Visa for Australia from Ireland

Irish citizens need a visa before travelling to Australia — there is no visa-free entry and nothing you can obtain on arrival. The right visa depends on whether you are visiting, working, studying, or moving permanently, and choosing correctly first time matters because application charges are generally not refunded if you pick the wrong one.

Most common visas for Irish applicants

Fees are set by the Department of Home Affairs and may change. See our visa costs page for the full list, and our processing times page for how long each typically takes.

Choosing the right one

Most Irish enquiries fall into one of a few situations.

A two or three week holiday. The eVisitor (651) is free, applied for online, and usually decided quickly. It allows up to three months per visit and you must be outside Australia when you apply. For most Irish holidays this is the whole answer.

Longer than three months, or visiting family. The eVisitor caps each visit at three months, so a longer trip needs the visitor visa (600) instead. It is not free and it asks more of you in evidence, but it can be granted for up to twelve months.

A year of work and travel, and you are under 36. The Working Holiday visa (417) is the route most young Irish citizens take. Ireland's age limit runs to 35 rather than the usual 30, there is no annual cap, and you need no degree and no English test. This is the visa with the most Ireland-specific detail worth reading before you apply.

You have a job offer from an Australian employer. The Skills in Demand visa (482) requires a sponsoring employer and can lead to permanent residency. Your employer has obligations here too, so this one moves at their pace as much as yours.

You want to move permanently. Permanent residency via the points-tested 189, state-nominated 190 or regional 491 requires a skills assessment, an English test and enough points to be invited. It is the longest and most document-heavy route.

Not sure. Our visa checker asks a handful of questions and points you at the most likely option.

Do you need an ETA?

No — and this trips people up because the Electronic Travel Authority comes up constantly in general Australia travel advice. The ETA is for a different set of passports. Irish citizens use the eVisitor (subclass 651), which serves the same purpose and is free. If a site or agent offers to sell you an ETA as an Irish passport holder, that is the wrong product.

Applying from Ireland

Most applications are lodged online through ImmiAccount. There is no embassy appointment for these visa types and nothing needs to be posted.

For most visas, including your first Working Holiday visa and the eVisitor, you must be outside Australia when you apply. The typical process is:

1. Choose the right visa (use our visa checker if unsure)
2. Create an ImmiAccount
3. Gather supporting documents — see our requirements and documents guide
4. Complete and submit the online application
5. Wait for the decision before travelling, unless the visa allows later entry

What Irish citizens get that others do not

Two things are worth knowing because a lot of general guidance misses them.

Ireland's Working Holiday arrangement is one of the original reciprocal ones, so the age limit runs to 35 and there is no annual quota, no qualification requirement and no English test. Most nationalities get none of that.

Separately, Ireland and Australia have a reciprocal healthcare agreement, so Irish citizens can enrol in Medicare once in Australia on an eligible visa. It does not replace travel or health insurance, but it is a meaningful advantage over most other visitors.

Getting help

We provide application preparation and lodgement assistance from Ireland. You can also apply directly at any time through the Department of Home Affairs — our service is for applicants who would rather have the paperwork checked before it is lodged.

Use our visa checker to find the right option, then contact us if you would like help preparing your application.