Visitor Visa Application Assistance

Tourist Stream (applying outside Australia):

This visa allows you to:

• visit family or friends
• be here as a tourist, for a cruise or for any purpose except business or medical treatment
• study or train for up to 3 months in total on this visa. But if your main reason for travelling to Australia is study, a student visa might be more appropriate.
• you cannot work on this visa

Eligibility:

To obtain a Visitor Visa under the Tourist Stream (applying outside Australia), you must:

• meet Australian health requirements
• meet the character requirement
• pay your debts to the Australian government
• have enough money to support yourself while in Australia
• be a genuine visitor

Application Process:

You cannot include family members in your application. A separate application must be made for each member of your family, including those listed on your passport.

You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the outcome of your application is decided.

Processing time:

• 75% of applications in18 days
• 90% of applications in 29 days

Your application may take longer to process if:

• you don’t fill it in correctly
• you don’t include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

Cost:

The cost of this visa is $140 AUD per applicant.

You might be able to request we fast-track your visa application if you hold a passport from:

• the People’s Republic of China (but not Hong Kong or Macau)
• India
• the United Arab Emirates

Fast-tracking your application costs AUD1,000 in addition to the visa application charge.

Sponsored Family Stream:

This visa allows you to:

• visit family or friends
• be here as a tourist, for a cruise or for any purpose except business or medical treatment
• study or train for up to 3 months in total on this visa. But if your main reason for travelling to Australia is study, a student visa might be more appropriate.
• you cannot work on this visa

Business Visitor Stream:

This visa allows you to:

• make general business or employment enquiries
• investigate, negotiate, enter into or review a business contract
• conduct activities as part of an official government visit
• take part in a conference, trade fair or seminar. The organisers can’t pay you to take part

You can’t:

• work for or provide services to a business or organisation based in Australia
• sell goods or services directly to the public

If you want to do short-term work in Australia that isn’t a business visitor activity, consider applying for a temporary work visa.

APEC Business Travel Card holders

You might not need to apply for a visa to travel to Australia if you hold an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC). We consider you to have applied for a Visitor visa when you applied for the ABTC.

ABTC holders (other than New Zealanders) might be granted a Visitor (subclass 600) Business Visitor stream visa to visit Australia.  If you hold an ABTC with ‘AUS’ printed on the back, you can enter Australia for short-stay business visitor or tourism activities for as long as the ABTC is valid. The ABTC is valid for 5 years from the date we issue it.

If you apply for and are granted a separate visa, the visa associated with your ABTC will cease.

Eligibility:

To obtain a Visitor Visa under the Business Visitor Stream, you must:

• meet Australian health requirements
• meet the character requirement
• pay your debts to the Australian government
• have enough money to support yourself while in Australia
• be a genuine visitor

Application Process:

You can’t include family members in your application. Family members travelling with you should apply for a 600 Visitor Tourist stream visa.

You must be outside Australia when you apply and when outcomes of application is decided.

 Processing time:

• 75% of applications in 9 days
• 90% of applications in 17 days

Your application may take longer to process if:

• you don’t fill it in correctly
• you don’t include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

Cost:

The cost of this visa is $140 AUD per applicant.

You might be able to request we fast-track your visa application if you hold a passport from:

• the People’s Republic of China (but not Hong Kong or Macau)
• India
• the United Arab Emirates

Fast-tracking your application costs AUD1,000 in addition to the visa application charge.

Approved Destination Stream:

This visa is for citizens from certain areas of China visiting Australia on a tour organised by an approved travel agent. This visa allows you to:

• enter Australia with your approved tour group
• participate in activities that are part of your tour

You must leave Australia with your tour group before your visa expires

Frequent Traveller Stream:

This visa stream is for citizens of the People’s Republic of China who travel often to Australia for business or personal reasons. This visa allows you to:

• visit family or friends
• be here as a tourist, for a cruise or a holiday
• undertake business visitor activities

Eligibility:

To obtain a Visitor Visa under the Tourist Stream (applying within Australia), you must:

• hold a passport from and be a citizen of the People’s Republic of China
• meet Australian health requirements
• meet the character requirement
• pay your debts to the Australian government
• have enough money to support yourself while in Australia
• be a genuine visitor

Application Process:

You cannot include family members in your application. A separate application must be made for each member of your family, including those listed on your passport.

You must be in the People’s Republic of China when you apply. You must be outside Australia when we make a decision on your application.

Processing time:

• 75% of applications in 7 days
• 90% of applications in 10 days

Your application may take longer to process if:

• you don’t fill it in correctly
• you don’t include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

Cost:

The cost of this visa is $1,045 AUD per applicant.

Is this visa right for me?

The Visitor Visa (subclass 600) is a temporary visa that does not allow visa holders to work while in Australia. Please view each stream for required eligibility and to determine if this visa is for you.