Australia Guides

Australia tourist visa: which subclass to apply for, and what not to do

By Arshemah Qaisar8 July 2024Fees checked 25 September 2026

If you want to visit Australia for a holiday, or to see family or friends, you will usually need a tourist visa before you leave home. Which subclass you apply for depends on your passport. The eVisitor (subclass 651) is free. The Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) costs AU$20. Every other passport uses the Visitor visa (subclass 600).

This is general information from someone who moved to Australia, not migration advice. Rules and fees change. Check the Department of Home Affairs before you apply. The charges below are current as at 25 September 2026.

The three main Australia tourist visas are the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601), the eVisitor (subclass 651), and the Visitor visa (subclass 600).

If your passport is on the eVisitor list, use subclass 651. It is free. If it is on the ETA list instead, use subclass 601. All other passports should look at subclass 600.

Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601)

For eligible passport holders, this is the most common Australia tourist visa to apply for when the free eVisitor is not available.

Stay: Up to 3 months at a time. Multiple entries, so you can leave and come back while the visa is valid. Each stay can be up to 3 months.
Activities: Holiday, cruise, visit family or friends, or business visitor travel.
Application: Apply in the Australian ETA app.
Cost: AU$20 service charge.
Processing: Often immediate if you are a genuine traveller and the application is accurate and honest. It is not guaranteed.

You can apply for an ETA if you hold a passport from one of these countries:

Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong (SAR of China)
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Malta
Monaco
Norway
Portugal
Republic of San Marino
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan (excluding official or diplomatic passports)
The Netherlands
United Kingdom — British Citizen
United Kingdom — British National (Overseas)
United States of America
Vatican City

eVisitor (subclass 651)

The eVisitor is for European passport holders. It lines up with the free short-stay visits the European Union offers Australian citizens. If your passport is on this list, this is the one to use. There is no visa application charge.

Stay: Up to 3 months at a time. Multiple entries, so you can leave and come back while the visa is valid. Each stay can be up to 3 months.
Activities: Holiday, cruise, visit family or friends, or business visitor travel.
Application: Apply online through ImmiAccount.
Cost: Free. Home Affairs does not charge a visa application fee.
Processing: Often immediate if you are a genuine traveller and the application is accurate and honest. It is not guaranteed.

Apply through the Australian Government ImmiAccount portal.

Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
The Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Republic of San Marino
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom — British Citizen
Vatican City

Visitor visa (subclass 600)

This is the visa for passport holders who are not on the lists above.

If your passport is on one of those lists but you have a criminal conviction, you will need to look at this visa instead.

Subclass 600 has streams. These three are the ones most visitors choose. There are also separate streams for some Chinese nationals travelling often for business or family, for organised tours, and for visitors sponsored by family in Australia. Home Affairs lists those streams on the subclass 600 page.

Tourist stream, apply outside Australia

The most common visa for nationals of countries that are not eligible for subclass 651 or 601.

Stay: If the application is successful, Home Affairs grants a stay of 3, 6 or 12 months.
Activities: Holiday, cruise, visit family or friends, or business visitor travel.
Application: Apply online through ImmiAccount.
Cost: AU$250 base charge, as at September 2026. Each person needs their own application.
Processing: Often within a week. It can take longer. Check current times before you book flights.

Tourist stream, apply in Australia

For people already in Australia on another visa who want to extend a stay for a holiday, or to visit family or friends.

Stay: If the application is successful, Home Affairs grants a stay of 3, 6 or 12 months.
Activities: Holiday, cruise, or visit family or friends.
Application: Apply online through ImmiAccount.
Cost: AU$630 base charge, as at September 2026. A further charge can apply if you have already held a temporary visa in Australia.
Processing: Often within a week. It can take longer.

Business visitor stream

For people coming to Australia for business meetings or conferences. You cannot work, and you cannot sell goods or services while you are here.

Stay: Up to 3 months.
Activities: Business visits. Not selling goods or services, and not working for an Australian business.
Application: Apply online through ImmiAccount.
Cost: AU$250 base charge, as at September 2026.
Processing: Often within a week. It can take longer.

