Tourist Visas

Visitor Visas:

For people to visit Australia for a holiday, sightseeing, social or recreational reasons, to visit relatives, friends or for other short-term non-work purposes.

There are a number of visas available for people to visit Australia as a tourist.

Visa Options:

Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601):

An electronically stored authority for short-term visits to Australia of up to 3 months. Available to passport holders from a number of countries and regions, who are outside Australia.

eVisitors (Subclass 651):

An electronically stored authority for visits to Australia for tourism or business purposes for up to 3 months. Available to passport holders from the European Union and a number of other European countries, who are outside Australia.

Visitor Visa (Subclass 600):

A temporary visa allowing a stay in Australia of up to 3 or 6 or 12 months. Applicants can apply from both outside and in Australia. Some tourists or business visitors are eligible to lodge an online application for an e600 Tourist visa.

About Visitor visa (subclass 600):

The Visitor visa (subclass 600) is for people who want to travel Australia as tourists, for business or to visit family. It is a temporary visa.

This visa has four streams:

1.     Tourist stream: for people travelling to Australia for a holiday, recreation or to visit family and friends. If you apply for this visa in Australia, you must be in Australia when the visa is decided. If you apply for this visa outside Australia, you must be outside Australia when the visa is decided.
2.     Business Visitor stream: for business people travelling to Australia for a short business visit. This includes going to a conference, negotiation or meeting. You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is decided.
3.     Sponsored Family stream: for people travelling to Australia to visit their family. You must have a sponsor who might be asked to provide a bond. You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is decided. You cannot apply for another visa after you have arrived in Australia.
4.     Approved Destination Status stream: for people from the People’s Republic of China who are travelling in an organised tour group. You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is decided.

What does this visitor visa subclass 600 visa let you do?

This visa lets you travel to Australia to:

•     have a holiday or visit family and friends in Australia
•     study in Australia for up to three months
•     engage in business activities while in Australia, provided you:
  •         do not work for or provide services to a business or organisation in Australia
  •         do not sell goods or services to the public.

The department will tell you how many times you can enter Australia and on this visa:

    You may be allowed to enter only once. If so, you will need to apply for a new visa if you want to return to Australia again after you leave.

    You may be able to travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid, but the time you spend in Australia cannot be more than the period of stay that you have been granted.

Further Details  About Tourist Stream Visitor Visa subclass 600:

You must also be able to show that you are travelling to Australia as a genuine visitor, for example as a tourist, for recreation or to visit your family and friends.

    If you apply in Australia, you must be in Australia when the visa is decided.
    If you apply outside Australia, you must be outside Australia when the visa is decided.

If you are visiting family, the department will tell you if you need a sponsor or if you need to pay a security bond when you apply.

You might be granted a visa under this stream for regular extended visits to Australia if you are either:

    the parent or step-parent of an Australian citizen or permanent resident
    the parent of an eligible New Zealand citizen.

You could be asked to prove that you hold 12 months of health insurance cover.
Visitor visas for parents of Australians

Due to the length of the permanent Parent (Migrant) visa (subclass 103) queue, and the desirability of family reunion, the department may grant a more generous Visitor visa. You will automatically be considered for this if you are a parent or step-parent of:

    an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
    an eligible New Zealand citizen.

The department will consider these applications on a case-by-case basis and can grant visas that last up to:

•     five years for parents outside Australia who are in the Parent (Migrant) visa (subclass 103) queue
•     three years for parents outside Australia who have had a previous Australian visa and complied with the visa conditions, and either:
  •        have not applied for a Parent visa
  •        have applied for a Parent visa (subclass 103) but are not yet in the Parent visa queue
  •        18 months for parents who have not previously travelled to Australia and either
  •        have not applied for a Parent visa, or
  •         have applied for a Parent visa (subclass 103) but are not yet in the Parent visa queue.

The visa will have 3 extra visa conditions:

1.     Maximum 12 month stay in 18 months: You cannot stay in Australia for more than 12 months on any visit or for more than 12 months in any 18-month period.
2.     Health insurance: You must maintain fully comprehensive health insurance while you are in Australia. You could be asked to provide evidence of 12 months health insurance cover when you apply. Reciprocal health arrangements are not adequate to meet this requirement.
3.     No further stay: You cannot apply for a new visa while you are in Australia. You must leave Australia no later than the date on which your visa ends, except in extremely limited circumstances.

Extending Your Stay:

To remain longer in Australia than your original visa allows, you are required to obtain another visa. If you want to remain in Australia for tourism or recreational purposes or to visit family or friends, you may apply for a Visitor visa.

Generally, as a holder of a Visitor visa or Working Holiday visa you can only extend your stay in Australia so that the total duration of your stay is 12 months or less, unless there are exceptional circumstances. If you hold a Visitor or Working Holiday visa which allows you to stay in Australia for 12 months, you should contact your nearest Australian visa office before applying for a Visitor visa.

You should also note that a further visa, if granted, will cease any visa or ETA currently held and the entitlements attached to that visa or ETA.

If you are refused a further visa, you must leave Australia before the expiry of your original visa.
See: Tourist (e676) Visa – Online Applications

Should you require professional advice or further information, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or give us a phone call on +61-2-81880740 and speak to our Registered Migration Agent Mr. Biwek Thapa MARN 0747526.