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) were decided within 18 days, and 90% within 38 days. The Business Visitor stream was faster (7 and 20 days) and the Sponsored Family stream slower (46 days and 3 months). These figures describe past decisions. They are not a promise about yours.
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 explains the official figures, what slows an application down, and how to time your trip around them. For the visa itself (streams, fees and stay periods), see our complete guide to the Visitor visa (subclass 600). For other visa types, see our overview of Australian visa processing times.
Official processing times by stream
We read these figures from the Home Affairs global visa processing times tool on 15 September 2026, entering an application date of 14 September 2026.
| Stream | 50% of applications decided within | 90% of applications decided within |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist | 18 days | 38 days |
| Business Visitor | 7 days | 20 days |
| Sponsored Family | 46 days | 3 months |
| Frequent Traveller | Not published ("Processing times for this visa are unavailable.") | Not published |
| Approved Destination Status (ADS) | Not listed in the tool | Not listed in the tool |
Two things about the table:
- The tool has one Tourist figure. It doesn't split the Tourist stream into applications made inside and outside Australia. Its single "Tourist" stream links to the apply-outside-Australia page, so no separate in-Australia figure is published.
- Figures change. The tool shows a "Last updated" date on the page (4 September 2026 when we checked), but it doesn't say how often the figures are refreshed. Check the Home Affairs processing times tool before you plan.
What "50%" and "90%" mean in plain English
The tool gives two numbers for each stream. Think of 100 recent Tourist stream applications, lined up from fastest to slowest:
- 50% in 18 days: the 50th application was decided by day 18. Half were decided within 18 days, and half took longer.
- 90% in 38 days: the 90th application was decided by day 38. So about 1 in 10 took longer than 38 days, which is about five and a half weeks.
The tool is clear about its limits. It is "a guide only and not specific to your application," and it "does not guarantee that applications will be decided within the timeframe." The numbers come from applications that have already been decided, so they tell you how the queue has moved recently, not where your file sits in it.
The practical reading: plan around the 90% figure, not the 50% one, and remember that 1 in 10 applications falls outside even that.
Why some applications take longer
Home Affairs names one cause directly: "Your visa may take longer to process if information required for your visa is incomplete or missing." Other steps that add time are ones the department asks for after you apply:
- Health examinations. You can do them before you apply, or wait until you are told. Home Affairs lists a medical examination and a serum creatinine/eGFR test for visitors aged 75 or older applying for a subclass 600. Generally, temporary visa applicants whose country it rates as high tuberculosis risk, and who plan to stay 6 months or more, also need exams.
- Biometrics. "We will let you know if you need to provide biometrics." If you are asked, booking an appointment takes time.
- A police certificate. Not a standard upload, but "We may ask you to provide a police certificate."
- Character assessments. Home Affairs says it "will not prioritise a case because you have made travel arrangements."
- Documents you didn't upload. The department may also decide without asking you: "We may decide your application without requesting further information from you." A gap can lead to a refusal as well as a delay.
The department's "Check twice, submit once" page for visitor visas puts the upside plainly: "If your visa application has all the information and documents we need, you will get a faster outcome." It also suggests agreeing to receive electronic communication in ImmiAccount, which it says "will also help you get a faster visa decision." Our Visitor visa 600 documents checklist lists everything worth uploading on day one.
Don't book travel until the visa is granted
The official instruction for the Tourist stream is direct: "Do not arrange to travel to Australia until we let you know, in writing, that we have granted you the visa." If you applied from outside Australia, you must also be outside Australia when the decision is made.
If you have urgent, compassionate or compelling reasons to travel, the department asks you to "submit evidence to show this" with your application. Don't count on a booking to speed things up: for character assessments, Home Affairs says it won't prioritise a case because you have made travel arrangements. If you have already booked, move to a flexible or refundable fare where you can. Our guide to what to do after booking flights to Australia covers the wider pre-trip order.
When to apply
Home Affairs doesn't publish an "apply X weeks before travel" rule for the subclass 600. Working from its own figures, here is how we would plan:
| Stream | Official 90% figure | Our planning suggestion |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist | 38 days | Apply at least 6 weeks before you would want to book, and earlier if you expect a health exam or have a conviction to declare |
| Business Visitor | 20 days | Apply at least 3 to 4 weeks before the trip |
| Sponsored Family | 3 months | Apply more than 3 months ahead. This stream is generally granted as single entry with up to 6 months after the grant to enter Australia, so an early application still leaves room to travel after a quick grant |
The suggestions are ours, based on the published 90% figures plus a margin. They are not official advice.
Two timing tips that come straight from the official pages:
- Get a new passport first. "If you plan to get a new passport, do this before you apply." The visa is linked to the passport you apply with.
- Front-load health exams if you know you'll need them. You are allowed to do them before applying, which avoids waiting for a request.
How to check your application status
- ImmiAccount is where you apply, attach documents and manage the application. Home Affairs will "let you know when we have received your application and documents."
- The decision comes in writing. A grant letter tells you your visa grant number, the date your visa starts and your visa conditions. Check the email address you gave, including the junk folder.
- After the grant, you can see your visa details and conditions in VEVO. Our guide to checking your visa in VEVO explains the steps.
What you can and can't do while you wait
You can:
- Attach more documents in ImmiAccount "as soon as you can" if you missed any or are asked for more
- Tell Home Affairs about changes, including a new phone number, address or passport, a change in relationship status, or the birth of a child
- Report a mistake in your application as soon as you notice it
- Do health exams and biometrics if you are asked
- Withdraw the application if your plans change
You can't, or shouldn't:
- Be in Australia when an application made outside Australia is decided
- Arrange travel before the grant (the Tourist stream page tells you not to)
If you applied in Australia
The in-Australia Tourist stream has its own rules. Apply before your current visa expires and Home Affairs will grant you a Bridging visa A, which lets you stay while it processes the new application. If your current visa expires before you apply, "you will be in Australia unlawfully" and you "might not be eligible" for the bridging visa. If you hold a Bridging visa A and want to travel while you wait, you might be eligible for a Bridging visa B, which lets you return. The in-Australia charge is from AUD 630, compared with from AUD 250 outside Australia. See what an Australian visa costs for the full fee picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an Australian tourist visa take to process?
For the subclass 600 Tourist stream, Home Affairs' guide (page updated 4 September 2026) shows 50% of recent applications decided within 18 days and 90% within 38 days. About 1 in 10 took longer than 38 days. Your own application can be faster or slower.
Can I speed up my subclass 600 application?
The main lever is a complete, decision-ready application. Home Affairs says complete applications get "a faster outcome." If you have urgent, compassionate or compelling reasons to travel, submit evidence of them. The department says it won't prioritise a character assessment because you've made travel arrangements.
Why is my visitor visa taking longer than the published time?
The published figures describe recently decided applications and are "a guide only." Common causes of extra time are missing information and the steps the department asks for after lodgement: health exams, biometrics, a police certificate or a character assessment.
Can I book flights while my visa is processing?
Home Affairs tells Tourist stream applicants not to arrange travel until the visa is granted in writing. If you book anyway, choose a fare you can change or refund.
How long does the Sponsored Family stream take?
The guide shows 50% of recent Sponsored Family applications decided within 46 days and 90% within 3 months. It is the slowest of the three streams the tool covers.
How long does the Frequent Traveller stream take?
Home Affairs doesn't publish a figure. The Frequent Traveller stream page says: "Processing times for this visa are unavailable." Its page gives the same don't-book advice as the Tourist stream. Our Frequent Traveller stream guide covers the stream itself.
