Visitor Visa / Tourist Visa  – (600 / 676)

The visitor visa is to visit places, friends, and relatives in Australia for a short stay. The visitor visa business stream also allows the applicant stay in Australia for short term business activity. This visa normally ranges from 3 to 12 months of stay. Since 12 Dec 2012, the Department of Immigration has introduced the long term visitor visa for the parents of Australian citizen, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens.

The visitor visa is divided in to the following categories:

• Tourist Stream
• Sponsored Family Stream
• Business Visitor Stream
• Approved Destination Sponsored Stream
• Longer Tourist Visas for Parents of Australians

Tourist stream

The visa stream is for people travelling to Australia for a holiday, recreation or to visit family and friends. If may apply for this visa while you are in Australia or outside Australia.

Sponsored Family stream

This visa stream is for people travelling to Australia to visit their family member who are either Australian citizen or permanent resident. Your sponsor might be asked to provide a bond money. You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is decided. This visa comes with a mandatory ‘no further stay’ condition which means you cannot apply for another visa after you have arrived in Australia.

Business Visitor stream

This visa stream is for business people travelling to Australia for a short business visit. This includes making a general business or employment inquiry, investigating, negotiating, entering into, or reviewing a business contract, participation in a conference, trade fair or seminar in Australia unless the person is being paid by an organizer for participation or an activity carried out as part of an official government to government visit. You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is decided.

Approved Destination Status stream

This visa is for people from the People’s Republic of China who are travelling in an organized tour group to Australia. The applicant must be outside Australia when he/she on applying and on visa decision.

Longer Tourist Visas for Parents of Australians

On 24 Nov 2012, the Department of immigration and citizenship has introduced the long term parents visa for the parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents. This visa may allow the parents to get a visa up to five years, depending on their circumstances. This is a multiple entry visas with a maximum stay of 12 months, considered on a case- by-case basis with maximum validity periods of up to:

• Five Years :
  If parents are outside Australia and have applied for the Parent visa (subclass-103) and this is now in a queue for the decision.

• Three years
  

  If parents are outside Australia and have applied for the Parent visa (subclass-103) but not yet in a queue

• 18 months
  

  If parents did not traveled to Australia and have not applied for any Parent visa. In case if Parents have traveled previously for a maximum of 12 months in 18 months period on a visitor visa, they may be eligible to apply.