Visitor Visa (Subclass 600)

Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) :

This visa comprises four types of visit to Australia :

For Holiday
For Business
A Family-Sponsored Visa

Specific Requirements about this visa :

It is for a visit or for business purposes
For up to three, six or 12 months
The base application charge for this visa ranges from AUD130 to AUD335
If you hold a certain passport, you might be able to apply for a free or cheaper visa
The eVisitor (subclass 651) visa is free. You must be a passport holder of a certain country
The Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) visa has an AUD20 service charge. You must be a passport holder of a certain country

Holiday Visa :

This visa belongs to the tourist stream which is for people travelling to Australia for a holiday, recreation or to visit family and friends and for other purposes not related to business or medical treatment.

This visa stream is to visit the country. It is required that you are outside of the Australia at the time of application. It is therefore mandatory that you must apply for it only if you are outside Australia.

Benefits of Holiday visa :

You can have a holiday or visit family and friends in Australia.
You can study in Australia for up to three months.
You can work as a genuine unpaid volunteer, but only if an Australian resident would not otherwise be paid to do the work (you can be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses such as meals and accommodation).

Basic requirements :

Meet health and character requirements.
Have enough money to support yourself during your stay in Australia.
Prove that you intend to do the activities in the Tourist stream.
The Department can also ask you to prove that you hold 12 months of health insurance cover.
Due to the length of the permanent Parent (Migrant) visa (subclass 103) queue, and the desirability of family reunion, the department can grant a more generous Visitor visa.
You will automatically be considered for this if you are a parent or step-parent of a) an Australian citizen or permanent resident, b) an eligible New Zealand citizen and have applied for the Parent visa.

Business Visa :

The Business Visitor stream of tourist visa is for people travelling to Australia for a short business visit. This includes making a general business or employment enquiry, negotiations or participating in a conference.

For this to be granted, you need to be outside Australia at the time of application.

If you have a Business (Short Stay) visa (subclass 456) or a Sponsored Business Visitor (Short Stay) visa (subclass 459), it will still be valid for the period you were given when the visa was granted.

Number of visits granted under this visa :

You might be allowed to enter only once. If so, you will need to apply for a new visa if you want to return to Australia again after you leave.
You might be able to travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid, but the total time you spend in Australia cannot be more than the period of stay that you have been granted.

Basic requirements :

Must meet health and character requirements.
Must have enough money to support yourself during your stay in Australia.
Must intend to do the activities in relation to your business visit.

Immigration Department requirements :

Must meet health and character requirements.
You have a good business reason for travelling to Australia.
You will not be undertaking work for or providing goods or services to a business or person based in Australia.
You will not be selling goods or services directly to the general public while in Australia.

Your activities would include following things :

making general business or employment enquiries
investigating, negotiating, signing or reviewing a business contract
activities carried out as part of an official government-to-government visit
participating in conferences, trade fairs or seminars, as long as you are not being paid by the organizers for your participation.

Family Sponsored Visa :

Basic requirements :

Meet health and character requirements: You need to manage all your health costs while you are in Australia. You will not be covered by Australia's national health scheme (Medicare) unless your country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia.Hence, it is recommended to take health insurance each time you travel to Australia.
Must have enough money to support yourself during your stay in Australia.
Must intend to do the activities in the Sponsored Family stream

You must be able to show to the Immigration Department that :

You are a genuine traveler heading to Australia.
You will visit your family.
You are sponsored by an eligible relative or an Australian government official.

Visa Detail :

The Sponsored Family stream is for you, if you are travelling to Australia to visit your family. You must have a sponsor who might be asked to provide a bond.

You must be outside Australia when you apply and you must be outside Australia to be granted the visa.

If you have a Sponsored Family Visitor visa (subclass 679), it will still be valid for the period you were given when the visa was granted.

Number of visits granted on this visa :

You might be allowed to enter only once. If so, you will need to apply for a new visa if you want to return to Australia again after you leave.
You might be able to travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid, but the total time you spend in Australia should not exceed the period of stay that you have been granted.