Australian Visitor Visa: What Can You Do on a Visitor Visa?
Australia is a popular destination for people wanting to visit family and friends, take a holiday, attend a special occasion or simply spend some time exploring the country.
For many visitors, the appropriate visa will be a Visitor visa (subclass 600).
But a Visitor visa is not simply a general permission to come to Australia and stay for as long as you want. It is a temporary visa with specific conditions, and what you can do in Australia will depend on the visa that you are granted and the conditions attached to it.
Understanding those conditions before you travel is important. Breaching a visa condition can have serious consequences, including problems with future Australian visa applications.
What is an Australian Visitor visa?
The Visitor visa (subclass 600) is a temporary visa that allows eligible people to travel to Australia for purposes such as tourism, visiting family and friends and certain business visitor activities.
There are several streams within the subclass 600 visa. These include the Tourist stream, Business Visitor stream, Sponsored Family stream and Frequent Traveller stream, among others.
For most people who simply want to holiday in Australia or visit relatives or friends, the Tourist stream will be the relevant stream.
A Visitor visa is a temporary visa. The applicant must genuinely intend to visit Australia temporarily and comply with the conditions attached to the visa.
This is an important part of the visa application process. It is not enough simply to have a passport from a country whose citizens can apply for a Visitor visa. The applicant must also satisfy the Department that they genuinely intend to visit Australia and will comply with the visa requirements.
What can you use a Visitor visa for?
A Visitor visa can be used for a range of genuine visitor activities.
For example, a person may travel to Australia to:
• have a holiday;
• visit family members;
• visit friends;
• take a cruise;
• attend a family event or special occasion;
• undertake tourism activities; or
• undertake certain business visitor activities, where the relevant Business Visitor stream applies.
The Tourist stream can also allow a person to undertake study or training for up to three months. However, if the main reason for travelling to Australia is to study, a Student visa may be more appropriate.
The important point is that a Visitor visa is intended for temporary visits. It is not a visa that allows someone to move to Australia permanently.
How long can I stay in Australia on a Visitor visa?
One of the most common misunderstandings about Visitor visas concerns how long the visa actually allows someone to stay in Australia.
The visa may be granted for a particular period of validity, but this does not necessarily mean that the holder can remain in Australia for the whole of that period.
Your visa grant will specify the period you are allowed to stay in Australia.
Depending on the circumstances, a Visitor visa may allow a stay of three, six or twelve months. The Department decides the appropriate period of stay on a case-by-case basis.
For example, a visa might be valid for several years but only allow the holder to remain in Australia for a specified period on each visit.
This is why it is important to look at your visa grant letter and your visa conditions, rather than simply looking at the date on which the visa expires.
You can also use VEVO to check your visa details and conditions.
What is the difference between visa validity and period of stay?
This distinction is particularly important for Visitor visas.
The visa validity period determines the period during which you can use the visa to travel to Australia, subject to the entry conditions attached to it.
The period of stay determines how long you can remain in Australia after entering.
For example, a person might receive a Visitor visa that permits multiple entries over a longer period, but only allows a particular period of stay on each visit.
The exact conditions will depend on the visa that has been granted.
Always check the grant letter and VEVO before making travel plans.
Single-entry and multiple-entry Visitor visas
A Visitor visa can be granted with either single entry or multiple entry travel rights.
Single entry
A single-entry visa allows you to enter Australia once.
If you leave Australia after using the visa, you cannot simply use the same visa to return. You would generally need to apply for another visa before travelling back to Australia.
Multiple entry
A multiple-entry visa allows you to leave Australia and return while the visa remains valid, subject to the conditions attached to the visa.
This can be useful for people who expect to travel to Australia more than once during the validity of their visa.
However, having a multiple-entry visa does not mean that you can remain in Australia indefinitely.
The period of stay and other conditions attached to the visa still apply.
What can you NOT do on a Visitor visa?
A Visitor visa is not a work visa.
Generally, you cannot work in Australia while holding a Visitor visa.
This is an important distinction because people sometimes assume that they can undertake paid employment simply because they are legally present in Australia.
You cannot use a Visitor visa to take up employment in Australia or provide services to an Australian business.
There are specific business visitor activities that may be permitted under the Business Visitor stream, such as certain business enquiries, contract negotiations, conferences and similar activities. These are not the same thing as working in Australia.
If your purpose is to undertake employment or other work in Australia, you should look at whether another type of visa is appropriate.
Can I study on a Visitor visa?
A Visitor visa can allow you to study or train for up to three months.
However, if your main reason for travelling to Australia is to study, a Student visa may be more appropriate.
The precise conditions attached to your visa should always be checked before commencing a course or training program.
Can I visit family on a Visitor visa?
Yes.
Visiting family and friends is one of the common reasons people use a Visitor visa.
This might include visiting a spouse or partner, children, parents, siblings or other relatives who are living in Australia.
However, visiting family does not change the temporary nature of the visa.
If you are visiting a partner or close family member in Australia, you still need to demonstrate that your intended visit is temporary and that you will comply with the conditions of the Visitor visa.
Where the circumstances suggest that a person may actually intend to remain in Australia permanently, the application can become more complicated.
Can I bring my domestic helper to Australia?
This is a question that comes up particularly for people who employ a domestic helper overseas and want that person to accompany them on a holiday to Australia.
The answer can depend on the circumstances, including the nature of the proposed travel and the activities the domestic helper would undertake in Australia.
This is an area where the arrangements should be considered carefully rather than simply assuming that a domestic helper can travel to Australia on the same basis as a family member.
