What visa is required for a US citizen to travel to Australia for pet sitting? They have them for younger people up to their 30’s but I’m not seeing anything for older people, I’m 65?
Thanks for the info,
Mike
As retired Brits we go on a tourist visa (multiple entry)- and have sat 3x in WA. However we stay with family first…and tick the box for leisure/family.
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Whatever you do, you simply must not say at border control that you are pet/housesitting or you will be put on the next plane home. You are a tourist, so get the appropriate visa for tourism.
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Here’s one discussion on the subject which you should read carefully:
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A US citizen is not entitled to work anywhere other than the US. Pet sitting is loosely considered “work” in almost every country that pays any attention to details. That’s true of the US, Canada, the EU and, almost certainly, Australia.
However, Australia is quite welcoming of Americans (at least, the US variety for anyone missing that America is a tad bigger than the US). So, as someone traveling from the US wanting to fulfill a pet sit in Australia, I’d suggest entering as tourist and acting as such. We just returned from a trip to Australia and the entry was arduous but only because we were honest about bringing food into Australia. Yes we had food, it was something nobody was or would have been interested in but it took an extra 60 minutes to pass the dog screening process. All that said, nothing about marginally illicit “work” arrangements ever came up.
Were I a sitter, the “risk” of taking on sit in Australia would be totally worth it because… Australia. If you haven’t been to Australia, go to Australia and find out what I mean by “because… Australia”. Just be careful of the drop bears .
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These answers don’t answer my question? Any US citizens have information of what visa they use for Australia? Or do you use the tourist visa?
Thanks for your input
You use the tourist visa especially at your age. No other alternative @Mbucks13 & the extra advice you’ve been given on here about not mentioning you’re a house sitter is an added bonus! #heedit
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And don’t bother to bring in food. We have very strict bio security for good reasons. Not declaring food and getting caught means a big fine and possible deportation. You will find plenty of food in Australia. You will find hiring a car will open up more possibilities than relying on public transport.
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[quote=“Smiley, post:3, topic:67479, full:true”]
Whatever you do, you simply must not say at border control that you are pet/housesitting or you will be put on the next plane home. You are a tourist, so get the appropriate visa for tourism.
[/quote]
This!!
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@Mbucks13 There is NO special visa for housesitting in Australia. My hubby and I are European (English/German) and also in our 60s.We have already done two ‘seasons’ of housesitting in Australia - about 9 sits in total- and in November we’ll be heading there again for a long Christmas sit. We always enter on a Tourist Visa and tick the boxes for travel & tourism. DO NOT mention housesitting at any point. It may get you into trouble (although the Aussies are much more laid back than the current US border control!!
) But don’t take the risk- its simply not worth the agro. And don’t try to smuggle any food into Australia. That’ll probably get you into more trouble than housesitting!!
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A US citizen requires no visa to enter Australia as a tourist. You will need to let Australia know you’re coming by applying for an ETA. You apply for it online. Google “Australian ETA” to find the app for Android and Apple devices (you must use one or the other).
The ETA is good for a specific number of months so you want to time your application to cover your entry dates into Australia.
While a work visa is technically required to pet sit for free in Australia (and the US, Canada, Europe, UK, etc), obtaining a work visa is impractical even if it is technically achievable. This is why going with a tourist visa is the most common advice.
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We just applied for the tourist visa through their app and got approved right away. It was affordable and efficient.
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I house sit in and around Sydney but my base is with my sister. I get a six month travel visa and as long as you are not getting paid. Which you’re not, up to now it’s not been a problem. I have been sitting abroad for ten years on and off but I have been hearing that there’s going to be restrictions enforced on pet sitting in other countries. I would be interested to know if this is/will be the case.
Regards, Charlie (Charlotte)
(Post edited by the Forum Team to comply with the Terms of Service).
I just checked the visa costs on the Australian Embassy Website.
US citizens can enter Australia for up to 3 months with an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) which is free but there may be a Service charge of AUD 20.
Most Europeans can enter Australia for up to 3 months on a 12 months (multiple entry) eVisitor visa which is completely free. The eVisitor visa must be applied for online from outside Australia.
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You could do the Australian NZ shuffle if you wanted to stay in the area longer. Spend your 3 months in Australia then fly to NZ for a bit, come back to Australia and get another 3 months. The trick to this is how are you supporting yourself. If you are older, it’s often assumed retired and you have enough money to do this. If young though the question about working may arise.
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Did you believe you could enter another country ‘because’ of your wife’s status? Or did you simply forget to check the entry rules for a US citizen? Just curious as to your thinking process…
Exactly the same thing happened to me a few years ago at check-in. Not once, but twice: the first time while traveling to Canada, and the second time to South Korea. SK introduced the ETA requirement only a few days before I was due to travel. Panic, but thankfully, in both cases, everything got sorted out within seconds. I applied at the check-in desk and received the ETA right away.
Your safest option is to contact the Australian embassy and ask them. There is lots of misleading and just plain wrong advice on the Forum regarding visas and housesitting. Ask the experts - ask the embassy. They get these kinds of questions all the time.
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I’ve been in your shoes a few times, and it is definitely an adrenaline ride. After one too many close calls I now overdo it. For example, I got a Turkish visa for a Mediterranean cruise that technically didn’t require one but I decided I’d rather have too much permission than find out at the last minute that I didn’t have enough.
The rules change often enough that I double-check a few days before an international trip. Our neighbors found out the hard way: they spent well over $10,000 on an Alaskan cruise for their large family, only to be turned away at boarding. Their US-based work visas plus “Alaska” had made them complacent; they hadn’t thought to check whether they’d need a Canadian visa for the Vancouver stop on the trip. No refund, just heartbreak.
Speaking of Turkey - many Turkish citizens are shocked to learn that to get a tourist visa to the US, they have to provide all of their social media handles for the past five years! If they omit one, that can be used to deny the visa. This is true for other countries too. Visa requirements change regularly, and even experienced travelers get caught off guard. A quick check before booking —and again before packing!—can be the difference between a great trip and one that never leaves the dock. 
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