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Australia is rated as a top tourist destination due to its unique landscapes, beaches, diversity and wildlife. This is why it is not a surprise that just the last year there were approximately 9,4 million tourists that visited Australia from overseas.
If you are one of those people that have dreamed about visiting the Opera house in Sydney, enjoy the beautiful architecture in Melbourne, visit the most breath-taking beaches in Perth or visit the Great Barrier Reef on the north-east coast then the Visitor Visa 600 is the visa you should request.
On the other hand, if you have questions regarding working or studying under this visa keep reading to find out.
What is a Visitor visa 600?
The subclass 600 tourist visa is a temporary visa that is most suitable if you are going to travel for tourism, business or you are going to visit family or friends.
Remember, that with this visa you can have up to a 12-month stay depending on the circumstances.
What are the streams of a Visitor visa 600?
Tourist stream
This tourist visa stream when applying in Australia works for you if you want to visit your family or friends or if you want to enter the country as a tourist, for a cruise or for purposes other than business or medical treatment.
This visa has a cost of AUD $365 and you can apply to stay up to 12 months. The duration of the visa will depend on how long you want to stay in Australia and why you want to stay in Australia.
For a cruise
If you are going to enter Australia during a cruise you will need a visitor visa. This is because the time you spent on the cruise counts as time spent in Australia.
To study
Remember that you can study or train for up to three months with this visa, but if your main reason to travel to Australia is study and not tourism then a Student Visa will definitely suit you better.
Also, you can get a one entry or multiple entries visa. It means that you will be able to leave and re-enter the country while the visa is valid.
Sponsored family stream
This visa stream allows you to visit your family members in Australia when you are sponsored by one of them. This visa is the best option for you if you have someone that is willing to sponsor. Also, the maximun lenght of your stay should be 3 months.
The cost for this visa stream is AUD $145 and your sponsor may be required to pay a security bond. Also, with this visa you will be able to study or train up to three months.
Business visitor stream
The Business visitor stream is ideal if you are going to make general business or employment enquiries, negotiate a contract or if you are going to take part in a conference or trade fair, but you are not going to get paid by the organisers.
With this visa you will be able to stay in Australia up to three months and the cost is AUD $145.
Remember that with this visa you can’t work or provide services to a business or organisation based in Australia neither can you sell goods or services directly to the public. If this is your case consider getting a temporary work visa.
What is the process to get a Visitor visa?
You can apply to get the Visitor visa 600 online, by completing a form on the Home Affairs website, the Australian Immigration website.
You can complete the form in parts, it is not necessary to do it all at once. Remember that all the information that you upload is saved in your personal ImmiAccount.
Remember that you need to be outside of Australia to apply for this visa for the first time, both at the time of application and at the time of receiving the response.
Is it possible to include family members in the application?
If other family members are applying for this visa it is not possible to include them in your application. You all will need to fill out separate applications. However, the applications can be processed together.
How long does it take to get a Visitor visa?
Take into consideration that for your visa to process it may take up to 5 months according to the Home affairs website, however it may take a shorter period of time depending on the circumstances.
You will receive a mail notification once your request gets accepted and you get your visa.
Can I Study on a visitor visa?
If you are going to take a course that lasts a maximum of 3 months you can do it on a Visitor Visa. However, if the course lasts more than that you will need to apply to a student visa.
Also, if you are on a tourist visa and you decide that you want to stay in Australia to study it is possible to make the application when you are still in the country.
However, keep in mind that you can only receive a student visa if you have already received a Confirmation of enrolment letter from the institution that you chose.
Financial requirement
On the other hand, you will need to meet the financial criteria. This means that you have to prove you have at least $21 041 to cover the living cost of the first 12 months of your stay in Australia. You can prove this through a scholarship document or a bank statement.
Can I Work on a visitor visa?
With a Visitor visa 600 you can carry out all kinds of tourist activity, study in a course of up to three months and participate in commercial activities such as conferences and congresses, however, under no circumstances will you be able to work.
Keep in mind that the main goal of the visitor visa is to let people with tourism purposes get into the country as tourism is a major component of Australia’s economy. This is why if you have other purposes you should consider applying to another visa that suits you better.
