Australian Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) Requirements And Application

Choosing the right Australian Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) stream is an important part of your travel plan. You may be visiting for a holiday, to see family or friends, or for business purposes. Our experienced consultants provide simple and practical guidance to help you prepare and submit your Australian visa application with confidence. This post will help you understand the main entry requirements for Australia.

Australian Visa Overview

Do you need a visa to enter Australia?

If you are not an Australian citizen, you must hold a valid visa to enter Australia. New Zealand passport holders can usually obtain a visa upon arrival. All other travellers, regardless of age, must apply for a visa before departure. Australia offers several visa options, such as tourist visas and working holiday visas, which can be applied for through the ETA app or the Department of Home Affairs website.

How many types of Australian tourist visas?

Australia offers several visitor visa options, and the right one depends on your nationality, purpose of travel, and how long you plan to stay:

How to apply for an Australian tourist visa?

Applying for an Australian tourist visa involves 10 steps:

Visitor Visa (Subclass 600)

A Visitor visa (subclass 600) enables travel, visiting relatives, or exploring business opportunities in Australia. The visa is often compared with other Australian visa types, especially by travellers considering potential future migration options such as skilled visas or family pathways.

Subclass 600 Visitor visa offers 5 streams for specific purposes:

• Tourist stream
• Sponsored Family stream
• Business Visitor stream
• Frequent Traveller stream
• Approved Destination Status stream

Visitor visa streams

1. Tourist stream

Tourist stream is for people who want to travel, visit family or friends, or other non-business or medical purposes in Australia. The applicants need to:

• Genuinely intend to visit Australia for tourism, family visits, or other non-work purposes.
• Have enough funds to cover your travel and living costs during your stay.
• Meet health and character requirements (you may need health insurance for your stay).
• Provide a clear purpose for your visit.
• Show financial evidence that supports your application.
• Provide your overseas travel history.
• Show strong ties to your home country (such as family, work, or study commitments).
• Apply from outside Australia, unless special approval allows otherwise.

Applicants who intend to later transition from a visit to a long-term skilled pathway may also consider visas like the Subclass 494 visa or Subclass 186 visa, depending on their occupation and employer sponsorship options.

2. Sponsored Family stream

The parent visitor visa stream allows you to be sponsored by close family for visiting purposes. The applicants need to:

• Invitation letter from the sponsor.
• Financial proof provided by the sponsor.
• Overseas travel history.
• Connections to your home country.
• Visa lodgement must be offshore.

This stream is also commonly used by families exploring long-term settlement options, such as Parents visa Australia if they meet eligibility conditions.

3. Business Visitor stream

According to the Australian migration policies, the Business Visitor stream is for those coming to Australia to conduct business activities. To apply for this visa, you need to:

• Genuinely intend to visit Australia for approved business activities (e.g., conferences, seminars, negotiations).
• Background and experience for the business activities you plan to do.
• Provide your purpose for visiting Australia.
• Financial proof provided by the applicant.
• Overseas travel history.
• Connections to your home country.
• Visa lodgement must be offshore, except for special approved circumstances.

4. Frequent Traveller stream

The Frequent Traveller stream is for people visiting Australia multiple times for leisure or short-term activities. With this visa, you can:

• Travel as a tourist, go on a cruise, or enjoy a holiday
• Visit family or friends
• Undertake approved business visitor activities
• To apply for this visa, you must:
• Be a citizen of one of the eligible countries (China, Brunei, Cambodia, Philippines, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor Leste)
• Hold a passport from that country

Working Holiday Visa

A working holiday visa allows young travellers from eligible countries to visit Australia while working to support their stay. It is generally available to applicants aged 18–30, or up to 35 for some nationalities, and is usually granted for 12 months, with the option to extend to two or three years if specific requirements are met.

For further details, you can refer to our post on the Australian Working Holiday Visa: Requirements and application.

If you are visiting a partner or considering future family migration, you may want to learn about the Subclass 309 Partner visa and check partner visa costs to plan your budget. Those visiting elderly relatives and exploring sponsorship options may also find the Aged Dependent Relative visa relevant.

By: Peter Phong D Cao – Registered migration agent

(MARN: 1577877, MIA: 12648)