News report | | 14-07-2021 | ±3 minutes reading time

Would you like to take a cruise that takes you along the coast of Australia or to Fiji, New Zealand or Hawaii? This is certainly possible, but bear in mind that the visa rules differ per destination.

Is the period between your first arrival in Australia and the date on which you dock back in Australia after your cruise longer than 90 days? Then you should ask your cruise line about their experiences regarding the validity of the Australia visa in this situation.

Applying for an Australia visa before departure

If you are going on holiday to Australia, you will need to apply for an Australia visa before departure. Various types of visas are available for tourist and business trips, including the eVisitor visa Australia and the ETA Australia. Both visa types have a validity of twelve months. During these twelve months, you may travel to Australia several times, but each stay may not exceed three consecutive months. The same requirements apply to both visa types. The only difference is the nationality with which the visa can be applied for. Do you have the nationality of the United Kingdom, Ireland or another European country? Then apply for the eVisitor visa.

Requirements of the Australia visa for a cruise

A cruise lets you see Australia from a different side. During a cruise, most ships call at least at the Great Barrier Reef and the cities of Sydney and Melbourne. If you would like to visit the islands of Australia as well as the mainland, you could opt for a cruise along Kangaroo Island or Tasmania.

Cruise SydneyCruise ship in Sydney

However, bear in mind the maximum length of stay of the Australia visa. If you board a cruise ship in Australia and dock in Australia again at a later date, the maximum duration of stay continues from the first arrival in Australia. This is because, in most cases, you do not officially leave the country during a cruise. The final departure date therefore remains unchanged. This means that on your return to Australia, you may not stay another three months in the country, but that the maximum period of three months continues from your first arrival in the country.

Cruise from Australia to Fiji

Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji since 1987, is an island nation in the South Pacific located north of New Zealand and east of Australia. The Republic of Fiji consists of 332 islands, 106 of which are inhabited, covering an area of 18,000 square miles. The Fiji Islands form the largest part of the island nation, at 99.7%. The Rotuma Islands and the Ceva-i-Ra coral reef are not part of Fiji, but are part of the Republic of Fiji. The main island of Fiji is Viti Levu. On this island lies Suva, the capital of Fiji, and Fijiʼs largest airport, Nadi International Airport.

Different visa rules apply to Fiji than to Australia or New Zealand. Unlike Australia and New Zealand, Fiji does not require a visa for a tourist stay of up to 120 days. However, keep Australiaʼs visa regulations in mind if you are travelling to Fiji from Australia and then returning to Australia and re-entering the country. It is recommended that you check with your cruise line or travel agent if you have officially left Australia when you arrive in Fiji and if you are allowed to stay in Australia for another 3 months or not.

Cruises from Australia to New Zealand and/or Hawaii

Many cruise companies also offer the option of taking a cruise from Australia to New Zealand and/or Hawaii. It is important that you start preparing for the cruise in good time. You will need a visa to dock in New Zealand and an ESTA or a US visa to dock in Hawaii. Before booking your tickets, find out which travel authorisations you will need for your destinations and which visa rules apply when returning to Australia after your cruise.


Please note: this news article about the visa for Australia is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for Australia.

Also check the following pages

Share this page

e-Visa.ie is a commercial and professional visa agency, and supports travellers in obtaining, among others, the Australia visa. e-Visa.ie is an official partner of the International Air Transport Association, IATA, with membership number 57231226, acts as an intermediary, is no law firm, nor does it employ lawyers, does not provide legal advice, and is in no way part of any government. You can also apply for a visa directly with the immigration service (0 AUD per visa, via immi.homeaffairs.gov.au). However, not with our level of support. If you submit your application via e-Visa.ie, our support centre is available to you 24/7. In addition, we manually check your application and all the documents you provide before submitting it to the immigration authorities on your behalf. If we suspect any errors or omissions while doing so, we will personally contact you to ensure that your application can still be processed quickly and correctly. To use our services, you pay us 0 AUD in consular fees, which we pay to the immigration service on your behalf, as well as € 24,95 in service fees as compensation for our services, including VAT. Our services have saved many travellers from major problems during their trip. Should an application be rejected despite our support and verification, we will refund the full purchase price (unless an application for a previous Australia visa was rejected for the same traveller). Read more about our services here.