Australian Tourist Visa (Visitor Visa Subclass 600)
The Australian Tourist Visa (Visitor Visa subclass 600) is the main visa for short-term visits to Australia, covering purposes such as tourism, visiting family and friends, and short-term business activities.
For most applicants, it is the most common Australian visa with relatively accessible requirements. However, assessment focuses not only on the documents themselves, but on whether the applicant has a genuine purpose of visit and a credible reason to leave Australia on time.
Understanding the visa requirements and the way assessments are conducted before lodging therefore helps lift your approval rate and reduce the risk of refusal.
Free Assessment →What is the Australian Tourist Visa (Subclass 600)?
The Australian Tourist Visa allows applicants to enter Australia for short stays, typically for the purposes below, with clearly defined limits on permitted activities.
Common Purposes
- Tourism and sightseeing
- Visiting family and friends
- Short-term business visits
Key Visa Features
- Stay periods of 3, 6 or 12 months (subject to the decision)
- Single or multiple entries
- Long-term work is not permitted
- Not suitable for long-term study
Three Application Streams Under Subclass 600
Subclass 600 covers several application streams, each suited to a different purpose of visit and sponsorship arrangement.
Tourist Stream
- For individual tourism or independent travel
- No Australian sponsor required
Sponsored Family Stream
- Sponsored by an Australian relative
- A security bond may be required
Business Visitor Stream
- For short-term business activities (meetings, site visits, etc.)
- Formal employment is not permitted
You Typically Need to Meet the Following Requirements
Assessment looks at four areas: purpose of visit, financial capacity, incentive to return home, and health and character.
Genuine Purpose of Visit
- Demonstrate that your trip to Australia is a short-term visit
- Provide an itinerary or written explanation
Financial Capacity
- Show sufficient funds to support your trip
- Including bank deposits or proof of income
Incentive to Return Home (Critical)
- Stable employment, income or family ties
- Evidence that you will leave Australia on time
Health and Character Requirements
- Meet health examination requirements (if applicable)
- No serious adverse records
From Document Preparation to Decision
Four core steps, taken in sequence, each with a clear output and goal.
Prepare Documents
- Passport
- Proof of funds
- Employment or enrolment evidence
- Itinerary statement
Lodge the Application Online
- Complete the application form
- Upload supporting documents
- Pay the visa application charge
Health Examination or Additional Documents (If Required)
- Provide further documents on request
Await the Decision
- Once granted, you can enter Australia
Tourist Visa Refusals Typically Centre on the Following
Understanding the most frequent refusal reasons is the first step in lowering your refusal risk.
Common Refusal Reasons
- Inability to demonstrate a genuine purpose of visit
- Unclear source of funds
- Insufficient incentive to return home
- Inconsistencies across documents
The Most Critical Assessment Point
Among these, “whether you will leave Australia on time” is the most critical assessment point applied by the Department of Home Affairs.
How NewStars Supports Your Tourist Visa Application
We provide end-to-end support from initial assessment through to subsequent applications, helping you lift your approval rate and avoid common pitfalls.
Approval Rate Assessment
Based on your background and documents, we forecast your likely approval rate and flag potential risk points.
Document Preparation Guidance
Clear guidance on how to present each document, helping you avoid common omissions.
Refusal Risk Analysis
Targeted strengthening and tailored explanations for weaker aspects of your case.
Resubmission Strategy
For previously refused cases, we design a targeted strategy to address the issues and resubmit.
If any of the following applies to you:
- You are concerned about a possible refusal
- Your background is more complex
- You have a prior refusal record
we recommend an assessment before lodgement rather than submitting directly.
Get a Free Assessment →Feedback from Tourist Visa Applicants
Real evidence of our hands-on expertise with Subclass 600 Tourist Visas.
“After my first application was refused, I honestly could not work out what had gone wrong. The NewStars consultants helped me rework my employment, finances and itinerary from scratch, and the second application was granted without issue.”
“As a freelancer with variable income, I was worried it would be hard to prove I would return home. My consultant helped me pull my family ties and assets together into a complete written submission, and I ended up with a multiple-entry tourist visa.”
“My company arranged a last-minute business inspection trip to Australia and time was tight. NewStars sent through a Business Visitor document checklist straight away, we prepared everything to the list, and the visa was granted within two weeks of lodgement.”
Related Complex Success Cases
Real visa-grant outcomes — how we handle complex, high-difficulty visitor / tourist visa cases.
Australian Tourist Visa — Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the Australian Tourist Visa easily refused?
Whether your application is at risk of refusal depends on your overall profile, not on the visa itself. Applicants with stable employment, a clear source of funds and a reasonable purpose of travel typically have high approval rates; refusals tend to occur when an applicant cannot show enough incentive to return home or a credible reason to visit. The real question, therefore, is not “is it hard”, but “do my documents support the case I am making”.
2. Can I apply for the Australian Tourist Visa without a job?
Yes, but the risk is relatively higher. The Department of Home Affairs often uses your employment situation to gauge incentive to return home. If you do not have stable employment, you will need to substantiate your case through other means — assets, family ties or a credible source of funds — otherwise it may affect the outcome.
3. How long is the Australian Tourist Visa usually granted for?
The length of stay is decided by the Department of Home Affairs on a case-by-case basis, commonly 3, 6 or 12 months. The period you request is not always the period you receive — the decision usually reflects your background, the purpose of your visit and the assessed risk.
4. Can a Tourist Visa allow a full year in Australia?
In principle, longer stay periods are possible, but whether one is granted depends on your circumstances. First-time applicants and those with simpler profiles are typically granted shorter stays; a longer stay generally requires stronger evidence of funds and incentive to return home.
5. Can the Australian Tourist Visa be changed to another visa?
In some cases another visa can be applied for from within Australia, provided you meet the relevant requirements and your original visa does not carry a “No Further Stay” condition. You should therefore check your visa conditions before entering Australia to avoid later restrictions.
6. Can I reapply after a refusal?
Yes, you can reapply, but only after clearly identifying the reason for refusal and making targeted adjustments. Lodging another application without addressing the underlying issues will usually result in another refusal. The real question for a second application is “how do I fix the problem”, not simply “submit again”.
7. Can a Tourist Visa be used to look for work?
No. The visa is for short-term visits only and does not permit work in Australia. Working while on a Tourist Visa may breach your visa conditions and affect future visa applications.
8. Is an interview required for the Australian Tourist Visa?
In most cases an interview is not required and the application is decided on the documents alone. In some cases, however, the Department of Home Affairs may request further information or verification, so document preparation is still critical.
9. Will a previous refusal affect my application?
It can have an impact. The Department of Home Affairs takes prior records into account, and if the earlier refusal reason has not been credibly explained or resolved, it may affect a fresh application. A complete written explanation of your history is therefore important.
10. How can I tell whether I am at risk of refusal?
You can carry out an initial self-check on a few key points:
- Whether you have stable employment or income
- Whether your source of funds is clear
- Whether your purpose of travel is well-defined
- Whether you have sufficient incentive to return home
If any of these points show a clear weakness, we recommend an assessment before lodgement rather than submitting directly.
Act Now and Get Your Tourist Visa Granted First Time
Whether this is your first application, you have a prior refusal record, or your background is more complex, we can tailor a Tourist Visa application strategy for you.
Get a Free Assessment →
