The Visitor Visa 600 looks simple — but refusal rates are high and the reasons are almost always preventable. Whether you’re visiting for tourism, business meetings, or to see family, EPA ensures your application presents the right evidence and avoids the pitfalls that catch unprepared applicants.
The visitor visa subclass
Streams: Tourist, Business, Sponsored
Work hours permitted — no exceptions
Typical stay periods granted
The Subclass 600 Visitor Visa is Australia’s primary temporary visa for people who want to visit for tourism, to see family, or for short-term business activities. It is not a work visa — there is an absolute no-work condition attached, and breaching it carries serious consequences for future applications.
Despite being a temporary visa, the 600 is far from automatically granted. The Department assesses whether the applicant is a genuine temporary visitor — someone who genuinely intends to visit and then leave. This assessment turns on your ties to your home country, your financial capacity, your immigration history, and the coherence of your travel purpose. Applicants with weak home country ties, prior overstays, or insufficient funds are regularly refused.
For nationals of some countries — particularly those with historically high non-return rates — the scrutiny is higher. EPA advises on how to structure a visitor visa application that meets the Department’s evidential expectations, rather than submitting documents that invite unnecessary scrutiny.
Each stream serves a different purpose. The requirements, sponsorship obligations, and conditions differ — you must apply under the correct stream for your travel purpose.
For tourism, leisure, recreation, and visiting friends or family in Australia. The most commonly used stream — and the most commonly refused.
For short-term business activities — attending conferences, exploratory meetings, negotiations, or business-related seminars. Not for working or providing services to Australian employers.
For applicants sponsored by an approved family sponsor in Australia. The sponsor is an Australian citizen, PR, or eligible NZ citizen who agrees to take responsibility for the visitor during their stay.
This is absolute. No stream of the Subclass 600 permits work of any kind — and the consequences of breaching this condition reach beyond the current visa.
The Subclass 600 is granted subject to a no-work condition across all three streams. You may not work for pay or reward, operate a business, provide services to an Australian employer, or engage in any form of employment — including casual, part-time, volunteer, or unpaid work that confers benefit. Breaching this condition is taken seriously. It can result in visa cancellation, a period of ineligibility for future Australian visas, and a character or compliance mark on your immigration record that affects future applications — including student, partner, and skilled migration visas.
Business Visitor stream clarification: Attending a conference, having a business meeting, or negotiating a deal is not "work" for the purposes of this condition — provided you are not being paid by or providing services to an Australian entity. If there is any ambiguity about whether your planned activities constitute work, EPA advises on the correct approach before you travel.
Every applicant must satisfy the same core requirements. The weight given to each factor depends on your nationality, travel history, and individual circumstances.
You must demonstrate genuine intent to visit temporarily and leave when your visa expires. This is assessed against your entire profile — not just a statement. It is the most common refusal ground and the hardest to remedy after a refusal.
Sufficient funds to cover your stay without working — accommodation, food, activities, and return travel. Bank statements for the past 3–6 months are standard. The amount required depends on your length of stay and personal circumstances.
Employment, family, property, financial obligations, and social ties in your home country that demonstrate you have compelling reasons to return. Applicants with weak home country ties are at significantly higher refusal risk.
Most applicants must meet health requirements. Depending on nationality and intended stay length, a health examination with an approved panel physician may be required. The Department may request a medical examination at any point.
You must be of good character. This includes disclosure of any criminal history. For stays of 12 months or more (cumulative in the past 10 years), police clearances are typically required from relevant countries.
Prior visa refusals, overstays, or conditions breaches — in Australia or elsewhere — must be disclosed and will be assessed. A history of compliance with previous visas in any country strengthens your application.
Each stream serves a different purpose. The requirements, sponsorship obligations, and conditions differ — you must apply under the correct stream for your travel purpose.
| Grant Type | Visa Validity | Stay Per Entry | Re-entry Allowed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single entry | Typically 12 months from grant | 3 or 6 months from entry date | No — one entry only |
| Multiple entry | Typically 12 months from grant | 3 or 6 months per entry | Yes — multiple entries within validity |
| 3-year multiple entry | 3 years from grant date | 3 or 6 months per entry | Yes — multiple entries over 3 years |
| 10-year multiple entry | 10 years from grant date | 12 months per entry | Yes — available to some nationalities |
The grant type you receive depends on your nationality, immigration history, and the Department's assessment. You cannot request a specific validity period — the Department grants what it determines is appropriate. The figures above are indicative and vary by applicant.
Financial evidence is one of the most commonly mishandled parts of a visitor visa application. The quality and history of the evidence matters as much as the amount.
EPA's MARA agents review and advise on GTE statements before they are submitted. A well-constructed statement directly addresses the Department's concerns — it does not simply assert that the applicant is genuine. The specifics matter: your personal circumstances, your chosen course, and your post-study intentions must form a coherent and credible picture.
The genuine visitor assessment is the heart of every 600 application. The Department asks: does this person have compelling reasons to return home? The stronger your ties, the stronger your application.
Visitor visa refusals are almost entirely predictable — and almost entirely avoidable with the right preparation.
These are the practical steps that separate strong visitor visa applications from weak ones.
Visitor visas look simple. The refusal rate tells a different story. EPA ensures your application is built with the evidence and structure the Department expects.
Before lodging anything, we assess your individual profile — nationality, immigration history, financial position, home country ties — and give you an honest picture of your application's strength.
We confirm which stream is correct for your travel purpose — and flag where mixed-purpose visits create stream selection issues that could trigger scrutiny.
We review your bank statements before lodging — identifying any issues with consistency, balance history, or unexplained deposits that could raise Department concerns.
We assist with drafting a specific, credible statement of travel purpose that directly addresses the genuine visitor requirement — tailored to your individual circumstances.
If you have a prior refusal, we review the original decision notice and advise on how to address those specific concerns before a new application is lodged — rather than submitting the same profile again.
For families who need recurring visits — such as parents visiting children studying in Australia — we advise on the strongest approach for obtaining multiple-entry visas with longer validity periods.
