa for Australia?
Access the course and do it yourself in 15 minutes, the right way, without overpaying. Still have questions? You can also talk to an advisor for free.
Any visa decision depends exclusively on the Department of Home Affairs. We do not guarantee results.
Yes. The route is the ETA (subclass 601): an electronic authorization for tourism/business, up to 3 months per entry over 12 months, granted by the Australian Government.
A small government service charge of about AUD $20, paid in the official app. A course to apply without errors is optional and independent.
100% from your phone in the official "Australian ETA" app: scan your passport, scan the chip (NFC), take a selfie, answer the questions and pay. Our course guides you to do it in ~15 minutes.
The ETA (subclass 601) is for HKSAR passport holders. If you travel on a BN(O) passport, you apply for the eVisitor (subclass 651) instead. Decide which passport you'll fly on before applying.
About 9 hours non-stop to the east coast (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane) with Cathay Pacific or Qantas β a convenient overnight flight.