Title: ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) Visa
Description: Don't pay GBP 10!
Pommygirl - August 14, 2005 10:05 AM (GMT)
I remember when I first came over to Australia, I came out on a visitor visa (ETA) - the travel agent charged me GBP 10. Two months later I came out again and again the travel agent charged me GBP 10. I have since learnt that obtaining your ETA visa doesn't cost the travel agent a damn penny and it is free. I know this because I spend 60% of my time working with travel agents and have recently obtained an ETA for one of our English work colleagues. So bear this in mind if you are coming out for your recce.
Michelle
Karen_Darren - August 16, 2005 08:06 PM (GMT)
Hello there
I'm not sure we're on the same thing, but I've had electronic visas in the past and there usually is a charge, but they are supposed to be valid for 12 months, so I don't know why you were charged again.
This time around we haven't used a travel agent and arranged our ETA via the Aus Gov website. There was a charge for this (can't remember exact amount) but was roughly 6 GBP each, I think ? :(
Good point to make though for anyone not sure about them,
KAREN
Pommygirl - August 17, 2005 02:20 AM (GMT)
Yes ETA's are free of charge to issue. Its a Travel Agent scam to get money out of you. It didn't cost me anything to issue an ETA for a work colleague last week to come out from UK to Oz for a couple of weeks.
When I was double charged, the travel agent conned me. :angry:
They are obviously charging you to access the internet!
:sigh: :angry:
Steve&Corrina - August 17, 2005 11:54 AM (GMT)
I applied for an ETA for Corrina's mum online. Cost was $20 which gives a visa for a year with multiple visits, max. 3 months at a time. The link below is the one from the immi website. I'm not aware of how you can get an ETA at no cost, although I'd be interested to find out about it. When we came out on a reccy visit last year, we booked through Singapore Airlines in Manchester and they organised the ETA for us. Can't remember if there was a charge for that though.
http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/ETAAus4En.htmlSteve
Amanda Hugenkiss - August 17, 2005 01:14 PM (GMT)
We do them FOC for all of our clients at Kuoni! So you were conned!
Pommygirl - August 17, 2005 09:56 PM (GMT)
Thanks Lucy. :cool shake:
Just goes to show how the travel agents rip us off! :angry:
bubble - August 18, 2005 02:39 AM (GMT)
Another agent goldmine is travel insurance - unless they're offering it free you can get the same thing cheaper elsewhere. ;)
Desiree
:D :D