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 genuine visitor (money, plans and reasons to go home), character documents if they apply to you, and extra papers for anyone under 18. There is no published minimum bank balance, and you don't need certified copies unless the department asks.
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.
This page turns the official document list into a checklist you can work through, stream by stream and by applicant type. For fees, streams and how long you can stay, start with our complete guide to the Visitor visa (subclass 600). The list below comes from the Home Affairs Tourist stream (apply outside Australia) page, checked on 15 September 2026, plus the department's "Check twice, submit once" tips for visitor visas.
Quick facts
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where you upload | ImmiAccount, when you apply online |
| Certified copies | Not needed unless Home Affairs asks |
| Translations | English translations of all non-English documents, uploaded with the originals |
| Bank statements | Itemised personal statements covering a 3-month period |
| Minimum bank balance | None published |
| Police certificate | Only if Home Affairs asks for one |
| Children under 18 | Birth certificate, plus Form 1229 or a statutory declaration from any parent not travelling |
| Scans | In colour, clear and legible, one file per multi-page document |
Why each document matters
Every document answers a visa criterion. The main one is the genuine visitor test. In the department's words, you "must only intend to: stay temporarily in Australia; obey any condition and stay period attached to your visa." You must also "have enough funds to support your stay and leave."
The law behind this (Migration Regulations, clause 600.211) tells the decision maker to look at whether you complied with your last visa's conditions, whether you intend to comply with this one, and "any other relevant matter." Your documents are how you show those things.
A thin application is risky because "We may decide your application without requesting further information from you." Upload everything that supports your case at the start. Our guide to why Australian tourist visas are refused goes through each criterion in more detail.
The core checklist (Tourist stream, applying outside Australia)
1. Identity documents
- The pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and the issue and expiry dates
- Your national identity card, if you have one
- Proof of any change of name, if it applies to you: a marriage or divorce certificate, change of name documents, or documents showing other names you have been known by
If you plan to get a new passport, Home Affairs says to do this before you apply. The visa is linked digitally to your passport, and there is no visa label.
2. Proof you can pay for your stay and leave
Home Affairs gives these examples:
- Itemised personal bank statements for a 3-month period
- Pay slips
- Audited accounts
- Tax records
- Term deposits
- Credit card statements
No minimum balance is published. What matters is that the money you show is enough for the trip you describe. If a relative or friend will pay for your stay, upload proof of their funds too.
3. Your plans in Australia
- A short description of your plans while you are in Australia. The department says "You may want to include an itinerary."
- Your previous travel history, "in as much detail as possible"
- If you have urgent, compassionate or compelling reasons to travel, evidence of them
An itinerary is a plan, not a ticket. Home Affairs tells Tourist stream applicants: "Do not arrange to travel to Australia until we let you know, in writing, that we have granted you the visa." Check how long a Visitor visa 600 takes before you book anything.
4. An invitation letter (if you are visiting someone)
- A letter from your relative or friend in Australia inviting you to visit. It could state their relationship to you, the purpose and length of your visit, and whether you will stay with them.
- If they are paying for your stay, proof of their funds
- If you are visiting to support a family member or friend, evidence of this. The department's example is "a letter from their doctor."
5. Reasons to return home
This is the part of the list that shows your visit is temporary. Upload what fits your life:
- A letter from your employer stating you plan to return to your job (or granting you leave)
- Proof that you study at a school, college or university in your home country
- Proof that you have immediate family members in your home country (the department mentions your children's birth certificates)
- Proof that you can return home
- Proof that you own a house or other major assets in your home country
6. Character documents
- Any military service record or discharge papers, if this applies to you
A police certificate is not on the standard upload list. The official wording is "We may ask you to provide a police certificate." If you have a conviction, or a charge awaiting legal action, in any country, declare it honestly in the application.
7. Forms if someone is helping you
- Form 956A, if you want someone to receive your correspondence
- Form 956, if a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person is giving you immigration assistance
Extra documents by applicant type
Home Affairs doesn't publish separate lists for each job or life stage. This table sorts the official items by who they usually fit.
| Applicant | Money evidence from the official list | Reasons-to-return evidence from the official list |
|---|---|---|
| Employed | Pay slips, itemised bank statements | Employer letter saying you will return to your job, or a letter granting leave; a current payslip |
| Self-employed or business owner | Audited accounts, tax records, bank statements | Proof you own a house or other major assets; immediate family at home |
| Retired | Bank statements, term deposits | Immediate family at home; proof you own a house or other major assets |
| Student | Bank statements (and proof of funds from whoever is paying, if a relative or friend in Australia is paying) | Proof you study at a school, college or university at home; a certificate of enrolment |
The official money list uses the words "such as", so it gives examples rather than a closed list. Stick to documents that clearly show funds in your own name, or in the name of the person paying.
Parents asking for a longer visa
Parents and step-parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents who want a visa valid for more than 12 months must say so in the application and explain why, with evidence such as "proof that your child is an Australian citizen or permanent resident." See our guide to the Visitor visa 600 for parents.
