Migration Point

Visitor Visa (subclass 600) (Apply Outside Australia)

Visitor Visa (subclass 600) (Apply Outside Australia)

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 considers 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. Generally the department grants a stay period of 3 months, but the department might grant a stay of up to 12 months in certain circumstances.

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. 

Parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents

If you are the parent or step-parent of an Australian citizen or permanent resident and you meet all the visa criteria, the department might consider granting you a visa for longer than 12 months.

The department might grant a visa that lasts up to:

  • 18 months if you have not previously travelled to Australia and either:
    • have not applied for a Parent visa
    • have applied for a Parent (Migrant) visa (subclass 103) but are not yet in the queue
  • 3 years if you are outside Australia, have previously held an Australian visa and complied with the visa conditions, and either:
    • have not applied for a Parent visa
    • have applied for a Parent (Migrant) visa (subclass 103) but are not yet in the queue
  • 5 years if you are outside Australia and in the Parent (Migrant) visa (subclass 103) queue

The department considers these applications on a case-by-case basis.

If department grants you a visa that is valid for more than 12 months you might be able to enter Australia multiple times while the visa is valid.

If you are granted a visa that is valid for 18 months, 3 years or 5 years, your visa might have these extra conditions:

  • you can’t stay in Australia for more than 12 months in total in total in any 18-month period
  • you must have adequate arrangements for health insurance while you are in Australia
  • you can’t apply for another visa within Australia, except for a protection visa

Stay longer

You can’t stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. You must apply for another visa.

You can apply for a new visa if your visa does not have a condition that prevents further stay, such as condition 8503. You might be able to request a waiver of the no further stay condition in limited circumstances.

You must not breach condition 8558, no more than 12 months stay in any 18-month period, if it is applied to your 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 AUD145 for each applicant.

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

You might be able to request the department 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.

Apply from

You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the department decides your application.

Processing times

The department process:

  • 75% of applications in 5 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 need 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

We might not grant this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.