Do we need a visa?

[boards]

We are on the Nov. 24 - Dec. 8 Hal Statendam cruising from Auckland, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia. Do need a Visa? Our TA says no. We passenger arrival and departures cards and she says that is all we need. I hope she is correct.

[roberts2005]

As an American I need to get an electonic visa, something I can do online. Australia may not require one from Canada.

 

Maybe this link will help:

 

http://www.canada.embassy.gov.au/otwa/AttachmentC.html

 

Robert

[Dorset Cruiser]

I'm in UK and doing the same trip on Princess in January and we have had to get an electronic visa - £10 sterling each.

 

Chris

[AussieL]

Hello Boards,

 

In case you haven't sorted out your Aussie Visa yet....

 

I think that your TA is wrong about a Visa for Australia.

 

For NZ your Canadian passport is enough - but I think you need a Visa for Australia.

 

An Electronic Travel Authority ($20 AUD) is what you will BOTH need.

 

The link that roberts2005 has provided will get you to the online application form.

 

Otherwise, Google in Visas Australia and you will get a few online sites that you can choose from to apply for an online visa. But you need to do this while you are outside Australia.

 

See you on board the Statendam.

 

cheers

[basso]

We are cruising on the Sapphire Princess from Auckland to Sydney on 23 Jan 2007. We do not need a visa for New Zealand, but we do need one for Australia. We asked our TA to order one from Princess and he stated, "You guest confirmation from Princess clearly shows that your Visas ($40 value) are included in the government fees of $100.78." He is sending us a copy of that letter. I think the price may be a little high, but it seemed the easiest way.

Bill

[boards]

Hello Boards,

 

In case you haven't sorted out your Aussie Visa yet....

 

I think that your TA is wrong about a Visa for Australia.

 

For NZ your Canadian passport is enough - but I think you need a Visa for Australia.

 

An Electronic Travel Authority ($20 AUD) is what you will BOTH need.

 

The link that roberts2005 has provided will get you to the online application form.

 

Otherwise, Google in Visas Australia and you will get a few online sites that you can choose from to apply for an online visa. But you need to do this while you are outside Australia.

 

See you on board the Statendam.

 

cheers

I hope your wrong because we don't have one. Our TA says we don't need it.

[boards]

What will happen if we don't have one? I have spoke with the TA about it and I don't know what to do now. Can I get it in time now?

[AussieL]

What will happen if we don't have one? I have spoke with the TA about it and I don't know what to do now. Can I get it in time now?

 

Boards, I hesitate to offer opinions when I don't know what documents your TA has set you up with. But if you read through the information on the link that roberts2005 has provided it seems clear that an electronic travel authority is what you need.

 

What did your TA say? And did you refer her to the link that roberts2005 provided. If your TA is sure you don't need an ETA perhaps she could explain the reasons to you.

 

Then you could check with the the toll free number in Canada and get some information there.

 

 

I do hope that you are not being put through any unnecessary stress but we have all answered your first post to the best of our understanding.

[roberts2005]

Boards

 

The question is, is your TA saying you don't need one because Princess did it? I would skip TA and call Princess!!!

[AussieL]

Boards

 

The question is, is your TA saying you don't need one because Princess did it? I would skip TA and call Princess!!!

 

Boards is on HAL's Statendam (Basso is with Princess).

 

Maybe Boards' TA has arranged an ETA with the travel documents.

[roberts2005]

My TA ( I'm on the Statendam in January) advised me to do it myself.

[boards]

We have passenger arrival and departure cards for New Zealand, I am assuming they came from Hal. Our agent says that is all we need. I appreciate everyone's comments. I have talked several times with my TA and she assures me we don't need. My wife is giving me heck for raising this issue, as she feels our TA knows what she is doing and everything will be alright.

Thank you for all your help. I think it is probably too late now anyway, we leave on Monday for New Zealand.

[roberts2005]

Electronic ETA's can be done on line at any time, takes abourt 1-15 minutes each.

[Globaliser]

I have talked several times with my TA and she assures me we don't need. My wife is giving me heck for raising this issue, as she feels our TA knows what she is doing and everything will be alright.

I agree with everyone else that what your TA is saying is wrong.

 

Every visitor to Australia (other than Kiwis and other special categories) needs a visa to go to Australia. If you want confirmation of this, go to this Delta Airlines portal to Timatic, which says this for American visitors:-

National U.S.A. (US) /Destination AUSTRALIA (AU)

 

Passport (should be valid for period of intended stay); or

Document of Identity issued for travel purposes showing

photograph of bearer and containing re-entry authority to

country of issue or an entry authority to another country

required.

