About this Visa

This visa allows people to visit Australia for a holiday or recreation, or to visit family and friends. This visa may also be used for other short-term non-work purposes including study for less than three months.

Who is this visa for?

This visa is available to all passport holders who are:

• outside Australia and want to apply for a visa to visit Australia
• in Australia and want to extend your stay as a visitor.

Certain tourists are also eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) or an eVisitor.
See:
eVisitor
Electronic Travel Authority 976

People who intend to visit for medical treatment or to transit through Australia, should not apply for a visitor visa online. The following visas maybe more appropriate.
See:
Applying for this Visa – Medical Treatment Long Stay
Applying for this Visa – Transit

Repeat visits and long stays

This visa is designed only to allow temporary travel to Australia for tourism purposes or to visit family and friends. It cannot be used for long-term stays or residence. To be eligible for a further Tourist visa in the future, you must abide by the conditions of your visa and maintain extended periods of time outside of Australia.

Depending on their circumstances, parents of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen may be eligible for a longer stay and a longer validity visa.

If you would like to migrate or spend longer periods in Australia, you should explore more appropriate visa options which may be more suitable.
See:
Migrants
Retirement – Visa Options

Parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents

Parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens may be eligible for the grant of multiple entry visas with a maximum stay of 12 months with maximum validity periods of up to:

• five years for parents outside Australia and in the Parent (subclass103) visa queue
• three years for parents outside Australia who have
• had a previous Australian visa and complied with the conditions; and
• have not applied for a Parent visa; or
• have applied for a Parent visa (subclass 103) but are not yet in the Parent visa queue
• 18 months for parents who have
• not previously travelled to Australia; and
• have not applied for a Parent visa; or
• have applied for a Parent (subclass 103) visa but are not yet in the Parent visa queue.

These longer stay and validity visas are not available to people who apply in Australia.

In addition to meeting all other Tourist visa requirements, you will need to:

• hold health insurance to cover any healthcare costs during your stay
• not stay in Australia for more than 12 months in any 18 month period. (Like all tourists, parents granted Tourist visas are expected to maintain extended periods of absence between visits to Australia).

See:
Eligibility
Obligations
Longer Tourist Visas for Parents of Australians

How much will this visa cost?

You may be required to pay a visa application charge. This charge is usually not refunded if your application is unsuccessful.
See: Visa Charges ( 84KB PDF file)

What does this visa let me do?

If granted, this visa will allow you either a single or multiple entry to Australia for a stay period of up to three, six or 12 months.

The period of stay and number of entries granted will depend on the purpose of the visit and your personal circumstances.