How to apply for the Australian Visitor visa (subclass 600)

What is the Australian Visitor visa (subclass 600)?

The subclass 600 sits in Australia's visa list as the visitor visa, and the Department of Home Affairs describes its purpose in three parts: tourism, business visits and visiting family. [1] The same description lists the stay options as 3, 6 or 12 months. [1]

The subclass is not one single application route. The department publishes separate pages for each stream, and the stream decides the stay the department lists and the cost that applies. [2] [3] [4] [5] On the sponsored family stream the department adds that it might ask your sponsor to pay a security bond. [3] The department also maintains a Visa Finder for people who are unsure which Australian visa is right for them. [6]

Which subclass 600 stream should you apply under?

Each stream page states the stay the department lists for that stream, and they are not the same. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The frequent traveller stream is the one that works differently from the rest: the long figure refers to how long the visa itself can be granted for, not to a single stay, because each entry is limited to 3 months. [5]

What does the subclass 600 cost and how long does processing take?

Each stream page points applicants to the department's Visa Pricing Estimator to work out what the visa will cost, and the department notes that the estimator does not take into account the other costs. [2] [3] [4] [5] The tourist, sponsored family and business visitor stream pages all state that concessions apply in limited circumstances. [2] [3] [4]

One concession is dated. From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application, on the tourist, sponsored family and business visitor streams. [2] [3] [4] On the frequent traveller stream the same 1 July 2026 concession is described for eligible Timor-Leste citizens. [5]

For processing times, the tourist, sponsored family and business visitor stream pages direct readers to the department's visa processing time guide tool, which shows processing times for recently decided applications; the department states that it is a guide only and not specific to your application. [2] [3] [4] The frequent traveller stream page states that processing times for this visa are unavailable. [5]

Exceptions and limits

• A 10-year grant is not a 10-year stay. On the frequent traveller stream the visa can be granted for up to 10 years, but the stay allowed is up to 3 months each time you enter. [5]
• Concession eligibility differs by stream. The 1 July 2026 lower cost covers eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens on the tourist, sponsored family and business visitor streams, while the frequent traveller page names eligible Timor-Leste citizens. [2] [3] [4] [5]
• A bond can be requested. On the sponsored family stream the department might ask your sponsor to pay a security bond. [3]
• Processing guidance is not a prediction. The processing time guide tool reflects recently decided applications, is a guide only and is not specific to your application; for the frequent traveller stream processing times are unavailable. [2] [5]
• Estimates are not the full bill. The Visa Pricing Estimator does not take into account the other costs of an application. [2]

Frequently asked questions

How long can I stay in Australia on a subclass 600 visa?

It depends on the stream. The tourist and sponsored family streams list stays of up to 12 months, the business visitor stream lists up to 3 months, and the frequent traveller stream allows up to 3 months each time you enter on a visa that can be granted for up to 10 years. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Which stream covers visiting family in Australia?

Visiting family is one of the purposes the department gives for the visitor visa generally, and the sponsored family stream is the stream that lists a sponsor and the possibility of a security bond. [1] [3]

How do I find out what my subclass 600 application will cost?

Use the department's Visa Pricing Estimator, which the stream pages link to; the department notes that the estimator does not take into account the other costs. [2] [3]

How long will my subclass 600 application take to process?

The department's visa processing time guide tool shows times for recently decided applications and is a guide only, not specific to your application; for the frequent traveller stream, processing times are unavailable. [2] [5]

Related pages

If you are still choosing a visa, the department points to its Visa Finder, and its visa list page sets out a list of Australian visas for comparing other subclasses. [6] On Flyerfolio, the Frequent Flyer Encyclopedia glossary explains travel and programme terms used across the site, and the term index is the quickest way into it; you can also start from the full list of entries or look up a single travel term before you compare visa streams.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. The Australian Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) and other Australian visa subclasses are not covered here; this page describes only the Visitor visa (subclass 600). [1] [6]

1. Department of Home Affairs — Visitor visa (subclass 600), checked 18 October 2026
2. Department of Home Affairs — Visitor visa (subclass 600) tourist stream (overseas), checked 18 October 2026
3. Department of Home Affairs — Visitor visa (subclass 600) sponsored family stream, checked 18 October 2026
4. Department of Home Affairs — Visitor visa (subclass 600) business visitor stream, checked 18 October 2026
5. Department of Home Affairs — Visitor visa (subclass 600) frequent traveller stream, checked 18 October 2026
6. Department of Home Affairs — Australian visa list, checked 18 October 2026