Key takeaways
- Four visitor visa options: ETA (601), eVisitor (651) for Europeans, Subclass 600 for everyone else and Transit (771) for a max. 72h stay
- Refusal rates vary wildly: UK applicants see ~1% refusal; some nationalities face 30%+ refusal rates
- Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) is the single most important assessment criterion. Prove you'll leave
- Processing times: ETA/eVisitor often same-day; Subclass 600 ranges from 1 day to 2+ months depending on nationality
- Remote work is allowed for overseas employers if it's incidental to your visit, but full-time remote work is a grey area
- Get a personalised estimate: Use our Visa Time Checker to see realistic processing times for your situation
Planning a trip to Australia? Whether you're visiting the Great Barrier Reef, attending a business conference, or reuniting with family, you'll need a visitor visa. With multiple subclasses, processing times that vary wildly by nationality, and refusal rates exceeding 20% for some countries, the process can feel overwhelming.
This guide covers everything from choosing the right subclass to whether you can work remotely. We've based it on official Department of Home Affairs policy, FOI data covering millions of visa decisions, and our experience helping thousands of applicants.
Types of visitor visas
Australia offers four main visitor visa options. Which one you need depends on your passport and trip purpose.
Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) – Subclass 601
The ETA is a quick, electronic visa for passport holders from the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and several others.
Key features:
- Cost: AUD 20 (via the Australian ETA app)
- Stay: Up to 3 months per visit
- Validity: 12 months with multiple entries
- Processing: Usually instant
- Cannot be extended while in Australia
Apply through the official "Australian ETA" mobile app, which uses NFC to read your passport chip.
eVisitor – Subclass 651
The eVisitor is free for passport holders from European countries (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, etc.).
Key features:
- Cost: Free
- Stay: Up to 3 months per visit
- Validity: 12 months with multiple entries
- Processing: Usually instant
- Cannot be extended while in Australia
Note: British National Overseas, British Dependent Territories, and British Overseas Citizen passport holders are not eligible and must apply for Subclass 600.
Visitor visa – Subclass 600
The Subclass 600 is the main visitor visa for everyone else, requiring supporting evidence.
Five streams:
- Tourist stream: For holidays, visiting family, or recreation. Can be applied onshore or offshore.
- Business Visitor stream: For meetings, conferences, or negotiations—not actual work.
- Sponsored Family stream: For applicants from certain countries with an Australian sponsor. Often involves a security bond.
- Frequent Traveller stream: For regular business travellers with good visa history. Valid up to 10 years (~AUD 1,480).
- Approved Destination Status (ADS) stream: For Chinese citizens travelling with registered tour groups.
Key features:
- Cost: ~AUD 200-1,480
- Stay: 3, 6, or 12 months
- Processing: 1 day to 67+ days depending on stream and nationality
- Can be extended (if no "8503 - No Further Stay" condition)
Transit visa – Subclass 771
For travellers passing through Australia to another destination, staying no more than 72 hours.
Who needs it? If you hold an ETA or eVisitor-eligible passport, those visas cover transit. If you need a Subclass 600 for tourism, you'll also need a transit visa just to change planes.
Key features:
- Cost: Free
- Stay: Maximum 72 hours
- Validity: Single or multiple transits within 12 months
- Processing: Usually 2-7 days
Can you leave the airport? Yes. Unlike some countries, Australia's Transit Visa lets you explore the city during your layover—just depart within 72 hours. If staying in the international transit area for under 8 hours, check if you qualify for Transit Without Visa (TWOV).
Tern Tip
For long layovers, apply for the Transit Visa rather than relying on TWOV—it's free and gives you flexibility to leave the airport. Apply well in advance as processing can be unpredictable.
What if your flight is delayed past 72 hours?
Overstaying makes you technically unlawful, but the Department has discretion for genuine emergencies. Document everything, contact Immigration immediately, and consider applying for a Subclass 600 to regularise your status. Taking no action is always the wrong choice.
Which visa is right for you?
Step 1: Where are you now?
- Already in Australia: Your only option is Subclass 600. ETA and eVisitor can only be applied for offshore.
- Outside Australia: Continue below.
Step 2: Check passport eligibility
- ETA-eligible (USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan): Apply for ETA (601)
- eVisitor-eligible (Most EU, UK, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland): Apply for eVisitor (651)
- Neither: Apply for Subclass 600
Step 3: Do your needs exceed ETA/eVisitor limits?
- Need more than 3 months per visit? → Subclass 600
- Want validity longer than 12 months? → Subclass 600 Frequent Traveller
- Being sponsored by Australian family? → Subclass 600 Sponsored Family
For most travellers from ETA/eVisitor-eligible countries taking a standard holiday, the electronic options are ideal. But if you're onshore or need longer stays, Subclass 600 is where you'll end up.
Not sure? When you start an application with Tern, we'll recommend the right visa for your situation.
Eligibility, evidence, and what case officers look for
The genuine temporary entrant requirement
This matters more than anything else: convincing the Department you'll leave when your visa expires. Everything in your application supports this central question.
