Visitor Visa Subclass 600: How to Apply

The subclass 600 (Visitor) visa is a temporary visa for travelling to Australia as a tourist, visiting family or carrying out certain short-term business activities. For many travellers, it is the standard channel for coming to Australia for a short stay before returning home.

One key point to understand from the outset: many passport holders are not eligible for the faster electronic channels. eVisitor (subclass 651) and the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA, subclass 601) are open only to citizens of certain countries and territories. If your passport is not on those lists, the appropriate pathway is the subclass 600 Visitor visa rather than 651 or 601. Always check the current country eligibility on the Home Affairs website.

Who is the subclass 600 for?

The subclass 600 suits people who want to stay in Australia temporarily and then return home, for example:

Tourists who want to sightsee or attend a family event (a wedding, graduation or significant birthday).
Parents, siblings, relatives or others who want to visit family already living, studying or working in Australia.
People travelling for short-term business such as meetings, conferences, negotiations or market research — not coming to Australia to take up paid employment.

The subclass 600 generally does not permit working for an Australian employer for income, and it is not a migration pathway. A visa officer assesses each application on the purpose of the trip and on how convincingly the applicant shows they will leave Australia on time.

The subclass 600 streams

The subclass 600 is organised into several streams, each serving a different group of purposes. You choose the stream that matches the genuine reason for your trip.

Tourist stream — for travel and visiting family or friends where you cover your own costs and have no one in Australia acting as sponsor. This is the common stream for self-funded tourism or family visits.
Sponsored Family stream — used when a relative in Australia sponsors your visit. The sponsor usually has to meet certain conditions and may be asked to lodge a security bond. This stream can suit cases where a self-funded application is not strong enough on its own but a relative in Australia is willing to provide an undertaking.
Business Visitor stream — for short-term business activities such as meetings, conferences and contract negotiations. This stream does not allow entering Australia to do paid work for an Australian employer.

Each stream has slightly different requirements and is assessed differently, so choosing the right stream from the start helps keep your application consistent and easier to support.

Documents to prepare

Whichever stream you choose, a subclass 600 application generally turns on answering convincingly: what are you coming to Australia to do, and why is it clear that you will return? The common document groups include:

Proof of the purpose of the trip: a proposed itinerary, indicative bookings or tickets, and the reason for travel (tourism, an event, a family visit, business).
Ties to your home country (genuine visitor): evidence of reasons to return home — employment, an employment contract, a business, dependent family, assets, or studies still in progress. This is the part visa officers focus on most.
Financial capacity: evidence that you can cover the costs of the whole trip without needing to work in Australia.
Family documents if visiting relatives: an invitation letter from a relative in Australia, proof of the relationship, and the relative’s residency status in Australia; if applying under the Sponsored Family stream, you also need the sponsor’s documents.
Travel / health insurance: depending on circumstances, health cover for the time in Australia may be recommended or required, particularly for older travellers.

The amounts you may need to show and the specific document requirements vary from case to case and over time, so check the document checklist on the Home Affairs page for the stream you are lodging under.

How to apply

Most subclass 600 applications are lodged online through a Home Affairs ImmiAccount. The general process is:

Create an ImmiAccount (if you do not already have one) on the Home Affairs site.
Select the correct visa (subclass 600) and the stream that matches the purpose of your trip.
Complete the online form, declaring information truthfully and consistently with your supporting documents.
Upload supporting documents (identity documents, proof of finances, proof of ties to your home country, an invitation letter if applicable).
Pay the fee and lodge; then track the status of your application within ImmiAccount.

After lodging, you may be asked to provide further documents or undergo a health examination, depending on circumstances. Keep your contact details up to date so you do not miss any request from Home Affairs.

Fees and processing times

Both the application charge and the processing time for the subclass 600 vary over time and by stream. Because these figures are adjusted periodically, this article does not state specific amounts. Before lodging, check the current fee and estimated processing time directly on the Home Affairs page for your stream. Plan to lodge early, especially if your trip is tied to an event with a fixed date, so there is buffer for processing.

Visa conditions to note

When granted, the subclass 600 comes with conditions you must comply with:

Period of stay: the visa allows a set period of stay in Australia per entry. Overstaying is a serious breach and affects later visa applications. Check the exact period stated in your visa grant letter.
Condition 8503 “No further stay”: if your visa carries condition 8503, you generally cannot apply for most other visas while in Australia — meaning you must leave Australia before applying for a new one. Check your grant letter carefully for this condition before making longer-term plans.
Work limitation: the subclass 600 generally does not allow paid work in Australia.

The conditions attached to your visa are set out in the grant letter; read it carefully and comply to avoid an unintended breach.

Common mistakes

Assuming you can use the ETA (601) or eVisitor (651). These channels are only for citizens of certain countries — if your passport is not eligible, the subclass 600 is the pathway. Check the eligible-country lists on Home Affairs.
A weak “ties to home country” case. This is a common reason for refusal: if you cannot show convincing reasons to return, the application risks being seen as not a “genuine visitor”.
Stating one purpose but providing evidence that points elsewhere. All your documents should tell one consistent story that matches the purpose you declare.
Treating an Australian sponsor as a “guarantee” of grant. A sponsor strengthens an application but does not replace your own evidence of an intention to stay temporarily.
Ignoring condition 8503 and the period of stay after grant, leading to a breach or a stuck longer-term plan.

If your circumstances are complex — a past refusal or visa cancellation, health issues, or a migration application running in parallel — consider advice from a migration agent registered with OMARA (an RMA). This article is general information, not migration advice for your specific case.

Learn more

The subclass 600 is a clear and widely used pathway for travelling to Australia as a tourist or to visit family, but the outcome depends on choosing the right stream and convincingly showing an intention to visit temporarily. Always check current fees, processing times and conditions on the Home Affairs site before lodging.

Last updated: 13/06/2026. Migration rules change frequently — always check official sources.