How this Visa Works

You must have a genuine intention to visit Australia as a tourist, for recreation or to visit your family and friends.

A Tourist visa will generally cancel (or cease) any other visa held and come into effect as soon as it is granted. You should contact your nearest Australian visa office before lodging a Tourist visa application if you have questions about how a Tourist visa would affect your existing visa.

Bringing family

Family members, under 18 years of age, who are travelling to Australia and are included on your passport, can be included in your application. Other family members who have separate passports must lodge separate applications.

Extending your stay

If you are in Australia and want to extend your stay for tourism purposes, we recommend that you apply for a new visa at least two weeks before your current visa expires.

A Tourist visa may be granted if you:

• have complied with the conditions of your previous visa
• meet all the eligibility criteria for this visa
• do not have a Condition 8503 (No further stay) on your visa.

Generally, as a holder of a Visitor visa or a Working Holiday visa you can only extend your stay in Australia so that the total duration of your stay is 12 months or less, unless there are exceptional circumstances. If you hold a Visitor or Working Holiday visa which allows you to stay in Australia for 12 months, you should contact your nearest Australian visa office before applying for a Tourist visa.

You should note that a further visa, if granted, will cease any visa or ETA currently held and the entitlements attached to that visa or ETA.

If a decision has not been made on your application before your original visa expires, you will be able to remain lawfully in Australia until the application has been finalised.

If you are refused a further visa, you must leave Australia before the expiry of your authorised stay period.
See: Tourist (e676) Visa – Online Applications

Studying

If you are granted this visa, you can study for up to three months. If you want to study longer than three months you should apply for a student visa.
See: Student visa options

Student visa holders

If you hold or last held a Student visa, you can not extend your stay in Australia on a Tourist visa, for the purposes of either:

• commencing a CRICOS registered course
• continuing or completing a CRICOS registered course in which you are enrolled.

Working

You are not able to work in Australia. If you are coming to Australia to work, you should consider applying for a visa which allows you to work in Australia.
See: Workers

Volunteer work tourism schemes

In general terms, you may be able to work as a volunteer whilst on a Tourist visa if:

• the work involved would not otherwise be undertaken, in return for wages, by an Australian resident
• the work is genuinely voluntary and that no remuneration is received in return for the activities.

Note: It is acceptable, under the conditions of the Tourist visa, to receive meals and accommodation or reimbursement for out-of-pocket living expenses in return for voluntary work.