Planning a trip to Australia but confused about which visa to apply for? Understanding the differences between the Visitor Visa 600, ETA (Electronic Travel Authority), and eVisitor visa is essential to ensure a smooth journey. Each visa type has its own eligibility requirements, duration of stay, and application process. While ETA and eVisitor are generally quicker and suitable for short-term visits, the Visitor Visa 600 allows for longer stays and is ideal for more complex travel plans.
In this guide, we’ll break down each visa, helping you choose the right option based on your nationality, travel purpose, and length of stay, so you can enjoy your Australian trip without any visa complications.
What is the Visitor Visa Subclass 600?
A visitor visa subclass 600 is a temporary visa given to an individual to enter Australia. It is the most inclusive of all visa types, though its processing may take longer for approval. Here are some of the streams of this visa applicable under different conditions.
Tourist Stream (Outside Australia)
When you apply for this visa, you must be outside Australia and travelling for tourism purposes. The following features for this stream are stated as follows:
- Condition: You must pass the genuine visitor test.
- Cost: It starts from AUD 200
- Duration: Depending on your requirements, the Australian Government will grant a stay of 3, 6 or 12 months.
Tourist Stream (Inside Australia)
You will file under this stream when you are already in Australia, without the purpose of medical treatment. You can basically see it as a means to extend your existing temporary visa.
- Conditions: Your existing visa should not have a ‘No Further Stay’ condition or have expired.
- Cost: It starts from AUD 500
- Duration: Depending on your requirements, the Australian Government can extend your stay up to 12 months
Business Visitor Stream
You can apply under this stream under a visitor visa 600 if you are travelling in Australia for business. This business has to be for attending meetings, conferences, or negotiations. Before that, keep in mind the following aspects:
- Conditions: You must file this visa process outside Australia. While on this visa, you cannot establish a business of your own and sell goods.
- Cost: It starts from AUD 200
- Duration: Based on your requirement, the Australian Government can grant you a stay of up to 3 months. While the visa is still valid, the Australian Government can let you leave and enter Australia once or many times.
Approved Destination Status (ADS) Stream
This stream is valid only for citizens of the Republic of China, excluding Special Administrative Regions (SARs) for tourism. It is a government-to-government arrangement where only specific Chinese travel agents or operators can get a grant from the government to travel under this scheme.
- Conditions: You must stay with your tour group at all times and cannot travel independently.
- Cost: It starts from AUD 200.
- Duration: As specified in the grant letter.
Frequent Traveller Stream
If you are a tourist or a business person who needs to travel to Australia frequently for long durations, you can apply to this stream. However, you cannot engage in the selling of goods and services in Australia to proceed under this section.
- Conditions: Only citizens of China, Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam or Timor-Leste can apply. This visa application has to be done outside Australia, and you have to show credible reasons for your frequent need to visit Australia.
- Cost: It starts from AUD 1480
- Duration: This visa has up to 10 years of validity. When you visit Australia, you get to stay for up to 3 months.
Sponsored Family Stream
If you are being sponsored by a permanent resident of Australia or an Australian citizen and are a family member, you have to apply in this stream. The details are stated as follows:
- Conditions: Application must be made outside Australia. The Australian Government might ask the sponsor to pay a security bond as a financial guarantee that the sponsored visitor complies with their visa conditions.
- Cost: It starts from AUD 200.
- Duration: As per requirements, this visa can be extended for up to 12 months.
It is important to note that to register under any stream, you must pass the genuine visitor test and cannot work in Australia.
Read More: What Is The Process For Extending Visitor Visa 600 To Stay In Australia?
Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)
You can apply for this visa if you are going for short trips for tourism, business conferences, or to meet family or friends. An application for a 601 Visa can be made online through the Australian ETA app, which uses NFC technology to scan the chip in your passport to load your details. Apart from that, the following conditions should be met:
- You must hold a valid passport from an ETA-approved country. The list includes the United States, Canada, Japan, and South Korea.
- Be a genuine visitor.
- Health requirements specified by the Australian Government must be met.
- Character requirements have to be met. Applicants with an adverse history may be refused or directed to apply under the visitor visa subclass 600.
- This visa may not be granted if it’s not in the best interest of the applicant under age 18.
- Any debt, whether your own or your family member’s, to the Australian Government has to be returned.
The approval process is much faster, with validity up to 12 months. During the visa validity period, you can enter or leave Australia as many times as you want, with every continuous stay extending up to 3 months. Regarding fees, there is no Visa Application Charge (VAC); however, for using the app, a small service charge of AUD 20 is charged.
Must Read: What You Should Know About Australia Before Applying For A Visitor Visa?
eVisitor
You can apply under the eVisitor subclass 651 from the website called ImmiAccount free of charge. This type of visa can only be applied for by citizens of countries belonging to the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, and British citizens in the UK. The validity of this temporary visa is up to 12 months, with each stay up to 3 months.
What is the Genuine Visitor Test?
The genuine visitor test is taken to prove you have legitimate grounds to visit Australia. To pass this test, you will be assessed on the following aspects by a case officer:
- Your personal circumstances at home: This involves your reasons for returning to your home country. Examples include a stable job, property, and social ties.
- Your current financial situation: This is assessed through your bank balance and source of income.
- Your purpose for visiting Australia: This looks at whether your visit is genuine and temporary, such as tourism, visiting family or friends, or attending short-term business activities, with a clear plan to return to your home country after your stay.
- Your immigration history: This serves as a check of character and indicates your probability of following visa rules.
Read More: Important FAQs For Australian Visitor Visa Subclass 600!
Which Temporary Visa Is Right for Me?
If you are a citizen of a country that falls under ETA subclass 601 and eVisitor, then it is better to apply under these temporary visas. If your country qualifies for both ETA and eVisitor, then opting for eVisitor makes your process completely free of charge. For better clarity, the following table is given:
| Aspect | ETA (Subclass 601) | eVisitor (Subclass 651) | Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) |
| Cost | Low (no visa fee, small service charge) | Free (no visa fee, no service charge) | High (visa application fee applies) |
| Eligible Countries | Selected low-risk countries (e.g., USA, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, UK, some EU states) | Mainly European countries (EU, EFTA, UK, and microstates) | All countries (used when not eligible for ETA/eVisitor) |
| Mode of Processing | Online, with the help of an app called Australian ETA | Online with the help of the ImmiAccount Website | Registration through ImmiAccount, followed by uploading relevant documents and a manual assessment of health and character |
| Processing Speed | Very fast (minutes–hours) | Fast (hours–1–2 days) | Slow (days–weeks) |
Conclusion
Confused about which Australian visa to choose? ETA and eVisitor are quick and great for short visits, while Visitor Visa 600 is best for longer or more complex trips. To make sure your application goes smoothly, an expert immigration agent Perth, help pick the right visa, and increase your chances of approval without any hassle. They are trained professionals who will inform you of your eligibility to qualify for all the above-stated temporary visas and lodge your application form correctly. From helping you understand the visa requirements to completing the application process, they offer comprehensive support.
