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Visitor Visa Guides
Complete guides to every Australian visitor visa. Tourist visa (subclass 600), ETA (601), eVisitor (651), transit visas, and medical treatment visas.
26 guides available
All Visitor Visa Guides26
Approved Destination Status (ADS) Scheme for Chinese Tour Groups
The Approved Destination Status (ADS) scheme is a bilateral arrangement between Australia and China that allows Chinese nationals to travel to Australia as...
Australia Entry Requirements for Tourists: The 2026 Rules
To enter Australia as a tourist in 2026 you need four things in order: a visa granted before you fly, a passport valid for your trip, a completed arrival...
Australia Visa on Arrival: Why It Doesn't Exist (And What to Do Instead)
Australia does not offer visa on arrival for any nationality. Every traveller — except New Zealand citizens — must hold a valid visa before boarding a flight...
Australian ETA Refused or Not Approved: What It Means and What to Do
If Home Affairs refuses your ETA, it tells you in writing, with the reason and whether you can seek a review. Don't apply again in the app: Home Affairs says...
Australian ETA Stuck in Processing: What It Means and What To Do
Most ETA applications are decided immediately. Yours wasn't, which means something in it needs checking, and the Department of Home Affairs publishes no...
Australian Tourist Visa (Subclass 600): Complete Guide 2026
The Australian Subclass 600 visitor visa allows you to visit Australia for tourism, business activities, or to visit family for stays of up to 3, 6, or 12...
Australian Transit Visa (Subclass 771): Do You Need One?
The Australian Transit Visa (Subclass 771) allows travellers to pass through Australia for up to 72 hours on their way to another country. It's free of charge,...
Booked Flights to Australia: What to Do Next
Flights booked — now what? One thing genuinely matters before anything else: the visa, because without one the airline won't board you. After that it's your...
Can You Work on an Australian Tourist Visa? Rules Explained
No, you cannot work on an Australian tourist visa. The Subclass 600 visitor visa, ETA (Subclass 601), and eVisitor (Subclass 651) all carry Condition 8101,...
Condition 8558: The 12-Months-in-18 Rule for Visitors
Condition 8558, which Home Affairs calls "Non Resident", means the visa holder "must not stay in Australia for more than 12 months in any period of 18 months."...
Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) Subclass 601: Complete Guide 2026
The Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) Subclass 601 is a digital visa for passport holders from 34 eligible countries and territories — including the USA,...
ETA App Passport Chip Scan Not Working: How to Fix It
The Australian ETA app can't read your passport chip for one of four reasons: something is between the phone and the passport, the phone is over the wrong...
ETA App Payment Declined: Fixing the $20 Charge
You've cleared the passport scan and the selfie, and now the Australian ETA app won't take your money. The $20 AUD service charge can be paid by credit card,...
ETA App Selfie Rejected: How to Pass the Face Check
When the Australian ETA app keeps rejecting your selfie, the cause is almost always one of three things: lighting from the wrong direction, a busy background,...
ETA vs eVisitor: Which Australian Visa Do You Need?
The ETA (Subclass 601) and eVisitor (Subclass 651) are both electronic visitor visas for Australia that allow 3-month stays with 12-month validity. The...
eVisitor Visa (Subclass 651): Free Australian Visa for Europeans
The eVisitor (Subclass 651) is a free electronic visa that allows passport holders from 36 European countries to visit Australia for tourism or business for up...
Frequent Traveller Stream (Subclass 600): Up to 10 Years Validity
The Frequent Traveller Stream is a premium tier of Australia's Subclass 600 visitor visa that grants multiple entries over a validity period of up to 10 years....
How Long Can You Stay in Australia on a Tourist Visa?
Most tourist visa holders can stay in Australia for 3, 6, or 12 months per visit. The exact duration depends on which visa subclass you hold and which stream...
How to Extend Your Australian Tourist Visa: Step-by-Step Guide
You can extend your stay in Australia by applying for a new Subclass 600 visitor visa from within Australia before your current visa expires. The extension...
Medical Treatment Visa (Subclass 602): Who It's For and How to Apply
Updated: 16 August 2026
The Australian ETA App: Download, Phones That Work and What It Asks
The Australian ETA app is the free, official app from the Department of Home Affairs for applying for an ETA (subclass 601). Download it from the Apple App...
The Official Australian ETA App vs 'ETA Websites': What You Should Pay
There is no official Australian ETA website where you type in an application. Home Affairs says: "You must use the Australian ETA App (the ETA App) to apply...
Visitor Visa 600 Documents Checklist: What to Upload
For a Visitor visa (subclass 600) Tourist stream application, Home Affairs asks for four groups of documents: identity documents, evidence that you are a...
Visitor Visa 600 for Parents Visiting Children in Australia
Most parents visiting a son or daughter in Australia apply for the Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the Tourist stream. If your child is an Australian citizen or...
Visitor Visa 600 Processing Time: How Long It Really Takes
Home Affairs' processing-times guide (page updated 4 September 2026) shows that half of recent Tourist stream applications for the Visitor visa (subclass 600)...
Why Australian Tourist Visas Are Refused (and How to Avoid It)
Home Affairs doesn't publish a list of reasons tourist visas are refused. A Visitor visa (subclass 600) is refused when an applicant doesn't satisfy one of its...
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