New EU countries to benefit from Australian eVisas

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Visitors wishing to travel to Australia from the ten countries joining the European Union (EU) on 1 May will now be able to use an electronic visa service to lodge a tourist visa application.

From 1 July 2004, the electronic visa lodgement facility, known as eVisa, will be extended to people from Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

eVisa allows people to apply for a tourist visa on the Internet and makes it easier for clients to apply who do not have easy access to an Australian embassy or consulate.

The Internet-based system also allows people to apply and pay for their visa from anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Applicants will not have to post their passports to an Australian Embassy or Consulate nor will have to queue up to get a visa issued, greatly reducing the time and effort involved.

eVisa for visitor visas is already available nationals of current EU member states, as well as to people in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait and is planned to be expanded to other regions.

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