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Visitor (subclasses 600, 651, and 601) Visas
- Travel to, enter, and stay in Australia for up to 12 months;
- Study in Australia for up to 3 months;
- Engage in business visitor activities; and
- Apply for another visa to remain in Australia (such as a Partner visa).
- Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Tourist Stream;
- Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Sponsored Family Stream;
- Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Business Visitor Stream;
- Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Approved Destination Status Stream;
- Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Frequent Traveller Stream;
- eVisitor (subclass 651) visa; and
- Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) visa.
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The Visitor (subclass 600) visa
Overall, the Visitor (subclass 600) visa is for tourists, people who wish to visit their family in Australia, and people who wish to visit Australia for business purposes.
The Visitor (subclass 600) visa is divided into 5 different streams:
Each different stream has different eligibility criteria. You need to know which stream to apply for, depending on the reasons for, and the circumstances surrounding, your visit to Australia.
The Department of Home Affairs will only decide your Visitor (subclass 600) visa application based on the eligibility criteria of the selected stream. You will not be considered for another stream. For example, if you don’t meet the eligibility requirements of the Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Sponsored Family Stream, no other stream will be considered, and the visa application will simply be refused.
Therefore, you must be careful about which stream you lodge your Visitor (subclass 600) visa in.
Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Tourist Stream
If you wish to visit Australia for tourism purposes, or to see an Australian citizen or permanent resident who is your parent, spouse, de facto partner, child, brother or sister, the Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Tourist Stream may be an option for you.
You could also apply for the Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Tourist Stream if you wish to:
- Visit friends, or other relatives,
- Study for less than 3 months, or
- Stay in Australia for more than 3 months.
However, you will not be eligible for the Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Tourist Stream if the visit is for:
- Business purposes, or
- Medical treatment.
Can I apply for the Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Tourist Stream?
You meet the Genuine Temporary Entrant criteria
Visitor visas are primarily for allowing you to stay in Australia temporarily, for reasons such as:
- Visiting friends and family in Australia;
- Touring Australia;
- Entering Australia for business visitor purposes; and
- Studying for less than three months.
You cannot do the following things while on a Visitor visa:
- Work;
- Live in Australia long-term; or
- Study for more than three months.
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Therefore, the Visitor visa has what is called Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) criteria. The GTE criteria requires the applicant to show that they have a genuine intention to stay in Australia temporarily for the purposes for which the Visitor visa was granted.
The Department of Home Affairs will consider a range of factors to decide whether you are a Genuine Temporary Entrant.
Many Visitor visas are refused on grounds that the applicant did not meet the GTE criteria.
I want to migrate to Australia permanently. Can I apply for a Visitor visa?
You could still be granted a Visitor visa to enter Australia even if you intend to apply for a further visa once arriving onshore, to eventually migrate permanently. An intention to apply for another visa after entering Australia on a Visitor visa does not necessarily disentitle you from lodging, or being granted, a Visitor visa.
For example, you may have already stated an intention to apply for a further visa after arriving in Australia in a previous travel exemption application. You may have already lodged a Partner visa or Work visa but want to lodge a Visitor visa so that you can enter Australia while it processes.
However, you should be cautious about what you write in your Visitor visa application. You will need to use specific language that carefully addresses the GTE criteria, to ensure that your Visitor visa application is not refused.
Example
Heitor (30) is a citizen of Brazil. During 2021 he was unable to enter Australia
a week ago
