Visitor & Tourist Visa Australia (Subclasses 600, 408 & 444 Visa)

What are Visit & Tourist Visas (600, 408, 444)?

Visit & Tourist Visas (600, 408, 444) allow individuals to visit Australia for various purposes, such as tourism, holiday, visiting family or friends, or participating in short-term work or activities. These visas are temporary and have specific conditions and duration of stay.

Eligibility for the Visit & Tourist Visas (600, 408, 444)

Key Features of Visit & Tourist Visas (600, 408, 444) for Australia

Allows individuals to visit Australia for tourism, and business activities, or to visit family and friends.
Offers different streams, including tourist, business visitor, sponsored family, and approved destination status.
Provides flexible stay options of up to 3, 6, or 12 months, depending on the stream and individual circumstances.

SC 600

This visa is known as a visitor visa. It allows you to visit Australia as a tourist, to see family and friends, or for business or medical treatment purposes. The duration of this visa will depend on the stream you choose for your visa SC 600 application. Generally, you will need to prove your genuine intentions to visit Australia temporarily. You must prove you have enough money for your stay in Australia. You will receive some conditions with this visa including work and stay limitations. You must comply with all the visa conditions, as a breach of any of these conditions can lead to the cancellation of your visa. The application will cost you AUD 150 if you apply from offshore. The cost for onshore applicants is AUD 370. Your application will be processed between 16 days to 4 months. You can make an application for any of the streams mentioned below:

Tourist stream (apply in Australia)

Tourist stream (apply from outside Australia)

Business visitor stream

Approved destination status stream

Frequent traveller stream

SC 408

Also known as the temporary activity visa, SC 408 allows you to come to Australia to do specific types of work on a short-term, temporary basis. The duration of this visa will depend on the stream you choose for your visa SC 408 application. In order to get this visa, you must have the required skills to undertake the activity to be carried out in Australia and must be supported or sponsored for the same. You might have to meet some additional requirements depending on the stream of SC 408. Generally, you must prove your genuine intentions to pursue the activity in Australia on this temporary visa. The application will cost you AUD 325. Your application will be processed between 1 day to 43 months. Under this visa, you might have to comply with conditions 8106, 8107, 8114, 8301, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8516, 8522, 8525, and 8526, and a breach of any of these conditions can lead to the cancellation of your visa. You can make an application for any of the streams mentioned below:

Australian government endorsed events

Special program

Religious work

Research activities

Invited for other social and cultural activity (Invited participant)

Sporting activities

Entertainment activities

Superyacht crew

Exchange arrangements

Domestic work for executives

Important

Due to the impact of the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, the government has introduced a new stream for SC 408. This visa lets you stay in Australia to work if you are employed or have an offer of employment in a key sector or any other sector of the economy. The key sectors include Agriculture, Food processing, Healthcare, Aged Care, Disability Care, Child Care, and Tourism & Hospitality. Generally, this visa is granted for up to 12 months, however, the duration can be 6 months if you are working in any other sector other than the Key sectors. If you are a visitor with no work rights, you should make an arrangement to return home. If you apply after 21^st Feb 2022, you are not allowed to lodge this visa, on the basis of not being able to return to your home country. This visa is free of cost. The processing time for this visa has not been specified by the government.

To be able to apply for this visa, you must be in Australia and must maintain adequate health insurance. You must prove that you are a Genuine Temporary Entrant. At the time of your application, you must have sufficient evidence of your employment or an offer of employment. You must hold a substantive visa with work rights that expires in 90 days or less or that expired 28 days ago or less. If you arrived after 21^st Feb 2022, you must hold a substantive visa with work rights unless you have a job offer from commonwealth funded aged care.

SC 444

This is a special category temporary visa that lets you study, stay and work in Australia if you are a New Zealand Citizen and meet the eligibility criteria. It is usually applied each time you enter Australia. With this visa, you can apply for a permanent visa if eligible. Generally, it is granted for an infinite time and ceases when you leave Australia. At the time of the application, you must remain in New Zealand and continue to meet the character requirement. There is no cost for an application for this visa. If you applied on arrival in Australia, your application will be processed at the airport, however, if you apply inside Australia, your application may take longer to process. Generally, it is granted without any condition.

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FAQs

Can I work on a Visitor Visa (Subclass 600)?

No, the Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) does not permit work in Australia. It is primarily for short-term visits and business activities.

What activities can I engage in with a Temporary Activity Visa (Subclass 408)?

The Temporary Activity Visa allows participation in specific short-term activities such as work, research, or cultural events. It has different streams tailored to different activities and purposes.

Can I apply for a Visitor Visa online?

Yes, the Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) can be applied online through the Department of Home Affairs website. Online applications provide a convenient and streamlined process.

How long can I stay in Australia on a Visitor Visa (Subclass 600)?

The duration of stay on a Visitor Visa depends on the stream and individual circumstances. It can range from a few weeks to several months, with options for a 3, 6, or 12-month stay.

Can I study on a Visit & Tourist Visa?

Visit & Tourist Visas do not allow study in Australia. If you plan to study, exploring appropriate student visa options is recommended.