Case officers don't just assess whether you could overstay. They assess whether your circumstances make overstaying likely.
The Department examines:
- Ties to home: Employment, property, family, studies
- Travel history: Previous visa compliance
- Circumstances in Australia: Who you're visiting, what you're doing, how long
- Consistency: Does your story add up?
Essential evidence checklist
For a strong Subclass 600 application:
Financial evidence:
- Bank statements (3-6 months) showing sufficient funds
- Pay slips or income evidence
- If sponsored: sponsor's financial capacity
Ties to home country:
- Employment letter with leave approval and return date
- Business registration (if self-employed)
- Property ownership documents
- Dependent family members remaining at home
- University enrolment (if studying)
Travel purpose:
- Detailed itinerary with dates and activities
- Flight and accommodation bookings (refundable is fine)
- Invitation letter (if visiting someone)
- Conference registration (if business visitor)
Identity:
- Valid passport with 6+ months validity
- Previous visa grant letters
- National ID documents
Do I need flights and hotels before applying?
No confirmed bookings required, but a detailed itinerary strengthens your case. Many applicants book refundable travel to demonstrate plans. A vague "I plan to see Sydney" is weak; a dated itinerary showing specific activities is much stronger.
Travel history: how important is it?
It matters but isn't decisive. Previous compliance with Australian, UK, USA, or Schengen visas works in your favour. No travel history? Compensate with stronger evidence of home ties.
Criminal history
You must declare all criminal convictions, including spent convictions and juvenile offences.
The good news: Having a record doesn't automatically mean refusal. What matters is the nature of offences, sentences involved, and how you present your circumstances.
The 12-month threshold: Under section 501 of the Migration Act, you have a "substantial criminal record" if convictions total 12 months or more (including suspended sentences). Under this threshold, minor offences typically don't result in refusal.
If you exceed the threshold: You'll need to demonstrate good character through Form 80, police certificates, statutory declarations, and character references. Processing takes at least 3 months, potentially up to 12.
Key advice:
- Be completely honest—the Department cross-checks international databases
- If you have convictions, apply for Subclass 600 (not ETA/eVisitor) to allow character assessment
- Consider submitting Form 80 proactively
- Seek professional advice for serious offences
If you have a more serious criminal history or exceed the 12-month threshold, we've written a comprehensive guide to criminal records and Australia's character test that covers exactly what gets assessed, how to present your case, and what to expect at each stage.
High-risk countries: the elephant in the room
The Department applies a risk framework based on historical compliance rates. If you're from a "high-risk" country, you'll face longer processing, higher refusal rates, and tougher evidence requirements. It's not fair individually, but understanding it helps you prepare.
Check your profile using our Country Risk Tool.
Tern Tip
For higher-risk countries: don't just meet minimum requirements. Exceed them. Provide 3-6 months of bank statements, include property deeds, document dependents staying behind. Make your application so comprehensive that a case officer has no reason to doubt your return.
Common reasons for refusal
- Failure to establish genuine temporary intent: Weak home ties, vague travel purpose
- Insufficient financial evidence: Low balance, unexplained deposits
- Inconsistent information: Dates don't match, documents contradict
- Previous visa violations: Overstays, undisclosed refusals
- Implausible travel plans: Budget doesn't match activities
- Poor quality documents: Blurry scans, untranslated documents
At Tern, our platform flags these issues before submission, with immigration lawyer oversight on every application.
Biometrics
Applicants from certain countries (China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and others) must provide fingerprints and facial photograph at an Australian Visa Application Centre.
New in late 2025: The Australian Immi App allows eligible applicants who've previously provided biometrics to submit facial biometrics via smartphone.
Biometrics don't speed up processing—they're just a mandatory gate. Book your appointment promptly after receiving the request.
Can I apply while another visa is processing?
Yes, in most cases. Common scenarios:
- Offshore partner visa (309/300): Apply for Subclass 600 separately to visit while waiting
- Skilled visa (189/190): You can hold a visitor visa with a pending skilled application
If you have a permanent visa pending, be prepared to explain why you'll still leave when your visitor visa expires.
Success rates and the role of luck
Grant rates by nationality
Visitor visa grant rates sit around 80-85% overall, but this masks huge variation:
- Low-risk countries (UK, Germany, Japan): 98-99%
- Medium-risk countries (India, China): 85-92%
- High-risk countries (Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh): 60-75%
How much is luck vs. preparation?
About 70% is within your control: Evidence quality, consistency, addressing concerns proactively.
About 30% is outside your control: Nationality, processing centre, seasonal workload, whether you trigger manual review.
You can't change your passport, but you can submit an application so strong that even a sceptical case officer has no grounds for refusal.
What if my visa is refused?
Offshore applicants: Generally no right of review, unless an Australian citizen or permanent resident relative lodges the appeal.
Onshore applicants: May appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) within 21-28 days. Fee: ~AUD 3,374. Success rate: ~34%.
