Planning a visit to Australia, or bringing your parents over? Our 2026 guide to the subclass 600 Visitor visa: each stream, conditions, costs, and how to avoid a refusal.
The Visitor visa (subclass 600) lets people visit Australia for tourism, to see family and friends, or for short business activities. It looks simple, but refusals are common, and a refusal stays on your immigration record and affects future applications.
We help many families bring parents and relatives to Australia from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Here is how the visa works in 2026.
The streams of the Visitor visa
Tourist stream
For holidays, recreation and visiting family or friends. You can apply from outside Australia, or from inside Australia if your current visa allows it.
Sponsored Family stream
For visiting family in Australia, where an eligible family member who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident sponsors the visit. The Department may ask the sponsor to pay a security bond, which is refunded if the visitor complies with the visa conditions. You must apply from outside Australia.
Business Visitor stream
For short business activities such as attending conferences, negotiating contracts or making general business enquiries. It does not allow you to work in Australia or provide services to Australian businesses.
Approved Destination Status (ADS) stream
For citizens of the People's Republic of China travelling in an organised tour group.
Frequent Traveller stream
For passport holders of the People's Republic of China and certain South-East Asian countries who travel to Australia often. It can provide a multiple-entry visa valid for up to ten years, with each stay limited to three months.
How long can you stay?
Visitors are usually granted a stay of up to three, six or twelve months, depending on the stream and your circumstances. Parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents may be eligible for longer-validity, multiple-entry visitor visas, which suit families where grandparents visit regularly. For a long-term stay, a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) or a permanent parent visa may be more suitable. See our family and parent visa services.
Key visa conditions
Visitor visas usually come with conditions, including:
- 8101: No work. You cannot work in Australia, including remote paid work for Australian clients.
- 8201: Limited study. You can study or train for no more than three months.
- 8503: No further stay. If this condition is imposed, you generally cannot apply for most other visas while you are in Australia.
Breaching a condition can lead to cancellation and affect future visas. Since 1 July 2024, visitor visa holders in Australia also cannot apply for a Student visa onshore.
What does it cost?
From 1 July 2026, the government visa application charge for most applicants is $250 if you apply from outside Australia, and $630 if you apply from inside Australia. Other charges, such as health checks or biometrics, may apply.
The genuine visitor requirement
The Department must be satisfied that you genuinely intend to visit Australia temporarily. This is the most common reason visitor visas are refused. The Department considers:
- your ties to your home country, such as employment, business, property and family,
- your immigration history, including any past refusals, overstays or condition breaches,
- whether you have enough money for your stay, and
- whether your plans make sense for the length of stay requested.
Applications from people with family in Australia, previous refusals, or an intention to stay a long time need especially careful evidence.
Common reasons visitor visas are refused
- not showing strong enough ties to the home country,
- weak or unclear financial evidence,
- previous refusals or overstays that are not explained,
- inconsistent information across past applications, and
- applying for a longer stay than the evidence supports.
What if your visitor visa is refused?
If you applied outside Australia, there is generally no right to have the refusal reviewed, and you will usually need to make a new, stronger application. If you applied inside Australia, you may be able to apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), but strict time limits apply. If you are in Australia, also check your bridging visa status straight away. See our appeals and cancellations services.
How we can help
Our immigration team includes two Accredited Specialists in Immigration Law, and we advise in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. We help with visitor visas where the stakes are higher, such as:
- parents and relatives with a previous refusal,
- longer stays and multiple-entry visas for parents,
- visitors who want to change to another visa,
- business visitors, and
- refusals and cancellations.
Contact us or order an Immigration Strategy Report for a clear plan.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work on a visitor visa?
No. Visitor visas usually carry condition 8101, which prohibits work in Australia.
Can my parents stay in Australia for longer than 12 months?
Parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents may be eligible for longer-validity visitor visas or the subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa, which allows longer stays.
Can I apply for another visa while on a visitor visa?
It depends. If condition 8503 applies, you generally cannot. Even without it, you cannot apply for a Student visa in Australia while holding a visitor visa.
How much does a visitor visa cost in 2026?
From 1 July 2026, most applicants pay $250 outside Australia or $630 inside Australia, plus any other charges.
My visitor visa was refused. Can I apply again?
Yes, but address the reasons for the refusal first. A second refusal makes later applications harder.
This article provides general information only and is not legal advice. Visa requirements and fees change regularly. Updated October 2026.
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Please speak with a lawyer about your circumstances.