 

Visa or ETA required.

 

ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) is an electronically issued

and verified visa not evident in a passport.

Timatic is the IATA database used by airlines for up-to-date information on passport and visa requirements, including instant decisions on whether to let passengers board flights. So it's a pretty accurate guide to those requirements.

 

The real issue is whether your TA or the cruise line has already organised an electronic visa for you. This is the question that you must ask your TA.

I think it is probably too late now anyway, we leave on Monday for New Zealand.

As has been said, you can do this online in minutes, if not seconds. The official Australian government website for doing this is here. For more information about Australian tourist visas, click here.

I appreciate everyone's comments. ... Thank you for all your help.

You came here to ask for our advice. Everyone has told you that you need a visa and that what your TA says is wrong. But now you want to ignore all of us and go with what your TA is saying. So what was the point of asking us?

[Globaliser]

Double post, sorry.

[boards]

Thank you Globaliser and others who gave me advice. I apologize for asking the coming here and asking the question I did, then not following your advice. You right about one thing I probably don't know all that my TA has done for me. She is not available at this time, so I will have to live with whatever happens. I am sorry I bother you, I won't be back to ask any further questions here. Thank you.

[Globaliser]

She is not available at this time, so I will have to live with whatever happens.

Actually, the other thing that we have been trying to make clear to you is that you don't have to just live with what happens (particularly as not having a required visa will mean that you will be denied boarding onto your cruise in Auckland and simply have to fly home again).

 

If you find that an electronic visa has not been arranged for you by anyone, you have plenty of time to do it yourself. It only takes minutes.

[roberts2005]

As a last resort you should be able to do an ETA from any computer once you arrive in Auckland. Check in early, if they require it go to an internet shop and do it.

[boards]

I feel like such a fool. We had gone over everything with our agent two weeks ago, when she explained everything. I was so happy about them finally coming I guess I listened with half an ear. My wife and I agreed the night before we would go over everything and sign all the documents she told us to. What do you think I found, yes, ETA documents. As my wife had said all would be okay. I appreciate what all of you said and you were all right, thank you very much. I hope now I can just look forward to a good trip.

[cands]

I feel like such a fool. We had gone over everything with our agent two weeks ago, when she explained everything. I was so happy about them finally coming I guess I listened with half an ear. My wife and I agreed the night before we would go over everything and sign all the documents she told us to. What do you think I found, yes, ETA documents. As my wife had said all would be okay. I appreciate what all of you said and you were all right, thank you very much. I hope now I can just look forward to a good trip.

 

That's great. All's well that ends well:)

We'll see you on board. Have a good flight.

 

Steve.

[AussieL]

I feel like such a fool. We had gone over everything with our agent two weeks ago, when she explained everything. I was so happy about them finally coming I guess I listened with half an ear. My wife and I agreed the night before we would go over everything and sign all the documents she told us to. What do you think I found, yes, ETA documents. As my wife had said all would be okay. I appreciate what all of you said and you were all right, thank you very much. I hope now I can just look forward to a good trip.

 

Hey Boards....way to go!!!!!

 

We are all breathing easier now.

Hope you both have a good flight - it is a long....way.

 

I haven't started packing yet and already I'm stressed out.

 

See you on the Statendam.

[Globaliser]

Fantastic news! I'm glad you're all sorted. Don't feel bad - we've all been there, or somewhere similar!

 

And enjoy the trip.

[boards]

Thank you everyone, we're here. Sending this from the Langham Hotel. What a great looking place this is and the staff has so far been really good to us. We made it through. Whoopee, the ship's next.

[cadcruiser]

We bought airline tickets directly from the airline. I called today and the customer service rep. from the airline applied for the visa at no extra charge.

[terry&mike]

If you start on the New Zealand end (as opposed to the Australian end) of this tour, at cruise check in they ask if you've obtained an Australian Visa. If you have not, they step you aside to a computer and you do it online right there at the dock. We took this cruise at the end of October on the Statendam, and had applied for our visas online before we left home. Very easy, efficient, and cheap. It is an instant, electronic visa, and you just print out the number and bring it with you. I'm sure several travel agents and ticketing agents will do this for you, but we had booked through an online agency and did it ourselves. We're not sure how they handle it on the Australian end.