Tourist Stream (Apply in Australia)
This visa stream lets you visit Australia as a tourist, to see family and friends or for purposes other than business or medical treatment.
With this visa you can
- visit family or friends
- be here as a tourist, for a cruise or for any purpose except business or medical treatment
You can 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 can’t work.
Cruise
You will need a visa if you enter Australia during a cruise.
If your cruise is a round trip cruise, the time you spend on the cruise counts as time spent in Australia – that is, the department does not consider you have left Australia. A round trip cruise will not reset your stay period on your visa.
Ask your cruise operator or travel agent if the department consider’s your cruise to be a round trip cruise.
How long you can stay
This is a temporary visa.
You can stay for the period or dates specified on the visa grant letter. The department determines the length of your visa on a case by case basis. Things the department might consider when determining your stay period include:
- how long you want to stay
- why you want to stay in Australia
You might not be granted the length of stay you want.
The department can grant this visa with one entry or multiple entries. If the department grants you a visa with multiple entries, you can leave and re-enter Australia on the visa while it is valid.
It is a condition of this visa that you don’t stay in Australia for a total of more than 12 months in an 18-month period. If you currently hold a Visitor visa, a Working Holiday visa, a Work and Holiday visa or a bridging visa, and grant of this visa would mean you stay in Australia for more than 12 consecutive months, you will need to show there are exceptional circumstances.
Stay longer
You can’t stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. You must apply for another visa.
Include family
You can’t include family members in your application. A separate application must be made for each member of your family, including those listed on your passport.
Cost
The visa costs from AUD365 for each applicant.
You might also have to pay:
- other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics
- a subsequent temporary application charge
Apply from
Eligible applicants can apply for this visa from within Australia. If you apply in Australia, you must be in Australia when the department makes a decision on your application.
If you held a substantive visa when you applied in Australia, that visa must not have been a Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403), Domestic worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream.
You do not hold a substantive visa
If you did not hold a substantive visa when you applied in Australia, you must meet other criteria.
Stay longer than 12 consecutive months
Unless there are exceptional circumstances that allow grant of the visa, the department will not grant you this visa if:
- you hold a Visitor visa, Work and Holiday visa, Working Holiday visa or bridging visa, and
- granting you a Tourist visa would result in you staying in Australia for more than 12 consecutive months
Processing times
The department processes:
- 75% of applications in5 months
- 90% of applications in 6 months
Your application may take longer to process if:
- you don’t fill it in correctly
- you don’t include all the documents the department needs or the department needs more information from you
- it takes us time to verify your information
Your obligations
You must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.
Health insurance
The department recommends that you take out health insurance to cover any unforeseen medical treatment you might need in Australia. You are personally liable for all your healthcare costs while you are in Australia. Insurance can help limit your financial liability.
Travel
If the department grants you a visa with multiple entries, you can travel outside Australia and return in line with what the department specify in your visa grant letter.
If your visa is granted with single entry and you leave Australia, you can’t re-enter on the visa. You have to apply for another visa to come back.
Visa label
The department will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.
Eligibility
Meet the health requirement set by the department
Meet the character requirement set by the department
Have enough money
You must have, or have access to, enough money to support yourself while you are in Australia.
Be a genuine visitor
You must intend to:
- stay only temporarily in Australia
- do only the things the visa allows you to do
Best interests of the child
The department might not grant this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.