How the Visa Works
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You must have a genuine intention to visit Australia as a tourist, for recreation or to visit your family and/or friends.
Bringing family
Family members, under 18, 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, you must 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 'No further stay' condition on your 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.
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:
- commencing a CRICOS registered course
or - 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:
- your main purpose in visiting Australia is tourism, and any voluntary work remains incidental to this
- 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, accommodation and/ or reimbursement of out-of-pocket living expenses in return for voluntary work.