I will discuss this issue in more detail in a separate article.
What is Condition 8503?
One of the Visitor visa conditions that applicants should understand is Condition 8503 – No Further Stay.
If Condition 8503 is attached to your visa, it generally prevents you from applying for another substantive visa while you are in Australia, subject to limited circumstances in which a waiver may be available.
This means that you should not assume that you can simply arrive in Australia on a Visitor visa and then apply for another visa from inside Australia if your circumstances change.
Condition 8503 can therefore be particularly important for people who are visiting Australia while also considering another type of Australian visa.
If Condition 8503 is not attached to your Visitor visa, you may, depending on your circumstances and whether you satisfy the requirements for the particular visa, be able to apply in Australia for another substantive visa.
This can include some significant Australian migration pathways. For example, an eligible person may be able to apply onshore for a Partner visa, including the Subclass 820, or for certain skilled migration visas. An eligible applicant who has been invited to apply may also be able to apply in Australia for the National Innovation visa (Subclass 858).
The absence of Condition 8503 does not, however, guarantee that you can obtain another visa or that you are eligible to apply for one. Each visa has its own requirements, and other conditions attached to your Visitor visa may also be relevant.
This distinction can be particularly important where someone enters Australia as a visitor and subsequently decides that they may have a longer-term migration pathway available to them.
If you are granted a Visitor visa with Condition 8503, you should understand the condition before travelling to Australia.
If you later want to remain in Australia, the options available to you may be significantly more limited than they would otherwise be. In some circumstances, it may be possible to request a waiver of the No Further Stay condition, but waivers are subject to specific requirements and are not automatically granted.
What are my obligations as a Visitor visa holder?
A Visitor visa comes with obligations.
You must:
• comply with all visa conditions;
• obey Australian laws;
• remain in Australia only for the period permitted by your visa;
• undertake only activities that your visa allows;
• maintain any required health insurance; and
• comply with any other conditions imposed on your particular visa.
You should check your visa grant letter and VEVO so that you know exactly what conditions apply to your visa.
It is also important to remember that circumstances can change after a visa has been granted. If your circumstances change, you should consider whether you need to notify the Department or whether the change affects your ability to comply with the visa conditions.
What happens if my Visitor visa application is refused?
A Visitor visa application can be refused for a number of reasons.
One of the most important issues is whether the Department is satisfied that the applicant is a genuine visitor who intends to stay in Australia temporarily.
The Department may consider matters such as the applicant's circumstances in their home country, their financial circumstances, their reasons for travelling to Australia, their proposed activities and their previous travel history.
A refusal does not necessarily mean that the applicant can never obtain an Australian Visitor visa.
However, simply lodging the same application again without addressing the reasons for the refusal may not solve the problem.
I will discuss Visitor visa refusals and how they can be addressed in a separate article.
A Visitor visa is not simply a ticket to Australia
A Visitor visa gives you permission to visit Australia for a temporary purpose, but it comes with limits.
Before travelling, you should know:
• how long your visa allows you to stay;
• when you must enter Australia;
• whether your visa allows single or multiple entry;
• whether any conditions such as Condition 8503 apply;
• whether you are permitted to undertake the activities you have planned; and
• when you must leave Australia.
If you are unsure about any of these matters, check your visa grant letter and VEVO before travelling.
About the Author
Andrew Graham is the Principal of Graham-Nguyen & Associates and a Registered Australian Migration Agent (MARN 1067354). Based in Singapore, he advises clients throughout Singapore, Asia and around the world on Australian visitor visas, skilled migration, partner visas, employer-sponsored visas, Australian citizenship and other Australian migration matters.
Andrew regularly publishes practical guidance on Australian migration law and policy to help prospective migrants make informed decisions. His articles combine current Australian migration legislation and policy with the practical insights gained from many years of assisting individuals and families with Australian migration matters.
Need Advice About Your Australian Visitor Visa?
Applying for an Australian Visitor visa is about more than simply completing an application form and providing a passport.
The Department will consider your individual circumstances, the purpose of your proposed visit, your financial circumstances, your ties to your home country and the evidence supporting your application.
For some applicants, particularly those visiting close family or friends in Australia, demonstrating that the visit is genuinely temporary can be an important part of the application.
At Graham-Nguyen & Associates, I assist clients throughout Singapore, India, the Philippines and across the Asia-Pacific region with Australian Visitor visa applications.
If you would like advice about your individual circumstances or assistance with preparing your Visitor visa application, I would be pleased to help.
At Graham-Nguyen & Associates, we believe informed clients make better migration decisions.
Contact us today to arrange a consultation:
📧 Email: enquiries@graham-nguyen.com
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If you found this article helpful, you may also be interested in these articles:
• Why Evidence Matters in Australian Visa Applications
Final Thoughts
An Australian Visitor visa can provide a straightforward way to visit family, friends or Australia as a tourist, but it is important to understand exactly what your visa allows you to do.
The length of your stay, whether you can make multiple visits to Australia and the conditions attached to your visa can all affect your travel plans.
Most importantly, a Visitor visa is a temporary visa. You must satisfy the requirements for the visa, comply with its conditions and leave Australia when you are required to do so.
If you are considering applying for an Australian Visitor visa, taking the time to understand the requirements before lodging your application can help you avoid unnecessary problems and make sure that your application properly explains your circumstances.
If you would like professional advice about your Australian Visitor visa application, contact Graham-Nguyen & Associates to arrange a consultation.
