There are several types of Tourist Visa which allow people to visit Australia temporarily for different purposes.
What Australian tourist visas are available?
The main types of tourist visas available are:
- Visitor visa – Subclass 600: this visa has several streams under which you could apply, and there are options to apply from outside or inside Australia. This visa can also be granted for a period longer than 3 months. Streams include the tourist stream, sponsored family stream, business visitor stream, and the approved destination status and frequent traveller streams available for citizens of China in some circumstances.
- Electronic Travel Authority – subclass 601: this is a travel authority available for citizens from a specific list of countries that allows the holder to travel to Australia as many times as they want within a 12 month period, for maximum 3 months at a time.
- eVisitor visa – subclass 651: a visa available to citizens of a specified list of countries. Similar to the ETA subclass 601, it allows the holder to travel to Australia multiple times within a 12 month period for three months at a time. This visa is free to apply for and can be done online.
- Working Holiday visa – Subclass 417: A visa available for 18 to 30-year-old citizens of specified nationalities allowing you to work and holiday in Australia (note: the eligible list of countries differs from the subclass 462). If you meet certain requirements of working in a regional area while in Australia on your first 417 visa, you may be eligible to further stays under a second and third working holiday visas.
- Work and Holiday visa – Subclass 462: A visa available for 18 to 30-year-old citizens of specified nationalities allowing you to work and holiday in Australia. If you meet certain requirements of working in a regional area while in Australia on your first 462 visa, you may be eligible to further stays under a second and third work and holiday visas.
What are the eligibility requirements for a tourist visa?
Some general criteria common to the above visas include:
- You must be a genuine visitor to Australia;
- Have a certain passport for all except the 600 visa;
- Have sufficient funds to support your stay in Australia; and
- Meet health and character requirements
For working holiday visas (subclasses 417 and 462), you will also need meet further requirements such as:
- Your age – between 18-30 years old when making your application for the first visa, or up to 35 for Canadian, French and Irish citizens for the 417 visa;
- Minimum education requirements (subclass 462);
- English language requirements (subclass 462);
- You must also not have previously entered Australia on a 417 or 462 visa.
My tourist visa has been cancelled. Can I appeal the decision?
If your tourist visa has been cancelled, in some cases it may be possible to have this decision reviewed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. There are strict deadlines and time limits for lodging an application for review, and recommended that you seek advice as soon as possible.
