By Miyuru Asiri Dissanayake | Australian solicitor and Attorney-at-Law of Sri Lanka | Published 5 June 2026

Thinking of visiting Australia for a holiday, to see family, go on a cruise, or attend a short business meeting?

For many people, the Visitor visa subclass 600 is one of the main visa options. However, a visitor visa should not be treated as a simple form-filling exercise. Even though the stay may be temporary, the application still needs to be prepared carefully with the correct stream, proper evidence and a clear explanation of the applicant’s circumstances.

The Department of Home Affairs lists different streams under the Visitor visa subclass 600. These include tourist, business visitor, sponsored family and other streams depending on the applicant’s circumstances. The Tourist stream may be used by people who want to visit Australia as tourists, to see family and friends, or to go on a cruise. There are different tourist stream options depending on whether the applicant applies from outside Australia or while already in Australia. The Business Visitor stream is for short business activities, such as attending a conference, meeting or negotiation. The Sponsored Family stream may apply where an eligible family member sponsors the applicant, and a security bond may be requested.

The first important step is choosing the correct stream.

For example, a parent who wants to visit children in Australia may need a different strategy from a person attending a business conference. A person applying from overseas may be in a different position from someone already in Australia who wants to extend their stay. A person with a previous visa refusal, unclear financial documents, limited employment evidence or a long proposed stay may need a more detailed explanation.

The second important step is evidence.

A visitor visa application should tell a clear and consistent story. The Department will usually want to understand who the applicant is, why they want to come to Australia, how long they intend to stay, how the trip will be funded, where they will stay, and why they will return to their home country at the end of the visit.

Common documents may include a passport, identity documents, invitation letters, travel plans, accommodation details, bank statements, payslips, employment letters, business documents, property documents, family evidence and previous travel history. Health and character documents may also be required depending on the applicant’s circumstances. Home Affairs encourages applicants to submit decision-ready applications and warns that common mistakes can delay an application or lead to refusal.

This is where many applications become weak.

An applicant may provide a bank statement, but the statement may not clearly show the source of funds. Another applicant may say they are employed, but fail to provide a proper employment letter, payslips or approved leave evidence. A family member in Australia may provide an invitation letter, but the letter may not properly explain accommodation, financial support, the family relationship or the purpose of the visit.

The Department does not only look at why the applicant wants to come to Australia. It also considers whether the applicant genuinely intends to stay temporarily and leave Australia at the end of the visit. The Visitor visa subclass 600 sits within the Australian migration framework under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) and the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), including subclass 600 criteria in Schedule 2.

Evidence of ties to the home country can be very important. Those ties may include employment, business ownership, property ownership, family responsibilities, study commitments, financial obligations or other reasons why the applicant is likely to return. If the applicant has children, elderly parents, work obligations or business interests in their home country, the documents should clearly explain those matters.

If documents are not in English, proper translations should be provided. Names should match the passport. Dates should be consistent. Bank deposits should be explainable. Previous refusals should not be ignored. If a legal practitioner, registered migration agent or exempt person assists with the application, the Department should be informed and Form 956 may be required.

I have seen applicants become very upset after a visitor visa refusal because they believed the application was “only a visitor visa”. Often the issue is not that the person had no genuine reason to visit Australia. The issue is that the evidence did not properly prove the case.

Sometimes it is not a big mistake that causes the problem. It can be small gaps: an unclear bank statement, a weak invitation letter, no employment leave letter, unexplained deposits, inconsistent information, missing translations or failure to address a previous visa history.

This is why legal assistance can be useful.

A migration lawyer can help identify the correct stream, review the applicant’s immigration history, check whether the documents are consistent, prepare a proper evidence list, identify weaknesses and prepare submissions where appropriate. This can be especially important where the applicant has a previous refusal, complex financial history, limited employment evidence, family complications, health or character concerns, or a long proposed stay in Australia.

A visitor visa application should be treated as an evidence-based application. The stronger and clearer the documents, the better the chance of avoiding unnecessary delay, confusion or refusal.

If Australia is on your travel list — whether for a holiday, to see loved ones, attend a business event or spend time with family — choose the right stream, prepare the evidence properly and get advice if there are any risks in the application.

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