Honestly, re-applying with stronger evidence is often more practical than appealing.
Processing times and delays
Standard processing times
For a personalised estimate, use our Visa Time Checker.
Why delays happen
- Nationality: High-risk countries always go through manual processing
- Incomplete applications: Missing documents trigger information requests
- Verification checks: Employment and financial verification takes weeks
- Seasonal peaks: December-January and university intakes create backlogs
- Security checks: Some applications get flagged with no explanation
How to avoid delays
Do: Submit complete applications; ensure documents are clear, certified, and NAATI-translated; respond immediately to information requests.
Don't: Spam ImmiAccount with messages; submit unnecessary documents; expect calling the Department to help.
Priority processing
Priority Consideration Service: For AUD 1,000, applicants from India, UAE, or China can request priority processing (aimed at 2 business days). You must apply from your country of citizenship.
Medical urgency: For genuine emergencies, request priority with supporting evidence.
Conditions: duration, entry, and activities
Stay duration
- ETA/eVisitor: Up to 3 months per visit
- Subclass 600: 3, 6, or 12 months (you choose)
The period is cumulative—a 12-month visa with 3-month stay condition means multiple visits, but no single stay over 3 months.
Multi-entry considerations
Most visitor visas allow multiple entries. However, repeatedly staying close to maximum duration raises red flags.
Using back-to-back visitor visas to effectively live in Australia will attract scrutiny and likely refusal of future applications.
Remote work: can I work for my overseas employer?
Short answer: generally yes, if it's incidental to your visit.
Visitor visas include Condition 8101 prohibiting work, but Department policy clarifies that "online work" for an overseas employer, incidental to a holiday, isn't a breach.
Permitted:
- Checking emails, occasional video calls
- Short periods of remote work while primarily holidaying
Grey area:
- Full-time remote work while "holidaying" for months
Not permitted:
- Working for Australian employers
- Receiving Australian income
- Freelancing for Australian clients
- Helping a friend's business, even unpaid
Tern Tip
If planning significant remote work, frame your application around genuine tourism plans with documented itineraries. If your calendar shows 40-hour work weeks while "visiting" for three months, that's a red flag.
Consequences include visa cancellation, deportation, fines up to AUD 31,000, and a three-year ban. If remote work is your primary purpose, consult an immigration professional.
Business visitor vs. work
Allowed: Meetings, conferences, trade fairs, negotiations, exploring opportunities.
Not allowed: Providing paid services, ongoing employment, work an Australian could do.
Applying with others and onshore options
Family applications
Families can apply together on a single application, processed as a unit. Tips:
- List one primary applicant (usually a parent)
- Include dependent children under 18
- Each adult needs their own evidence of home ties
- Processing time follows the slowest member
Friends can apply together for convenience, but each is assessed independently—a weak application won't sink the group, but won't be strengthened by association either.
Health examinations
Not all applicants need medical exams. You may need one if:
- Staying over 3 months and from a high-TB country
- Aged 75+ (must prove fitness to travel and have insurance)
- Entering healthcare or educational settings
- The Department requests it
Wait for the request before booking with a panel doctor.
Interviews
Visitor visa interviews are rare but can occur for first-time applicants from high-risk countries, inconsistent applications, or sponsored family stream. Usually conducted by phone or video.
Switching visas from inside Australia
What you CAN apply for onshore:
- Partner visa (820): If already in an established, genuine relationship meeting partner visa criteria
- Certain skilled visas in regional areas
What you CANNOT apply for onshore:
- Student visa (500): Generally must leave and apply offshore
- Working Holiday visa (417/462): First WHM visa must be applied for outside Australia
The 8503 condition: If your visa has "No Further Stay," you generally cannot apply for any other visa while in Australia. A waiver exists in limited circumstances only. Check your grant letter carefully.
Tern Tip
If your plans might change (meeting a partner, deciding to study), consider requesting a visa without 8503 when applying. You can't remove it once attached.
Data sources
Statistics in this guide are based on official government data:
- Visa processing times: FOI Reference DA25/10/00449 — approximately 4.5 million decisions (July 2024–September 2025)
- Visa refusal rates: FOI Reference DA24/02/00115
- Appeal success rates: Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) statistics
For personalised assessment, use our Visa Time Checker and Country Risk Tool.
Frequently asked questions
Final thoughts
Australian visitor visas range from nearly automatic (ETA and eVisitor) to genuinely challenging (Subclass 600 for high-risk nationalities). Understanding what the Department looks for—genuine temporary intent supported by consistent, comprehensive evidence—puts you ahead of most applicants.
Your nationality sets your baseline scrutiny level, but doesn't determine your outcome. A well-prepared application from a high-risk country beats a sloppy one from a low-risk country.
Before you apply:
- Use our Visa Time Checker for a realistic estimate
- Check your Country Risk Profile to understand evidence requirements
Ready to apply: Start your application with Tern. Our lawyer-configured eligibility checks select the right visa, flag inconsistencies before submission, and provide immigration lawyer oversight on every application.
