Subclass 600 Visitor Visa | Tourism or Business

Subclass 600 Visitor Visa or Visitor Class FA Subclass 600 visa: All you’ll need to know

If you are interested in coming to Australia for sightseeing or visit family and friends, or to explore business opportunities, you may be able to apply for Subclass 600 visitor visa.

There are 5 streams in the Subclass 600 Visitor visa:

1. tourist;
2. sponsored family;
3. business visitor;
4. Approved Destination Status; and
5. frequent traveller

When you apply for a Subclass 600 Visitor visa, you will be required to show that you genuinely intend to stay temporary in Australia for the purpose for which this visa is granted. The Department of Immigration (Department of Home Affairs) when considering whether you are a genuine visitor, take into consideration whether you have complied substantially with the conditions of your last visa and whether you intend to comply with the conditions of this visa and any other relevant matter.

You will be required to demonstrate to the Department of Immigration that you have the financial means to support yourself or you will have genuine access to adequate funds to support yourself while you are in Australia.

You can apply for Subclass 600 visitor visa while you are in Australia, provided you are not prevented from applying for a substantive visa, for example, your current visa does not have a “no further stay or 8503” condition preventing you to lodge a valid application. If you apply for this visa in Australia, you must also be in Australia when the visa is granted.

If you applied for this visa outside Australia, you must not be in Australia at the time of visa grant.

If you have a relative in Australia who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, they can sponsor you for a Subclass 600 Visitor visa under the Family Sponsored stream.

The Department of Immigration may require your relative to provide a security bond to make sure you do not overstay your visa. If you do not leave Australia before your visa expired, the security bond will be forfeited and your relative will be prevented from sponsoring you or another relative for 5 years.

You can apply for a Subclass 600 Visitor visa under the Approved Destination Status Visitor stream if you hold a Chinese passport and is in China at the time of visa grant.

If you apply under the Frequent Traveller stream outside Australia, you can be granted a Subclass 600 Visitor visa that is valid up to 10 years, but you may only remain in Australia for 3 months on each entry.

When applying for this Visitor visa, you can request for a single entry or multiple entries.

If you hold a valid Student visa or any other substantive visa and you applied for a Subclass 600 Visitor visa, your visitor visa will only come into effect after your current visa expired. If your visitor visa ceased before the other substantive visa ceases, then your visitor visa never comes into effect.

Usually your Subclass 600 Visitor visa will have the following visa conditions:

1. no work – 8101 (or 8115 if applied under Business visitor stream)
2. 3 months study or training – 8201 (no study or training 8207 if applied under Approved Destination Status stream)
3. no further application (except Protection Subclass 866 visa, click here to learn more) – 8503 (click here to learn how to remove this condition).
4. must not remain after visa stay period – 8531
5. must not deviate from organised tour – 8530 (if applied under Approved Destination Status stream)
6. continue to satisfy visa criteria – 8516 (if applied under Frequent Traveller stream)
7. free from TB – 8527 (if applied under Frequent Traveller stream)
8. notify change of personal details – 8550 (if applied under Frequent Traveller stream)
9. do medical assessment, if required – 8572 (if applied under Frequent Traveller stream)
10. must not stay for more than 12 months in any periods of 24 months – 8573 (if applied under Frequent Traveller stream)

If you are in Australia when you apply for this visa, you may be granted a bridging visa to allow you to stay in the country until your application is finalised (click here to learn more about bridging visa).

Australian migration law is complex and difficult to understand, contact our immigration lawyer for a consultation (fee applies) to help you decide if this visa is the best visa for you (click here to find out how an immigration lawyer or registered migration agent can help you) or click here to learn more.

This article is not intended to be or taken as migration legal advice. The author of this article disclaims any liability for any action or omission on the information provided or not provided in this article. You should always consult an immigration lawyer or a registered migration agent to form an informed opinion on your immigration matter.