Can Hong Kong SAR or BNO passport holders apply for Australia's 601 ETA in 2026?
Yes. Both the Hong Kong (SAR of China) passport and the British National (Overseas) — BNO — passport are named on the eligible-passport list for the Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601), according to the Department of Home Affairs' official Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601) page. The two limitations that catch people out are different from the ones most applicants expect: an ETA cannot be used at all if you are also an Australian citizen, and it cannot be applied for on a non-citizen travel document. This article is general information about how the rules are published, not advice on an individual case, so anyone whose situation involves a second nationality, a criminal record or a health issue should check the current official wording or take professional advice before lodging anything.
Which passports actually qualify, and where do Hong Kong SAR and BNO sit?
The Department publishes a fixed list of countries and jurisdictions whose passports are ETA-eligible. Hong Kong appears as "Hong Kong (SAR of China)", and the BNO passport appears as a separate entry, "United Kingdom—British National (Overseas)", distinct from "United Kingdom—British Citizen". The distinction matters because the list is by passport category, not by country: holding a British-related document that is not a British Citizen or BNO passport does not automatically carry ETA eligibility.
| Document | On the ETA-eligible list | Published note |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong (SAR of China) passport | Yes | Listed by name on the Department's ETA page |
| United Kingdom — British National (Overseas) | Yes | Listed separately from British Citizen passports |
| United Kingdom — British Citizen | Yes | Separate list entry |
| Taiwan passport | Yes, with exclusion | Official or diplomatic passports are excluded |
| Certificate of identity, Titre de Voyage, non-citizen passport | No | Explicitly cannot be used for an ETA |
The exclusion row is the one worth internalising: the Department states you cannot apply for an ETA with a non-citizen passport, a certificate of identity, or other travel documents such as a Titre de Voyage. Eligibility attaches to the passport you actually travel on.
If I also hold Australian citizenship, why does that close the ETA door?
Because the ETA is a visa, and Australian citizens do not need one. The Department's ETA page states directly that if you hold an ETA-eligible passport but are also an Australian citizen, you cannot apply for an ETA — Australian citizens have an automatic right of entry and do not need a visa to enter Australia. The Department points such travellers to its Travelling as a dual citizen guidance instead.
This is the single most common wrong turn for Hong Kong-born readers who later naturalised as Australians. It is not a matter of choosing the convenient document: the Australian citizenship is what controls, regardless of which passport you would prefer to present at the airline counter. The practical consequence is that you cannot use a Hong Kong SAR or BNO ETA; the Department refers such travellers to its Travelling as a dual citizen guidance on entering Australia as an Australian citizen.
Do I have to disclose a second passport?
Yes. The Department requires you to declare in the ETA application that you hold more than one passport, and to provide details of the other passports. Assume a Hong Kong SAR passport held alongside a BNO passport, or alongside any third nationality: both are declared, and the application is assessed against that full picture. Non-disclosure is not a harmless omission — the Department warns that if an ETA is granted and incorrect information is later found, the ETA may be cancelled.
Do Hong Kong SAR and BNO holders apply in the same way?
Not necessarily. The Migration Regulations 1994 and the Department's PAM3 procedural guidance describe online ETA lodgement as available only to a defined set of passport groups — Brunei, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the United States and Hong Kong SAR — while Taiwan and BNO passport holders are described as not being able to apply online. Because that channel detail comes from the Regulations and PAM3 guidance rather than the public ETA page, treat the Department's current published channels as the controlling statement when you are ready to apply.
The same guidance describes ETA applications as largely automated: a decision is typically returned within minutes to 24 hours, with cases the system cannot decide referred for manual assessment instead. No sponsorship, employer evidence or proof of funds is required for this visa.
What does an ETA allow once granted, and what does it not?
It is a temporary visa for tourism or business visitor activity. The Regulations and PAM3 guidance describe it as remaining valid for up to 12 months or until the passport expires, whichever is shorter, with a maximum stay of three months per entry; it carries standard conditions that exclude work, cap study at three months, and include health- and character-related conditions. Business visitor activity is understood narrowly — general business enquiries, contract negotiation, conferences and similar — and does not extend to providing services to an Australian business or selling directly to the public.
Two structural points follow from this. First, there are no secondary applicants: every family member, including children travelling with you, must apply separately and meet the same criteria. Second, if you already hold another substantive visa, the ETA does not sit alongside it in the way people assume; the guidance describes it as not taking effect until that other visa ceases.
When is the Visitor visa (subclass 600) the right route instead?
The ETA page itself routes several categories of traveller to the Visitor (subclass 600) visa, and it is worth reading these as exclusions rather than as suggestions:
- You have previously failed to meet the health requirement.
- You will be entering health care or hospital environments during your stay.
- You have a criminal conviction in any country, in which case the Department asks you to apply for a subclass 600 visa and provide evidence about the convictions.
The same page lists the remaining criteria an ETA applicant must satisfy: a genuine intention to stay temporarily and obey any condition or stay period attached to the visa; the health requirement; the character requirement; and repayment of, or an arrangement to repay, any debt owed to the Australian Government by you or by family members, including those who are not applying with you. Where an applicant is under 18, the visa may be refused if granting it would not be in that child's best interests.
On cost, the Regulations and PAM3 guidance describe no separate visa application charge for the ETA itself, with any online service charge generally non-refundable; no amount is published on the Department's ETA page, so check that page for current charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for an ETA if I hold both a Hong Kong SAR and a BNO passport?
Yes, either passport appears on the eligible list, but you must declare that you hold more than one passport and give details of the others in the application. In practice you apply on the passport you intend to travel on, and the ETA is linked to that document.
I am an Australian citizen and also hold a Hong Kong SAR passport — can I still get an ETA?
No. The Department states that a person who holds an ETA-eligible passport but is also an Australian citizen cannot apply for an ETA, because Australian citizens have an automatic right of entry and need no visa. You would travel as an Australian citizen rather than on a visa.
Does a BNO passport count as a British Citizen passport for ETA purposes?
It does not need to. The list names "United Kingdom—British Citizen" and "United Kingdom—British National (Overseas)" as separate entries, so a BNO passport is eligible in its own right, not by being treated as a British Citizen passport.
Can I use a certificate of identity or a Titre de Voyage instead of a passport?
No. The Department states you cannot apply for an ETA with a non-citizen passport, a certificate of identity or other travel documents such as a Titre de Voyage. Eligibility depends on holding a valid passport from a listed country or jurisdiction.
Do my children need their own ETA?
Yes. Subclass 601 has no secondary applicant criteria, so every accompanying family member applies separately and must meet the same requirements, including passport eligibility. For applicants under 18, the visa may also be refused if granting it would not be in the child's best interests.
How long can I stay, and can I work while in Australia?
The Regulations and PAM3 guidance describe a stay of up to three months per entry, within a validity period of up to 12 months or the passport's expiry, whichever is shorter. Work is not permitted; study is capped at three months, and business visitor activity is limited to activities such as enquiries, negotiations and conferences rather than supplying services or selling.