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The countries I've visited haven't required a visa to visit as a tourist.

However, visiting Australia require a visa in advance for virtually every country. I know that Australia isn't perfect, but that seems to be stricter than the USA or Japan, which are commonly perceived as paranoid about security or xenophobic.

Why does Australia have little in the way of visa free travel?

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  • Look up Turkmenistan - that's the hardest visa in the world to get.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Jan 10, 2016 at 12:15
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    Is there any significant difference between Australia's ETA/eVisitor and America's ESTA, except that the American government insists more adamantly that the latter should not be called a visa?
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Jan 10, 2016 at 12:46

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If you ignore the semantics of "Visa" v's "pre-approved Visa-like thing", then Australia is generally no different (or frequently better) than many other major countries.

For example, comparing Australia, the US, and Canada (based on their new regulations starting March 15, 2016).

Citizens allowed without any form of pre-approval :

  • Australia - 1 country (New Zealand)
  • Canada - 1 country (US)
  • US - 2 countries (Canada + Bermuda)

Citizens allowed after electronic pre-authorization :

  • Australia - 45 countries (eVisitor + ETA)
  • Canada - ~50 countries (eTA)
  • US - 38 countries (ESTA/VWP)

Citizens allowed apply for visa electronically :

  • Australia - all but 4 countries
  • Canada - All countries (?)
  • US - 0
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    You might also consider Europe and UK, which permit travel without pre-approval for many countries.
    – DJClayworth
    Jan 10, 2016 at 20:27
  • Technically, you can enter the US and Canada overland without any forms of pre-authorization. I presume Australia would have the same rules if there was an overland route you could use to reach it.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Jun 2, 2019 at 19:09
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    All overland routes into Australia are visa-free! It's only when coming by air or ship that you need a visa.
    – Doc
    Jun 2, 2019 at 21:40
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    @AndrewGrimm currently living in NZ, I don't need sarcasm to know that thanks. The point of my comment was that the ETA is supposed to stop illegal immigration, terrorism etc by preventing boarding but I was allowed to board, fly to Australia, deboard, spend 3 hours in the lounge and then board again for NZ without an ETA. And yet, a month later, I was required to get an ETA to fly from NZ to Australia. It makes no sense. The ETA is a scam.
    – Moo
    Jun 2, 2019 at 22:55
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    @Moo Asylum is not "illegal immigration". And claiming asylum most definitely does not get you into the country - at least not as a free person (especially in Australia)
    – Doc
    Jun 3, 2019 at 5:23
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In Australia travellers that hold E.U. passport and other Country that you can find in this link do not need a real visa but just an easy for to fill up .

Most of the restriction are due to that the Autralian government try to limit as much as possible the immigration .

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