How Much Money Do You Need for an Australian Visitor Visa?

There is no official number. Home Affairs does not publish a minimum bank balance for the Visitor visa (subclass 600). Instead, you must show you have enough money, or access to enough money, for the trip you describe. A short stay with family needs less than a long tour of hotels. This page shows the legal test, the evidence Home Affairs lists, and how to make your money match your plans.

Independent guide — not a government service. Australian Visa Online is an independent information resource. We are not affiliated with the Australian Government or the Department of Home Affairs, and we do not lodge applications on your behalf. Facts on this page were checked against Home Affairs pages on 28 October 2026 unless another date is shown.

Quick Facts

Is there a minimum amount?

No. None of the subclass 600 stream pages gives a figure. So be careful with anyone who tells you that you "must" show a set amount, such as AUD5,000 or AUD10,000. That number is not from Home Affairs.

What Home Affairs does ask is simple. The Visitor visa page says you must "have enough funds to support your stay and leave". The Business Visitor page puts it this way: "You must have, or have access to, enough money to support yourself".

The legal test behind "enough money"

The rule is in the Migration Regulations, clause 600.212 (checked 15 September 2026):

"The applicant has: (a) adequate means to support himself or herself; or (b) access to adequate means to support himself or herself; during the period of the applicant's intended stay in Australia."

Three things follow from this:

• "Adequate" is judged against your trip. The words are "during the period of the applicant's intended stay". A longer or more costly trip needs more money.
• "Access to" counts. The money doesn't have to be yours alone. Support from a relative or friend can count, if you prove it.
• It is one part of a bigger picture. Money also helps show you are a genuine visitor who will go home. Our guide to why Australian tourist visas are refused covers the rest.

The evidence Home Affairs lists

For the Tourist stream, Home Affairs lists "proof you have enough money for your stay and to leave Australia, such as":

• itemised personal bank statements for a 3 month period
• pay slips
• audited accounts
• tax records
• term deposits
• credit card statements

The Business Visitor stream gives the same list, with bank statements "showing a 3 month period".

You don't need every item. Pick the ones that show your real situation. A salaried worker might upload bank statements and pay slips. A business owner might add audited accounts and tax records. A retiree might add term deposits.

Home Affairs' "Check twice, submit once" page also suggests "a current payslip" and "a letter from your employer granting you leave from work" (checked 15 September 2026). Those show both income and a reason to go home.

When a relative or friend pays

Many visitors stay with family, or have family pay for the trip. That is allowed. The official list includes "a letter from your relative or friend in Australia, inviting you to visit". The letter could state:

• their relationship to you
• the purpose of your visit and how long you will stay
• if you will be staying with them

And: "If this person will be paying for your stay, provide proof of their funds."

So if your son in Sydney is paying for your trip, upload:

• his invitation letter, saying he will pay and that you will stay with him
• proof of his funds, such as his bank statements or pay slips
• your own bank statements too, if you have them (our advice: they help show your life and ties at home)

Not the same as a bond. In the separate Sponsored Family stream, a relative sponsors you with Form 1149 and may be asked for a security bond. Bonds "are usually between AUD 5,000 and AUD 15,000 per person (but we can ask for any amount)" and are refunded if the visitor follows the visa conditions and leaves on time. A bond is not proof of funds, and an invitation letter in the Tourist stream doesn't involve a bond.

Making your money match your trip (our advice)

Home Affairs gives no formula, so here is how we suggest you think about it. This is our advice, not an official rule.

1. Write down your plan. How many days, which cities, where you will sleep. Home Affairs suggests you "Outline your reason for travelling to Australia and include details of your plans while you are here. You may want to include an itinerary."
2. Add up the main costs. Flights, a place to stay, food, transport, activities and health insurance.
3. Show money that covers it, with something left over for emergencies and the trip home.
4. Make the story consistent. If you say you will stay with family for free, the invitation letter should say so too.

