Visitor Visa
(subclass 600)
The Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) serves the purpose of enabling individuals to temporarily travel to Australia for tourism, business activities, or to visit family members. Typically, this visa is usually given with a validity of 12 months with a length of stay given as 3 month(s) from the date of each arrival, either as a multiple or single entry, however the length is given on a case by case basis depending on the strength of your visa application. You can apply for this visa online via ImmiAccount and can be either in or outside Australia when you apply.
The specific requirements for the Tourist stream (subclass 600) may include the following minimum criteria:
Tourist Stream
Designed for individuals journeying to Australia for vacation or to connect with family and friends.
As the visa applicant, you are required to:
- Demonstrate a sincere intention to visit Australia for holiday purposes, to reunite with family and/or friends, or for non-business/work and non-medical treatment reasons.
- Possess adequate financial means to sustain your expenses during your stay in Australia.
- Provide Biometrics and if required, undergo a health examination.
- Meet the relevant health and character criteria (this could include a requirement to obtain overseas visitor health cover (OVHC) insurance for the period of your stay in Australia).
Eligibility Criteria:
To be eligible, you must fulfill the following requirements:
- Depart Australia within 72 hours.
- Meet our health and character requirements.
- Have adequate health insurance.
- Where applicable, hold a Maritime Crew visa.
- Where applicable, the visa is in the best interests of an applicant under 18 years old.
- Sign the Australian Values statement.
- Where applicable, paid back your debt to the Australian Government.
Business Visitor Stream
For individuals journeying to Australia for brief business engagements, such as conferences, negotiations, or meetings.
As the visa applicant, you are required to:
- Authentically plan to visit Australia for a qualifying business activity, such as attending a conference, or seminar, participating in negotiations, or exploring business opportunities.
- Possess personal attributes and business background that align with the intended business activities in Australia.
- Ensure you have ample funds to meet your expenses during your stay in Australia.
- Provide Biometrics and if required, undergo a health examination.
- Meet the relevant health and character criteria (this could include a requirement to obtain overseas visitor health cover (OVHC) insurance for the period of your stay in Australia).
Sponsored Family Stream
For individuals traveling to Australia with the purpose of visiting family, this visa category requires sponsorship from an eligible relative residing in Australia.
As the visa applicant, you are obligated to:
- Obtain sponsorship from a qualifying relative based in Australia (refer to the eligibility criteria below).
- Authentically intend to visit family members in Australia.
- Provide Biometrics and if required, undergo a health examination.
- Possess adequate financial resources to meet your expenses during your stay in Australia.
- Fulfill the specified health and character criteria, which may involve securing health insurance for the duration of your visit to Australia.
Sponsor Requirements
The individual facilitating your visit to Australia must:
- Hold Australian citizenship or permanent residency status.
- Be a minimum of 18 years old.
- Have established residence in Australia for a considerable duration, typically around 2 years.
- Be suitable to sponsor if you are a relative. To be a relative you must be either: a spouse/de facto partner, parent or child, brother or sister, grandparent or grandchild, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew (including ‘step’ or adopted equivalents of the above relations).
PLEASE NOTE: In specific instances, an application for this visa MAY be sponsored by a Member of Parliament or an authorized representative of a government department or instrumentality, or a mayor from a local government.
Additionally, the sponsoring individual MUST NOT:
- Currently sponsor another visitor with a valid visa (unless the sponsored person is a family member, and both individuals share the same purpose for traveling to Australia).
- Have sponsored a visitor who violated visa conditions within the last 5 years.
Security bond
If necessary, your sponsor is obligated to submit a security bond, typically ranging from A$5000 to A$15,000. The bond will be reimbursed to your sponsor upon your adherence to visa conditions and departure from Australia before the visa expiration date.
Features of the Visitor Visa (Subclass 600):
This visa grants the opportunity to travel to Australia for either visitation or business purposes, with durations spanning three, six, or 12 months. The application charge ranges from AUD190 (offshore) to AUD475 (onshore). Eligible passport holders may apply for a free or reduced-cost visa, such as the eVisitor (subclass 651) with no charge for specific country passport holders, or the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) with an AUD20 service charge for eligible passport holders.
You may be eligible for this visa if you are journeying to Australia for purposes such as tourism, business activities, visiting family, or participating in a tour organized by a registered travel agent from the People’s Republic of China. If you are currently in Australia and hold a valid visa without condition 8503, you can apply for the Tourist stream online. However, for those outside Australia, only specific passport holders can apply online, and if online application is not feasible, a paper application can be submitted.
Visitor visa eligible Passports
If your country of passport is not listed here or here, then you must apply for the visitor visa (subclass 600).
What you can do with the visa
This visa enables you to visit Australia for a holiday or to reconnect with family and friends. The entry conditions are specified as follows:
- You may be granted a single entry, requiring a new visa application for subsequent visits.
- Alternatively, you might have the flexibility to travel to and from Australia multiple times within the visa validity period. However, the cumulative duration of your stays in Australia must not exceed the granted period of stay.
- You may travel to any nearby country before re-entry into Australia to meet the exit and re-entry requirements on your visa.
Visa conditions
No Further Stay Conditions (including 8503, 8534, and 8535):
If you possess a visa with conditions 8503, 8534, or 8535 and find yourself unable to leave Australia as initially intended, you have the option to request a waiver for these conditions if your visa is set to expire within less than four weeks.
Condition 8531 (Must not remain in Australia beyond the permitted period of stay):
For those with a visa containing condition 8531 who are unable to depart Australia as initially planned, it is advisable to apply for a new visa before the current one expires. This may make you eligible for a bridging visa, maintaining your lawful status in Australia until a decision is reached on your visa application.
Condition 8558 (Must not stay in Australia for more than 12 months in any 18-month period):
If you are holding a visa with condition 8558 and are unable to leave Australia as originally intended, it is recommended to apply for a new visa before the current one expires. By doing so, you may qualify for a bridging visa, allowing you to stay lawfully in Australia until a decision is made on your visa application.
Condition 8501 (Must maintain adequate health insurance at the time of entry to Australia, or when applying for another visa)
You may be requested to provide evidence of health insurance at the time of entry to Australia, or when applying for another visa.