Visitor Visa (Subclass 600)
Your pathway to tourism, family visits, and business trips in Australia
The Subclass 600 Visitor Visa is a temporary visa allowing international visitors to enter Australia for tourism, family visits, or business activities. With three flexible streams and stays of up to 12 months, this visa provides the perfect solution for your Australian visit.
Why Choose the Subclass 600 Visa?
Tourism & Holidays
Explore Australia’s beaches, cities, and natural wonders
Family Visits
Spend quality time with family and friends in Australia
Business Activities
Attend conferences, meetings, and explore business opportunities
Flexible Duration
Stays of 3, 6, or 12 months depending on your needs
Multiple Entry
Travel in and out of Australia during visa validity
Short Study
Undertake short courses or training up to 3 months
Three Visa Streams
Choose the stream that best suits your visit purpose
🏖️ Tourist Stream
For holidays and general visits
- ✓ No sponsor required
- ✓ Visit friends and family casually
- ✓ Sightseeing and tourism activities
- ✓ Cruises and coastal tours
- ✓ Apply offshore or onshore
- ✓ Most common stream
👨👩👧 Sponsored Family Stream
Family-sponsored visits with added security
- ✓ Requires eligible Australian sponsor
- ✓ Sponsor must be citizen/PR
- ✓ May require security bond ($5,000-$15,000)
- ✓ Bond refunded after compliant departure
- ✓ Strengthens high-risk applications
- ✓ Suitable for extended family visits
💼 Business Visitor Stream
Short-term business activities
- ✓ Attend meetings and conferences
- ✓ Negotiate business contracts
- ✓ Explore business opportunities
- ✓ Participate in seminars/workshops
- ✓ No paid employment allowed
- ✓ Often granted as multiple-entry
Eligibility Requirements
Key requirements you must meet for the Visitor Visa
Genuine intention to visit temporarily and leave before visa expires
Sufficient funds to cover travel, stay, and departure from Australia
Employment, family, property, or other compelling reasons to return home
Meet health standards (medical exam may be required for long stays)
Good character with no serious criminal history
Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond intended stay
Recommended health and travel insurance for duration of stay
Detailed itinerary, bookings, and purpose of visit
Visa Conditions & Duration
Understanding what you can and cannot do on this visa
✅ What You CAN Do
- Tourism and sightseeing
- Visit family and friends
- Attend business meetings
- Short courses up to 3 months
- Volunteer work (unpaid, limited)
- Enter/exit multiple times (if granted)
❌ What You CANNOT Do
- NO paid work or employment
- NO selling goods or services
- NO study over 3 months
- NO permanent settlement
- NO Medicare access
- Must leave before visa expires
⏰ Typical Stay Duration
- 3 months: Standard tourist visits
- 6 months: Extended family visits
- 12 months: Multiple trips or special circumstances
- Single or multiple entry
- Determined by case officer
- Based on your stated purpose
High-Risk Nationality Support
Specialized assistance for applicants from high-scrutiny countries
📋 What Makes You “High-Risk”?
