There are several types of Tourist visas that allow people to visit Australia temporarily for different purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Australian tourist visas and holiday visas are available?
The main types of tourist visas available are:
- Visitor Visa – subclass 600: This visa has several streams under which you could apply, and there are options to apply from outside or inside Australia. This visa can also be granted for a period longer than three months. Streams include the tourist stream, sponsored family stream, business visitor stream, and the approved destination status and frequent traveller streams available for citizens of China in some circumstances.
- Electronic Travel Authority – subclass 601: This is a visa available for citizens from a specific list of countries that allows the holder to travel to Australia as many times as they want within a 12 month period, for maximum three months at a time. Common countries that use this visa include the United States of America, the United Kingdon, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Canada.
- eVisitor Visa – subclass 651: This visa is available to citizens of a specified list of countries. Similar to the ETA subclass 601, it allows the holder to travel to Australia multiple times within a 12 month period for three months at a time. This visa is free to apply for and can be done online.
- Working Holiday Visa – subclass 417: A visa available for 18 to 30-year-old citizens (or 35 year olds for some countries) of specified nationalities, allowing you to work and holiday in Australia (note: the eligible list of countries differs from the subclass 462). If you meet certain requirements of completing specified work in a regional area while in Australia on your 417 visa, you may be eligible to further stays under a second and third working holiday visas. UK passport holders can apply for a second and third subclass 417 without needing to meet the specified work requirement.
- Work and Holiday Visa – subclass 462: A visa available for 18 to 30-year-old citizens of specified nationalities, allowing you to work and holiday in Australia. If you meet certain requirements of completing specified work in a regional area while in Australia on your 462 visa, you may be eligible to further stays under a second and third work and holiday visas.
What are the eligibility requirements for a tourist visa?
Some general criteria common to the above visas include:
- You must be a genuine visitor to Australia
- You may need to hold a certain passport depending on the relevant visa
- Have sufficient funds to support your stay in Australia, and
- Meet health and character requirements
For working holiday visas (subclasses 417 and 462), you will also need to meet further requirements, such as:
- Your age: between 18-30 years old when making your application for the first visa, or up to 35 for United Kingdom, Canadian, French and Irish passport holders for the 417 visa
- Minimum education requirements (subclass 462)
- English language requirements (subclass 462)
- You must also not have previously entered Australia on a 417 or 462 visa
Genuine visitor requirement
To be granted a Visitor visa (subclass 600), applicants must satisfy the Genuine Visitor requirement. This means demonstrating that they intend to:
- Stay temporarily in Australia for a lawful purpose (e.g. tourism, visiting family, or business visitor activities)
- Comply with visa conditions, including not working or studying beyond permitted limits
How the Department Assesses Genuine Visitor Status
When assessing whether an applicant is a genuine visitor, the Department considers a range of factors, including:
1. Purpose of visit
- Clear explanation of the reason for travel (e.g. holiday, family visit, business meetings)
- Supporting documents such as an itinerary, invitation letter, or event registration
2. Ties to home country
- Evidence of strong personal, financial, or professional commitments that indicate the applicant will return home
- Employment or study commitments
- Family responsibilities
- Property or business ownership
3. Previous visa compliance
- History of compliance with Australian immigration laws (if previously held a visa)
- Travel history to other countries and compliance with visa conditions
4. Financial capacity
- Proof of sufficient funds to support the stay in Australia without needing to work or access public funds
- Recent bank statements
- Payslips or tax returns
- Evidence of financial support from a sponsor (if applicable)
5. Immigration risk indicators
- Whether the applicant has previously overstayed a visa or made multiple visa applications
My tourist visa has been cancelled or refused. Can I appeal the decision?
If your tourist visa has been cancelled or refused, in some cases it may be possible to have this decision reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). There are strict deadlines and time limits for lodging an application for review, and recommended that you seek advice as soon as possible.
In some cases, it may be best not to appeal and consider applying for a new Visitor Visa. This is because processing times in the ART can be extensive and it can be a more expensive process than simply applying again. If you elect to apply for the Visa again, you should ensure you have additional evidence to meet the relevant criteria.
If you have questions regarding visitor visas or other temporary holiday visas, we recommend you book a 10 min call with our team.
