🇦🇺 Australia Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) Guide 2026
Australia's Subclass 600 visitor visa covers tourism, business, and family visits for 3, 6, or 12 months — and since March 2026, the government has new power to pause travel for entire visa classes on short notice.
Cost and Duration
The Subclass 600 costs approximately AUD $190-$200 to apply and covers stays of 3, 6, or 12 months, depending on the stream and your circumstances. It's the standard route for tourists, business visitors, and people visiting family, and most tourist stream applications are decided relatively quickly.
What You Can't Do
No work is permitted — if you want to work, you need a Working Holiday visa or Student visa (which includes limited work rights) instead. Study beyond 3 months isn't allowed either; short courses and training are fine, but longer study requires a Student visa. Visitors also don't have automatic access to Medicare unless their home country has a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia — some visitor visa grants include Condition 8501, requiring you to maintain adequate private health insurance for your stay.
New in March 2026: Arrival Control Powers
Since March 2026, the Australian Government has the power to temporarily pause travel for entire classes of temporary visa holders, including visitor visas — a new tool that didn't exist before. Always check your visa status in ImmiAccount before travelling, since a class-wide pause could affect your entry even with a valid, already-granted visa.
Using a Visitor Visa as a Bridge to a Partner Visa
If you're visiting a partner who's an Australian citizen or permanent resident, the visitor visa can work as a short-term option while preparing a Partner Visa (Subclass 820/801) application — but check your visitor visa's specific conditions first. A visa with Condition 8503 ("no further stay") blocks onshore applications for most other visas, including the partner visa, unless that condition is formally waived.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming visitor status includes Medicare access. Only nationals of countries with a reciprocal healthcare agreement get this — everyone else needs private travel insurance, sometimes as a formal visa condition.
- Not checking for Condition 8503 before planning an onshore partner visa application. This "no further stay" condition can block the exact transition many visitors are hoping to make.
- Ignoring ImmiAccount status checks before travel. Since March 2026, arrival control powers mean a previously valid visa could be affected by a new class-wide pause.
- Trying to study for more than 3 months on a visitor visa. Short courses are fine; anything longer needs a proper Student visa application.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an Australian visitor visa cost?
Approximately AUD $190-$200 for the Subclass 600, covering stays of 3, 6, or 12 months depending on the stream.
Can I work on an Australian visitor visa?
No. Work isn't permitted on the Subclass 600 — you'd need a Working Holiday visa or Student visa (which includes limited work rights) instead.
What changed for Australian visitor visas in March 2026?
The government gained the power to temporarily pause travel for entire classes of temporary visa holders, including visitor visas, on relatively short notice — always check ImmiAccount before travelling, even with a valid existing visa.