Things that can raise questions:

• A sudden large deposit just before you apply, with no explanation. If money came from selling something or a gift, upload a short note and proof of where it came from.
• Statements that don't match your income. If your pay slips show one salary and your bank account shows very different deposits, explain why.
• Money that isn't really available, such as funds you can't reach from Australia.

Other costs to budget for

The visa charge is only one cost (all checked 28 October 2026):

• Visa charge: Tourist stream from AUD250 outside Australia, or from AUD630 if you apply in Australia. Business Visitor AUD250. Sponsored Family AUD250.
• Other possible costs: Home Affairs lists "health checks; police certificates; biometrics".
• Health insurance: for the Tourist stream, Home Affairs "strongly recommended" adequate health insurance, and may add condition 8501 (Maintain adequate health insurance) in some circumstances. For condition 8501, the minimum benefit is AUD1,000,000 per person, per year (checked 15 September 2026).

For every visa fee in one place, see how much an Australian visa costs.

You can't work to fund the trip

The Tourist and Sponsored Family streams carry condition 8101: "The holder must not engage in work in Australia." Home Affairs explains: "This means when in Australia, you must not do work that a person would normally get paid for." So you can't plan to earn money in Australia to pay for your stay. Your evidence has to show the money is already there. See can you work on an Australian tourist visa.

Bringing cash into Australia

Proof of funds is about your application. Carrying cash is a separate border rule. AUSTRAC says: "When carrying money in and out of Australia, you must declare cash worth A$10,000 or more or foreign currency equivalent." Splitting your cash with other travellers to avoid declaring it "is called structuring. It's against the law."

Tips for your financial documents

• Use itemised statements. The official word is "itemised". A balance letter alone shows less.
• Cover a 3-month period. That is the official example. More is fine, but it isn't required.
• Translate them. Any statement not in English needs an English translation. "Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited."
• No certification needed unless asked: "You do not need to have any documents certified unless we ask you to."
• Upload everything first time. "We may decide your application without requesting further information from you."
• Previous visas don't excuse you. "Submit all the documentation we request for your application, even if you have previously held a visitor visa for Australia."

For every other document, use our Visitor visa 600 documents checklist.

Key takeaways

• Home Affairs publishes no minimum bank balance for the subclass 600.
• You need "adequate means", or access to them, for the stay you describe.
• Upload itemised bank statements for a 3-month period, plus pay slips, tax records or similar.
• If a relative or friend pays, upload their invitation letter and proof of their funds.
• Make your money, your plans and your documents tell the same story.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much bank balance is required for an Australian tourist visa?

No set amount. Home Affairs publishes no minimum. You must have "adequate means", or access to them, for your intended stay. Show money that clearly covers the trip you describe.

Is AUD5,000 enough for an Australian visitor visa?

There is no official figure to compare it with. Whether AUD5,000 is enough depends on how long you will stay, where, and who is paying. A 2-week stay with family costs far less than a 3-month hotel tour.

What financial documents do I need for an Australian visitor visa?

Home Affairs lists itemised personal bank statements for a 3-month period, pay slips, audited accounts, tax records, term deposits and credit card statements. Pick the ones that fit you.

Can my relative in Australia show the funds for me?

Yes. Upload their invitation letter and, "If this person will be paying for your stay, provide proof of their funds." This is separate from the Sponsored Family stream, where a sponsor may be asked for a bond.

How many months of bank statements do I need?

The official example is "itemised personal bank statements for a 3 month period". Showing a longer period is not wrong, but 3 months is the figure Home Affairs uses.

Do I need to show a return ticket as proof of funds?

Home Affairs doesn't list a ticket as financial evidence. It does tell Tourist stream applicants: "Do not arrange to travel to Australia until we let you know, in writing, that we have granted you the visa." Home Affairs suggests including an itinerary of your plans.

Do I have to declare cash I bring to Australia?

You must declare cash worth A$10,000 or more, or the foreign currency equivalent, when you carry it into or out of Australia. Splitting cash with other travellers to avoid declaring it is against the law.