Australia 601 ETA 2026: who may help lodge and the live facial image rule

Yes, another person can press the buttons — but not from another room. A friend, a family member, an authorised travel agent or another travel industry representative may complete an Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) application for you through the Australian ETA app, and in every one of those cases you must be physically present, your passport must be available to scan, and a live facial image of you has to be captured at the moment the application is lodged. The Australian Department of Home Affairs states plainly on its Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601) page that it will not grant the visa if you do not take a live image.

The practical consequence is simple: the app delegates the typing, not the appearance. Anything done entirely on your behalf while you are elsewhere cannot result in a granted ETA.

Can someone else actually lodge my ETA (subclass 601)?

The official page separates three routes, and all three still require you to be there.

First, applying yourself: you download the app, scan your passport, take your own photo, answer the questions, pay and submit.

Second, help from a friend or family member: the page says you can get their help through the app, but "you must be physically with them when you apply."

Third, an agent or industry representative: authorised travel agents and industry representatives can make an ETA application on your behalf using the app, and if they do, you must still be physically present, you need to have your passport available to scan, and you have to take the photo.

The important difference between the second and third routes is not your presence — both require it. It is that only the industry route carries the explicit statement that the representative "must take a live facial image of you when they lodge the application," backed by the warning that no visa will be granted without it.

Who may operate the app, and when must you be in the room?

Who completes the app	Must you be physically present?	What the image rule requires
You	You are there by definition	You take the photo yourself in the app
Friend or family member	Yes — you must be physically with them	Your photo is taken as part of the application
Authorised travel agent or industry representative	Yes — you must be present when they lodge	They must take a live facial image of you at lodgement; no live image means no grant
Anyone acting while you are absent	Not covered as valid	No live image can be captured, so the ETA will not be granted

The rules above come from the Department of Home Affairs Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601) page, which also publishes separate Guidance notes for industry users in English, Japanese and Korean for representatives using the app.

Why does the live facial image decide the outcome?

Because the two halves of identity checking are meant to happen together. The application combines a near-field communication (NFC) scan of your passport chip — which pre-fills your name, date of birth, passport number and other details — with a photograph taken inside that same session. The app is designed so the person in the photo and the scanned passport are verified in one action.

That is also why "I already sent you a photo" does not work. A stored or forwarded image is not a live image, and there is no path described on the page for lodging on someone's behalf without them standing in front of the camera.

What does the app need from the device before you start?

Nothing on the page suggests exceptions for representatives' hardware; the same requirements apply whoever holds the phone:

A mobile device with a camera able to take a photo of you and an image of the passport data page.
Near-field communication (NFC) enabled.
Location services enabled.
A valid email address.
A valid payment method ready to pay the service fee.

The app is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. The page refers to a service fee payable inside the app but does not list an amount there, so treat any figure you see elsewhere as something to confirm against the official page before paying.

Two details matter for families. You cannot include family members in your application — each family member, including those listed on your passport, must submit a separate application. But if everyone applies using the same mobile device, you can submit and pay for the applications at the same time.

What happens once the application is in progress?

The sequence in the app is short and there is little room to correct things later:

Scan the passport to pre-fill personal details.
Take the photo of yourself.
Answer questions, including whether you have any criminal convictions, any prior names, and contact details in Australia.
Pay the service fee.
Submit.

You must check that every detail, including your name and date of birth, is correct before submitting, and that every question has been answered correctly. Once an ETA is issued, its details cannot be changed. If the ETA does not exactly match your passport details, you may hit delays boarding your aircraft or be refused entry in Australia, and the page suggests not making travel arrangements until the grant arrives.

Declarations are not optional either. The page requires truthful answers on other passports you hold, other names you have been known by, and any criminal conviction or domestic violence history, and warns that failing to provide accurate information can lead to cancellation of the ETA. This article is general information only and is not advice about your own circumstances; where identity, character or travel history questions apply to you, the official page and a registered professional's view will govern what you should do.

When is the app route not the right one?

If you are ineligible or unable to apply using the Australian ETA app, the page directs you to apply online through ImmiAccount for another visa that suits your needs:

European passport holders may be eligible for an eVisitor (subclass 651) visa, and there is no charge to make an eVisitor application.
Other passport holders may be eligible for a Visitor (subclass 600) visa.
If you have a criminal conviction in any country, more information will be needed, and the page advises applying for a Visitor (subclass 600) visa and providing evidence about the convictions.

What should you expect after submitting?

In most cases the result is notified immediately, though the page notes that delays sometimes occur. You should check your email, including the junk mail folder, for the written notification.

Processing may take longer if the application was not filled in correctly, more information is needed, or the information is hard to verify. If further information is required, you receive a letter explaining how to provide it: use the link in the letter to open an online form directly in ImmiAccount, answer every question, attach the required documents, and include Form 1554: ETA Request for further processing.

The page gives one instruction worth underlining: do not submit further ETA applications through the app while waiting on that request, because you will receive the same results.

If the visa is granted, the written decision sets out your visa grant number, the start date and your visa conditions, and you should keep a copy with you while in Australia. If it is refused, you are told in writing why, and whether the decision can be reviewed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a friend or relative lodge my ETA while I am overseas and they are here?

No. The Department of Home Affairs page for the subclass 601 ETA says you must be physically with the friend or family member who is helping you apply. The app has no described route for lodging a complete application while you are somewhere else, and a live facial image has to be taken.

What exactly must travel industry representatives do differently?

They may use the Australian ETA app to complete and lodge the application on your behalf, but they are required to take a live facial image of you at the moment they lodge it. Home Affairs states that it will not grant the visa if you do not take a live image, so this step is not something a representative can defer, substitute or skip.

Does every family member need their own application, even children listed on my passport?

Yes. Family members cannot be included in your application, and each one — including those listed on your passport — has to submit a separate ETA application. If all of them apply using the same mobile device, the applications can be submitted and paid for together.

My ETA was issued with a misspelled name. Can it be corrected?

No. Home Affairs states that details on an ETA cannot be changed once it has been issued. Because mismatched details can cause boarding delays or refusal of entry, every field must be checked before submission, and you should not book travel until the grant is received.

Is there a fee, and can the helper pay it?

A service fee is payable inside the app, and the requirements include having a valid payment method ready, which means a helper can supply that method. The page does not publish an amount, so confirm the current charge on the official page before you pay.

What should I do if the app cannot process my application?

If the app cannot produce a result, the page points to ImmiAccount for applying online for another suitable visa, such as eVisitor (subclass 651) for eligible European passport holders — which is free to apply for — or Visitor (subclass 600) for others. Where Home Affairs has written to you for further processing, use the ImmiAccount online form and attach Form 1554 rather than filing a new ETA through the app.