Do I need a visa to get from the US into Australia?

Ozmaniac

You must have a visa before travelling to Australia and in fact the airlines won't let you board without one.

You must be outside Australia when applying for a prospective marriage visa and must also be offshore when it is granted.

If you qualify for a spouse visa because you've lived together for at least 12 months, you can be either onshore (on a tourist or some other visa) or offshore when applying, but onshore visas take longer to be granted and are more expensive. Entering on some other visa also leaves you open to the suggestion that you were not there for the stated purpose of that visa and that may ring unwanted bells at DIAC. Also, the required proof of the genuineness and permanent nature of your relationship is massive and carefully checked and if your 12 months living together was overseas, it can be much easier to gather documents, photos etc while you're still there.

If you're granted a spouse visa, it will be temporary for 2 years and then becomes permanent if you are still in the relationship - if not, you must leave the country or qualify for some other visa.
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/1127.pdf (partner migration booklet)

For citizenship, you must be legally in Australia for at least 4 years including at least 1 as a Permanent Resident.

rejectedzipper

Don't try anything cute with Oz. They are VERY hot on immigration matters.
Contact the Australian Embassy or Consulate nearest you (you can find them on line) and explain the situation, they will give the correct procedures to follow.

Don't be tempted to go in as a visitor and then "switch"- they see it as a trick and you could not only be deported but banned from re-entering Oz ever again.

tuppenybitz

you can not enter australia with out a visa

George L

This is from the Department of State's Country Information Sheet for Australia on their website travel.state.gov:

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: American citizens are required to have a valid U.S. passport to enter Australia. Americans must enter with an Australian visa or, if eligible, through Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). The ETA replaces a visa and allows a stay of up to three months. It may be obtained for a small service fee. Airlines and many travel agents in the United States are also able to apply for ETAs on behalf of travelers. Please note that American citizens who overstay their ETA or visa, even for short periods, may be subject to exclusion, detention, and removal. More information about the ETA, other visas, and entry requirements may be obtained from the Embassy of Australia at 1601 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, telephone (202) 797-3000, or via the Australian Embassy home page. Visa inquires may be directed to the Australian Visa Information Service at 888-990-8888.

Australia's part of the Visa Waiver program. If Australia automatically required visas for US citizens, Austrailia wouldn't be part of the program.

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