Children under 18
Every child needs their own application. The official list for applicants under 18:
- A copy of the child's birth certificate showing the names of both parents. If there isn't one, the identification pages of a family book, a government identity document, a court-issued identity document or a family census register.
- A copy of the passports of the parents or legal guardians
- Proof of legal guardianship if someone other than the biological parents has it, such as adoption papers or parental court orders
- Form 1229 (Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years) or a statutory declaration, completed by anyone who has a legal right to decide where the child lives and is not travelling to Australia with the child
- A document showing the signature and photo of the person who gave consent, such as a passport or driver's licence
- Form 1257 (Undertaking declaration), if the child won't be staying with a relative or legal guardian. The person the child stays with signs it.
How the other streams differ
Tourist stream, applying in Australia
The in-Australia page asks for the same identity, genuine visitor, character and under-18 documents. Three differences matter:
- You must be in Australia when you apply and when the decision is made.
- You can only apply online if you hold a substantive visa, or your substantive visa ceased within the last 28 days.
- The charge is higher: from AUD 630, compared with from AUD 250 outside Australia. A Subsequent temporary application charge may also apply. See what an Australian visa costs for the full picture, and our guide to staying longer on a tourist visa if you are already in Australia.
Sponsored Family stream
On top of the identity and genuine visitor documents:
- Form 1149 (Application for sponsorship for Sponsored Family Visitors), completed by your sponsor, with a copy uploaded with your application
- Documents proving your relationship to your sponsor, such as birth certificates, passport pages showing the names of parents, a family register or marriage certificates
The department's own example: if your aunt is sponsoring you, a family register or the birth certificates of you, your parent and your aunt can together prove the link. If you can't prove the relationship, Home Affairs suggests applying in the Tourist stream with a letter of invitation instead. The Sponsored Family page also says: "You don't need to have any documents certified."
Business Visitor stream
The Business Visitor page asks you to describe your planned business activities, with documents such as an invitation from a host organisation, conference registration details, a letter from your employer stating why you are visiting, your plans and Australian business contacts, proof of your current employment and qualifications, evidence your company is an active business (for example an annual report), and evidence of prior contact with Australian businesses.
Translations, scans and uploading
- Translate every non-English document into English and upload both the original and the translation.
- Translators outside Australia don't have to be accredited. On each translation they must include their full name, address and telephone number, and their qualifications and experience in the language, all in English.
- Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).
- Certification: "You do not need to have any documents certified unless we ask you to."
- Scan or photograph every document in colour. Scans must be clear and legible, and a multi-page document should be saved as one file.
- Attach each document once, even if it proves more than one thing (the in-Australia and Business Visitor pages say this).
Common document mistakes
- Treating 6 months of bank statements as a rule. The official list says a 3-month period. More is fine, but it isn't required.
- Skipping documents because you've been to Australia before. Home Affairs says to submit everything it requests "even if you have previously held a visitor visa for Australia."
- Name mismatches. Spell your name exactly as it appears in your passport. Home Affairs' tip: "Watch out for autocorrect."
Tourist visa guides by passport
The checklist above is the same for every passport. What changes by country is how people usually prove funds and ties, where they give biometrics if asked, and which police certificate applies. Our country guides cover that for the passports that must apply for a subclass 600:
- South Africa · India · Philippines · China
- Indonesia · Vietnam · Thailand · Pakistan
- Nepal · Sri Lanka · Nigeria · Brazil
Where a country guide and this checklist differ on a document or a fee, go by this page and the official Home Affairs page for your stream.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do I need in my bank account for an Australian tourist visa?
Home Affairs doesn't publish a minimum. The legal test is "adequate means" (or access to them) for your stay. Show itemised statements covering 3 months and make sure the amount fits the trip you describe.
Do my documents need to be certified or notarised?
No, unless Home Affairs asks: "You do not need to have any documents certified unless we ask you to." Upload clear colour scans of the originals, plus English translations.
Do I need a police certificate for a subclass 600?
Not upfront. The Tourist stream page says "We may ask you to provide a police certificate." You still have to declare any conviction, or any charge awaiting legal action, in any country when you apply. Upload military service or discharge papers if you have them.
Is an invitation letter required?
No. It is one example of genuine visitor evidence, useful if you are visiting family or friends. It could state your relationship, the purpose and length of the visit, and whether you will stay with them.
What documents does a child need for a subclass 600 visa?
A birth certificate showing both parents (or an accepted alternative), copies of the parents' or guardians' passports, and Form 1229 or a statutory declaration from any parent with legal rights who isn't travelling. Add Form 1257 if the child won't stay with a relative or legal guardian.
Can I add documents after I submit my application?
Yes. If you missed a document, or Home Affairs asks for more, attach it in ImmiAccount as soon as you can. Because the department may decide without asking, upload your full set at the start.
