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I'm travelling to Australia soon to receive a medical procedure from a gastroenterologist who provides a treatment not available in the US (which I intend to pay for out of pocket). I'm also visiting as a tourist and plan to go to beaches and restaurants and just kind of enjoy my time in a completely new place. Is the medical treatment visa required for this or will an ETA suffice?

I've never traveled outside of North America, and never to a country that requires a visa. I'm unsure whether the purpose of the visa is purely to grant entry or if it governs the things that I can and cannot do while in the country (beyond working, which I'm pretty sure I can't do on an ETA). I'd hate to arrive and be denied entry if it turns out I have the wrong kind of entry permission. The homeaffairs.gov.au website isn't particularly clear for my situation.

Giorgio
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user2097846
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1 Answers1

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An Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) visa permits you to engage in tourist or business visitor activities while in Australia. If you intend to travel to Australia for activities other than tourist or business visitor activities, then your ETA is liable for cancellation under paragraph 2.43(ea) of the Migration Regulations 1994. This paragraph provides (emphasis added) that a visa can be cancelled if:

in the case of a Subclass 601 (Electronic Travel Authority) visa—that, despite the grant of the visa, the Minister is satisfied that the visa holder:

(i) did not have, at the time of the grant of the visa, an intention only to stay in, or visit, Australia temporarily for the tourism or business purposes for which the visa was granted; or

(ii) has ceased to have that intention;

If your intention to travel to Australia is to seek medical treatment, then you should consider a Medical Treatment (subclass 602) visa.

molypot
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