Subclass 600 Visitor Visa

The Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) is designed for people who wish to travel to Australia for temporary purposes, including:

• Tourism & Holidays: Holidaying, recreation, or visiting family and friends.
• Business Visitor Activities: Attending conferences, negotiations, general inquiries, or exploratory business visits (without active work or remuneration).
• Sponsored Family Visits: Visiting family members where a citizen or permanent resident sponsor is required.

If granted, this visa allows you to stay in Australia for the period specified on your visa grant letter (typically 3, 6, or 12 months).

• Enter Australia as a tourist or business visitor.
• Study for up to 3 months maximum (for longer, you must apply for a Student Visa).
• Engage in unpaid volunteer work, provided it does not displace a paid Australian worker.

The base visa application charge depends on the stream you are applying for. The Department of Home Affairs indexed these fees in April 2026:

Other potential costs: Health examinations (typically $400 - $600, usually only for applicants 75+ or staying over 6 months from high-risk TB areas), document translations, biometrics collection fees, and credit card surcharges.

Processing times vary substantially depending on seasonal volume, stream, and applicant origin:

• Tourist Stream (Offshore): 20 to 33 days for 90% of applications.
• Business Visitor Stream: 1 to 30 days.
• Sponsored Family Stream: Can take 6 to 27 months due to sponsor verification.

We recommend lodging your visitor visa application at least 4 to 6 weeks before your intended travel date.

To be eligible, you must meet health, character, and financial requirements. Crucially, you must satisfy the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) criteria.

The Department assesses whether you genuinely intend to stay temporarily. They look at:

• Ties to your home country: Proof of employment, property, business, ongoing studies, or immediate family members residing at home.
• Financial capacity: Evidence that you have sufficient funds to cover your travel, accommodation, and living expenses (e.g. bank statements).
• Purpose of visit: Whether your itinerary, accommodation bookings, and personal statement align with a temporary visit.

Ensure you compile and upload all required documents. Use our interactive checklist to track and prepare your files before applying:

Visitor visa applications are heavily scrutinized. Common reasons for refusal include:

1. Genuine visitor criteria not satisfied: Inability to prove strong employment or family ties to your home country.
2. Unstable or insufficient funds: Bank statements showing sudden, large deposits immediately prior to lodging, or overall balances too low.
3. Incomplete paperwork: Uploading untranslated documents or missing essential letters.
4. Inconsistencies: Mismatched travel dates or details that contradict earlier Australian visa applications.
5. Fraud or Misrepresentation (PIC 4020 Warning): Uploading false employment letters or dummy travel bookings.

While many visitor visa applications are straightforward, we recommend consulting a registered migration agent or legal practitioner if:

• You have previously been refused any visa to Australia or another country.
• You have a past criminal history or character disclosures.
• You have weak or unconventional ties to your home country (e.g. unemployed, self-funded traveler).
• You are applying onshore to extend a current visa.

A registered professional can review your files, point out compliance risks, and guide your document submission process.