Purpose of the Visitor Visa (SC600)

The Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) allows individuals to travel to Australia temporarily for tourism, business purposes, or to visit family. Below are the minimum requirements for the Tourist Stream of this visa.

Tourist Stream

For those traveling to Australia for a holiday or to visit family or friends.

Visa Applicant Requirements

• Genuine Intentions

You must genuinely intend to visit Australia for a holiday, to see family and/or friends, or for other purposes not related to business, work, or medical treatment.

• Sufficient Funds

you must have access to sufficient funds to cover your expenses while in Australia.

• Health and Character Criteria

You must meet the relevant health and character criteria. This may include obtaining health insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia. Contact Visitor Visa today for more information and expert guidance on your Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) application process. To qualify for a visitor visa, applicants must meet specific health and character criteria. This may include obtaining health insurance for the duration of their stay in Australia.

Business Visitor Stream

The Business Visitor Stream is designed for individuals traveling to Australia for short-term business activities, such as attending a conference, engaging in negotiations, or exploring business opportunities.

Requirements:

• Intent: Applicants must genuinely intend to visit Australia for eligible business activities, such as attending a conference or seminar, participating in negotiations, or exploring business opportunities.
• Background: Applicants should have personal attributes and a business background relevant to the activities they plan to undertake in Australia.
• Financial Means: Applicants must have sufficient funds to cover their expenses during their stay.
• Health and Character: Applicants must meet health and character criteria, which may include obtaining health insurance for the duration of their stay.

Sponsored Family Stream

The Sponsored Family Stream is for individuals traveling to Australia to visit family members. Applicants must be sponsored by an eligible relative who resides in Australia.

Requirements:

• Sponsorship: Applicants must be sponsored by an eligible relative living in Australia.
• Intent: Applicants must genuinely intend to visit family members in Australia.
• Financial Means: Applicants must have sufficient funds to cover their expenses during their stay.
• Health and Character: Applicants must meet health and character criteria, which may include obtaining health insurance for the duration of their stay.

Sponsor Requirements

Individuals sponsoring a visit to Australia must fulfill specific criteria to be eligible:

• Citizenship or Permanent Residency: The sponsor must be either an Australian citizen or a permanent resident.
• Age: The sponsor must be at least 18 years old.
• Residency Status: They must have been settled in Australia for a reasonable period, typically at least 2 years.
• Relationship: The sponsor should be a close family member, such as a spouse/partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew. This also includes step or adopted equivalents of these relations.
• Alternative Sponsorship: In certain cases, sponsorship for the visa may be provided by a Member of Parliament, an authorized representative of a government department or instrumentality, or a local government mayor.
• Exclusivity: The sponsor must not currently sponsor another visitor with a valid visa unless the visitor is a member of their family, and the reason for traveling to Australia is the same. Additionally, the sponsor must not have sponsored a visitor who breached visa conditions within the last 5 years.

These requirements ensure that sponsors have a genuine and stable connection to Australia and can adequately support the visitor during their stay.

Features of the Visitor Visa (Subclass 600)

The Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) offers flexibility and convenience for individuals wishing to visit Australia for various purposes.

Purpose of Visit:

Visiting or Business: This visa allows for visits to Australia either for tourism or business purposes.

Duration of Stay:

Three, Six, or Twelve Months: Depending on your specific circumstances and the purpose of your visit, you can stay in Australia for up to three, six, or twelve months.

Application Charges:

• Base Charge: The base application charge for this visa ranges from AUD190 for offshore applications to AUD475 for onshore applications.
• Special Considerations: Certain passport holders may be eligible for free or discounted visa applications:
• eVisitor (Subclass 651): Free visa option available for passport holders of certain countries.
• Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601): AUD20 service charge for passport holders of specific countries.

Eligibility:

• Visitor Purposes: You may apply for this visa if you intend to travel to Australia as a visitor, for business activities, to visit family, or as part of a tour organized by a registered travel agent from the People’s Republic of China.
• Online Application: If you are in Australia with a valid visa not subject to condition 8503, you can apply for the Tourist stream online. However, only certain passport holders can apply online from outside Australia. Paper applications are available for those unable to apply online.

Visa Privileges:

• Holiday or Family Visits: This visa grants permission to come to Australia for leisure purposes or to visit family and friends.
• Entry Conditions: The visa may allow for a single entry or multiple entries during its validity period. If granted multiple entries, the total time spent in Australia must not exceed the approved period of stay.

The Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) offers a straightforward process for individuals seeking to explore Australia or connect with family and friends, with various options tailored to different travel needs and preferences.

Checking Visa Expiry and Conditions

Visa Expiry Date and Conditions:

• VEVO: You can verify your visa expiry date and conditions in the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system using the details provided in your visa grant letter.
• ETA Holders: If you are in Australia on an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), you can check your ETA expiry and conditions through the Check an ETA service.
• Temporary Visa Holders: If you are unable to depart Australia as planned, you should apply for a new visa before your current visa expires.
• Limited Visa Options: There are limited visa options available if you are already in Australia. You may consider applying to remain in Australia as a visitor unless you are eligible for work, study, or family-related visas.
• Bridging Visa: If you apply for a new visa, you may be granted a bridging visa to maintain lawful status in Australia until a decision is made on your visa application. Depending on the conditions of your bridging visa, you may be allowed to work in Australia.

Visa Conditions:

• No Further Stay: If your visa has a no further stay condition (including 8503, 8534, or 8535) and you are unable to depart Australia as planned, you can request to waive this condition if your visa will expire in less than 4 weeks.
• Condition 8531: If you hold a visa with condition 8531 and cannot leave Australia as planned, apply for a further visa before your current visa expires to maintain lawful status.
• Condition 8558: If you hold a visa with condition 8558 and are unable to depart Australia as planned, apply for a further visa before your current visa expires to remain lawful.

Traveling to Australia from Overseas

Travel Restrictions:

If you’re not a permanent visa holder, you must adhere to current travel restrictions.

• Travel Restriction Exemption:

If you have a compassionate or compelling reason to travel to Australia, you can apply for an exemption. Do not travel to Australia until you have confirmation that your exemption is granted. All exemption applications must be submitted online.

• Extending Visitor Visas:

Visitor visas and ETAs cannot be extended. If your visa expires before you can travel to Australia, you will need to apply for a new visa. Unfortunately, changes in travel plans due to restrictions do not qualify for a visa application charge refund.

Visa Processing Arrangements:

• Application Priority: The Department of Visitor visa is prioritizing visa applications for travelers in exempt categories to support urgent travel. Online applications are processed faster than paper applications.

Service Availability:

Some services related to visa processing, such as medical checks, English language tests, biometric collection, and paper application lodgment, may be unavailable. Applicants will be given extra time to complete these requirements and provide necessary information. Stay informed by regularly checking for updates on travel restrictions and visa processing arrangements.