Visitor Visas

Visitor visas are for people who wish to travel to Australia for a temporary purpose, including tourism, visiting family or friends, attending short business visitor activities or enjoying a short stay in Australia. The correct visitor visa pathway depends on the applicant’s passport, travel purpose, intended length of stay and personal circumstances.

A visitor visa application generally requires applicants to show that they are genuine temporary visitors. This may include evidence of travel plans, financial capacity, family or employment ties, previous travel history, reasons for returning home and any relevant personal circumstances. The Department may also consider whether the applicant has complied with previous visa conditions.

Although visitor visas may appear simple, applications can still be refused where the evidence is weak or the Department is not satisfied that the applicant intends to stay temporarily. Careful preparation is especially important where the applicant has previous refusals, limited travel history, complex family circumstances or a strong connection to Australia.