If you're visiting Australia for no more than three months, traveling with an airline, and you are a citizen of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada or of certain other countries, you may not need an Australian visa.
For visitors to Australia, a three-month stay is often very much a top limit, so for citizens of certain designated countries, no Australian visa is normally needed.
For New Zealand visa information, click here.
Quickly, electronically
What is required is an electronic travel authority (ETA) which most travel agents in the specified countries are able to issue when you book your travel. More information on the ETA is available at http://www.immi.gov.au/eta/index.htm.
The only times you would need an Australian visa to travel to Sydney and other parts of Australia is when you are traveling on a cruise ship, you want to stay in Australia for more than three months, you hold a passport of a country not eligible for an ETA, or if you plan to stay permanently.
If you were thinking of becoming an Australian resident, see what's needed at the Department of Immigration site.
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