Documents you need for a Visitor visa

Before you apply for subclass 600, collect the documents Home Affairs asks for. Use a clear colour copy of each original. If a document is not in English, attach a translation as well. Names, dates and other details should match across the form and the documents.

Passport
A copy of the passport identity page
A recent passport-sized photograph, if the form asks for one
Proof of finances
Proof of medical insurance
If they apply to you: a letter from your school, a letter from your employer, or a letter of invitation
If they apply to you: a completed Form 1257, and Form 1229 where a child under 18 is included
Evidence that you will leave Australia before the visa expires

Applying for a Visitor visa online

There are four steps for a subclass 600 application in ImmiAccount.

Create an ImmiAccount. Start at online.immi.gov.au. Have your details ready, and use the same details that appear on your documents.
Complete the application. Choose Visitor visa subclass 600, then the stream that matches your trip. Check every answer before you submit.
Pay the charge. In September 2026 the tourist stream lodged outside Australia is AU$250, the tourist stream lodged in Australia is AU$630, and the business visitor stream is AU$250. Some streams cost more. Keep the receipt.
Wait for the outcome. You can check current processing times on the Home Affairs global visa processing times page.

Applying at an embassy

Most people apply online. If you are lodging at an Australian embassy or consulate, the steps are the same idea, with an appointment in the middle.

Get an appointment. Contact the nearest Australian embassy and book a time.
Complete the form. Use the form from Home Affairs or the embassy. The answers need to match your documents.
Pay the charge. The amounts are the same as the online streams. Keep the receipt. You will need it with the application.
Go to the appointment. Take the application, the receipt, and extra copies of each document.
Wait for the outcome. Check current processing times rather than assuming a week.

What not to do when applying for subclass 600

Australian immigration checks the details. To give a genuine application a fair chance, do not do these three things.

Don’t give wrong or forged documents

Wrong or forged documents are the fastest way to have an application refused. If Home Affairs finds that, they can refuse it immediately. Send accurate documents only.

Don’t choose the wrong stream

Pick the stream that matches the trip you are actually taking. If the application looks like it is for something else, such as work, it can be refused. Be honest about why you are coming. A refusal can affect whether you are allowed to apply again.

Don’t copy what worked for someone else

A lot of people copy an application that was granted for a friend. Don’t. What suited their trip, their money, and their reason for going home may not suit yours, and a mismatched story is a problem. Choose from your own situation.

Questions about the Australia tourist visa

Which Australia tourist visa should I apply for?

It depends on your passport, not on where you live. If your passport is on the eVisitor list, apply for subclass 651. It is free. If it is on the Electronic Travel Authority list instead, apply for subclass 601, which has an AU$20 service charge. Every other passport uses the Visitor visa, subclass 600. A criminal conviction can also push you onto subclass 600.

What is the difference between subclass 601, 651 and 600?

Subclass 651 (eVisitor) and subclass 601 (ETA) both allow stays of up to 3 months at a time, with multiple entries, for a holiday, a cruise, visiting family or friends, or business visitor activities. The eVisitor is free and lodged in ImmiAccount. The ETA costs AU$20 and is lodged in the Australian ETA app. Subclass 600 is the Visitor visa for other passports. A successful application can allow 3, 6 or 12 months, and it costs more.

How much does an Australia tourist visa cost?

As at 25 September 2026, the eVisitor (subclass 651) has no visa application charge. The ETA (subclass 601) has an AU$20 service charge. The Visitor visa (subclass 600) tourist stream is AU$250 if you apply outside Australia, and AU$630 if you apply in Australia. The business visitor stream is AU$250. Some streams cost more, and extra charges can apply. Check the Department of Home Affairs before you pay.

What should I not do when applying for a Visitor visa?

Do not send wrong or forged documents. Do not pick a visa stream that does not match why you are travelling. Do not copy someone else’s application because it was granted. Home Affairs checks the details. A refusal can affect later applications.

About the author

Arshemah Qaisar

Arshemah moved to Australia from Pakistan to further her studies and now calls Hobart, Tasmania home. She is a PhD candidate in Medical Sciences at the University of Tasmania, with an undergraduate degree in computational chemistry from the National University of Sciences and Technology.