Australian tourist visa.how much

photome

I thought I was fairly savvy but have just searched for details of how much an Australian tourist visa costs and I am confused..there are so many!

My parents have just booked flights to OZ and the agent offered to get their visas for them at a cost of £15 each which they accepted but on my searches it looks like the ETA is free.

Can anyone enlighten me please

mustmakealist

It is free - you need to make sure that you are on the official Australian Gov website. http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/visitors.htm

photome

mustmakealist wrote: »

It is free - you need to make sure that you are on the official Australian Gov website. http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/visitors.htm

thanks I was on that site but there were so many options.

Looks like they have spent £30 for something that is free. I keep telling them to ask me first before they book any travel. I could have got the flights for £70 less than they paid so looks like I could have saved them £100 !!

HappyMJ

photome wrote: »

thanks I was on that site but there were so many options.

Looks like they have spent £30 for something that is free. I keep telling them to ask me first before they book any travel. I could have got the flights for £70 less than they paid so looks like I could have saved them £100 !!

Oh well...nothing you can do now... the £15 each was for the agent to fill in the form and press submit.

claire16c

When a website does this it's a 'scam' but no one seems to say the same about travel agents!

photome

claire16c wrote: »

When a website does this it's a 'scam' but no one seems to say the same about travel agents!

Its a scam!

there you go

The travel agent made £100 for about 5 minutes on the phone, not bad work if you can get it

Nick_C

claire16c wrote: »

When a website does this it's a 'scam' but no one seems to say the same about travel agents!

When a website does this, it IS a scam, because the official website would do it for free.

When a TA does this, they are providing you with a service, saving you the trouble of researching how to get a visa / ETA and make the application. TAs are in business to make money, and they are not going to do this for free. Time is money.

Neil49

The electronic version is free but you have to apply for that in person. Depending on the age of the travellers this option can be subject to a number of questions including fitness to travel and possible confirmation from your doctor on pre existing conditions.

There is a further option (which the TA used) which costs around £15 and is subject to fewer questions. Should you fail to get approval through the electronic version then you would have to submit this form.

I wouldn't call this a scam as it has a better chance that they get approval to travel.

claire16c

Nick_C wrote: »

When a website does this, it IS a scam, because the official website would do it for free.

When a TA does this, they are providing you with a service, saving you the trouble of researching how to get a visa / ETA and make the application. TAs are in business to make money, and they are not going to do this for free. Time is money.

But what about websites 'checking' your application. Or in some cases printing & sending off. Took someone 5 minutes to do that. Sounds similar to the travel agent!

Nick_C

claire16c wrote: »

But what about websites 'checking' your application. Or in some cases printing & sending off. Took someone 5 minutes to do that. Sounds similar to the travel agent!

The scam websites are tricking you into using their site instead of the official ones. They don't provide any added value.

A TA is providing you with a service.