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Australia is set to introduce electronic visas for Hong Kong passport holders, dropping its controversial application fee.

 Diplomats said the visas, issued electronically when an airline ticket was bought, were likely to be extended to cover SAR and British National (Overseas) passport holders in the next two or three months.

 Australia introduced a $260 fee on July 1 for all travellers not eligible for electronic visas. Previously, no visitor visa charges applied.

 Hong Kong passport holders had to start paying the fee because they were left off the list of eligible nationalities, which included Singaporeans, Malaysians and South Koreans.

 Electronic visas were introduced to Hong Kong in May last year but only for passport holders from eligible nations and territories.

 Immigration officials in Canberra were believed to have been concerned about a post-handover influx of illegal immigrants and asylum-seekers from Hong Kong or the mainland.

 The change follows lobbying from Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, who raised the good travel record of Hong Kong visitors during meetings with Australian ministers. More than 130,000 Hong Kong people visit Australia every year.

 Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said last year 'issues relating to the integrity of the process' had to be dealt with before Hong Kong travellers would be eligible for electronic visas.

 Travel agents and airlines have also raised the negative impact of the visa fees on Hong Kong travellers. The Tourism Council of Australia, an industry lobby group, said it was ludicrous to start charging Hong Kong people, who were 'a so-called targeted growth market'.



Australia to drop controversial visa fee