If your country is not on Australia’s “low-risk” list, you’re considered high-risk:
- ⚠️ Not eligible for ETA or eVisitor
- ⚠️ Higher visa refusal rates historically
- ⚠️ Greater scrutiny on applications
- ⚠️ Longer processing times
- ⚠️ More documentation required
Examples: India, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia, and many Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and South American countries
🎯 How VisaTasker Helps
- ✓ Comprehensive documentation: Robust evidence package addressing all concerns
- ✓ Optimized trip length: Strategic duration recommendations
- ✓ Strong ties evidence: Employment letters, property, family commitments
- ✓ Travel history: Highlighting compliance with other countries’ visas
- ✓ Detailed itineraries: Day-by-day plans with bookings
- ✓ Family sponsorship option: When applicable for extra assurance
- ✓ Professional cover letter: Connecting all evidence clearly
Common Refusal Reasons (And How We Avoid Them)
Proactive strategies to strengthen your application
❌ Insufficient Financial Evidence
Problem: Can’t prove you have enough money for trip
Our Solution:
- Comprehensive bank statements
- Payslips and tax returns
- Sponsorship letters
- Clear financial summary
❌ Weak Ties to Home Country
Problem: No compelling reasons to return home
Our Solution:
- Employment confirmation letters
- Property ownership documents
- Family dependency evidence
- School/university enrollment
- Business ownership proof
❌ Vague Travel Plans
Problem: Unclear itinerary or unreasonable duration
Our Solution:
- Detailed day-by-day itinerary
- Flight and hotel bookings
- Tour reservations
- Credible trip length
- Clear activity schedule
❌ Previous Visa History Issues
Problem: Past refusals or visa violations
Our Solution:
- Address past issues directly
- Explanation letters
- Changed circumstances evidence
- Emergency documentation (if overstay)
- Strategic presentation
❌ Document Inconsistencies
Problem: False or misleading information (PIC 4020)
Our Solution:
- 100% authentic documents only
- Cross-checking all information
- Explaining unusual circumstances
- Complete transparency
- Professional verification
❌ Non-Response to Requests
Problem: Missing deadline for further information
Our Solution:
- We handle all correspondence
- Immediate action on requests
- Organized document submissions
- Meet all deadlines
- Direct communication channel
Required Documents Checklist
Comprehensive documentation for your visitor visa application
🆔 Identity Documents
- Valid passport (biographical pages)
- Previous passports with travel history
- Birth certificate
- National ID card
- Recent passport photos
- Previous visa grants/stamps
💰 Financial Evidence
- Bank statements (3-6 months)
- Recent payslips
- Tax returns or assessments
- Employment letter
- Sponsorship letters (if sponsored)
- Credit card statements
🏡 Ties to Home Country
- Employment confirmation letter
- Leave approval from employer
- Property ownership documents
- Business registration
- Family certificates (marriage, children)
- School enrollment (if student)
✈️ Travel Plans
- Detailed itinerary
- Flight bookings (can be tentative)
- Hotel reservations
- Tour bookings
- Travel insurance
- Return ticket confirmation
👨👩👧 Family/Sponsor Documents (If Applicable)
- Sponsor’s citizenship/PR evidence
- Sponsor’s identity documents
- Relationship evidence
- Invitation letter from family
- Sponsor’s financial capacity
- Accommodation arrangements
💼 Business Visitor (If Applicable)
- Business invitation letter
- Conference registration
- Company letter of support
- Meeting schedule
- Business cards
- Company profile
🏥 Health & Character
- Medical examination (if required)
- Chest x-ray (if required)
- Police clearances (if required)
- Character declarations
- Health insurance policy
📝 Supporting Documents
- Cover letter explaining purpose
- Personal statement
- Previous travel history evidence
- Proof of social ties
- Any additional context
Why Choose VisaTasker?
Expert guidance for your Australian visitor visa application
MARA Registered
Certified migration agents (MARN 2318017) bound by Code of Conduct
Global Support
Assist clients worldwide – no matter where you’re applying from
High Success Rate
Proven track record with complex cases and high-risk countries
All Three Streams
Expert in Tourist, Sponsored Family, and Business Visitor visas
Personalized Service
Dedicated agent assigned to your case from start to finish
Honest Advice
Ethical, lawful guidance – we never encourage false documents
Transparent Pricing
Simple, flat-fee pricing with no hidden costs
Complete Visitor Visa Service
Flat fee – All streams included
- Initial consultation & eligibility assessment
- Stream selection guidance
- Personalized document checklist
- Document review & verification
- Application form completion
- Cover letter & supporting statements
- ImmiAccount submission
- Department correspondence handling
- Updates until decision
- Visa conditions explanation
- Tourist, Family, or Business streams
- Onshore or offshore applications
Government Fees
Paid to Department of Home Affairs
- Offshore application: $150-$190
- Onshore application: $370
- Subsequent onshore: Additional $700
- Sponsored Family bond: $5,000-$15,000 (refundable)
- Processing times vary
- Separate from our professional fee
Additional Costs
Third-party costs
- Medical examination: $300-$500 (if required)
- Police clearances: Varies by country
- Travel insurance: $50-$200
- Document translations: As needed
- Document certification: Minimal
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long can I stay in Australia on a Visitor Visa?
The Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) typically allows stays of 3, 6, or 12 months, depending on your purpose and circumstances.
Common durations:
- 3 months: Standard for most tourist visits and short family visits
- 6 months: Extended family visits or longer holidays
- 12 months: Special circumstances like visiting elderly parents, medical treatment, or multiple business trips (usually granted as multiple entry with stays of 3 months per visit)
2. Can I extend my Visitor Visa while in Australia?
You cannot technically “extend” a visitor visa, but you can apply for a new Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) before your current visa expires.
Requirements for onshore application:
- Your current visa must NOT have Condition 8503 (No Further Stay)
- You must have compelling reasons for extension
- Demonstrate continued financial capacity
- Show strong ties to home country
- Government fee is higher for onshore applications ($370 vs $150-190 offshore)
- Subsequent onshore applications incur additional $700 charge
3. What is Condition 8503 and can it be removed?
Condition 8503 (No Further Stay) prevents you from applying for most other visas while in Australia.
When it’s imposed:
- Long-stay visitor visas (6-12 months)
- Higher-risk applicants
- Previous visa violations
- Sponsored Family Stream applications
- When there are concerns about overstaying
Can it be removed?
- Generally, no – once imposed, it stays with that visa
- Very limited circumstances for waiver (compassionate/compelling)
- You’d need to leave Australia and apply offshore for a new visa
4. Do I need a sponsor for the Tourist Stream?
No, the Tourist Stream does NOT require a sponsor. You can apply independently.
Tourist Stream:
- Apply on your own without formal sponsorship
- Can visit family casually without sponsorship arrangements
- Must demonstrate financial capacity independently
- Suitable for most standard tourist visits
Sponsored Family Stream:
- Requires eligible Australian citizen/PR sponsor
- May require security bond ($5,000-$15,000)
- Used for higher-risk applicants or when Department requests
- Adds extra assurance and can strengthen applications
- Bond is refundable after compliant departure
5. Can I work on a Visitor Visa?
NO – Working on a Visitor Visa is strictly prohibited and a serious breach.
What you CANNOT do:
- Any paid employment or work
- Sell goods or services
- Run a business providing services to Australian customers
- Compete with local workers
- Contract work or freelancing for Australian entities
Limited exceptions:
- Business activities: Under Business Visitor Stream, you can attend meetings, negotiate contracts, explore opportunities – but NO paid work
- Volunteering: Very limited unpaid volunteer work that doesn’t take a job from an Australian
6. I’m from a high-risk country – can I still get a visa?
Absolutely YES! High-risk nationality doesn’t mean automatic refusal – it means more scrutiny.
What “high-risk” means:
- Not eligible for ETA (Subclass 601) or eVisitor (Subclass 651)
- Typically from Asia, Africa, Middle East, South America
- More extensive documentation required
- Longer processing times
- Greater focus on Genuine Temporary Entrant assessment
How we help high-risk applicants succeed:
- Comprehensive evidence packages addressing all concerns
- Strong proof of ties to home country
- Detailed travel history showing compliance
- Strategic trip length recommendations
- Day-by-day itineraries with bookings
- Professional cover letters connecting all evidence
- Family sponsorship option where beneficial
- Quick response to any Department requests
Ready to Visit Australia?
Start your Australian adventure with VisaTasker’s expert visitor visa services. Whether you’re planning a holiday, visiting family, or attending business meetings, we make the visa process smooth and stress-free. Book your consultation today!
Book Your Consultation📋 Free Document Checklist
Get the complete list of documents you need for your application — updated for 2026.
View Visitor Visa 600 Document Checklist →
Reviewed by VisaTasker Migration Services
MARA Registered Migration Agent · MARN 2318017
This page is written and reviewed by VisaTasker Migration Services, a MARA-registered migration agency based in Australia. As registered agents, we are bound by the Migration Agents Code of Conduct and required to provide accurate, up-to-date advice based on Australian migration legislation. Information is reviewed against the latest Department of Home Affairs policy.