Australia visitor visa (subclass 600): full cost breakdown for 2026

Subclass 600 fee table — all streams

The subclass 600 has several streams, each with its own base application charge. Figures below are the government Visa Application Charge (VAC) current as at 1 July 2026. Confirm current fees on the Home Affairs visa pricing page before lodging, as charges are indexed annually.

All charges are in Australian dollars, paid through ImmiAccount by Visa, Mastercard or American Express. A card surcharge may apply.

Why applying onshore costs $380 more

The gap between the offshore Tourist stream ($250) and the onshore Tourist stream ($630) reflects the extra assessment the Department carries out when you apply from within Australia: your current visa conditions, your compliance history, how long you have already been in Australia, and whether granting another visitor visa fits your travel pattern.

Applying onshore is sometimes called a tourist visa extension, though technically you lodge a new application. If your current visa is still valid when you lodge, a Bridging Visa A is granted automatically to keep you lawful while the new application is processed — but it does not guarantee the onshore 600 will be approved. For most genuine visitors who simply want to stay longer, the onshore stream is the right path; for anyone with previous refusals or compliance issues, the higher $630 cost is also a higher-stakes decision worth getting advice on first.

The Frequent Traveller stream: who pays $1,845

The Frequent Traveller stream is available only to passport holders from eleven countries: China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei and Timor-Leste.

At $1,845 it costs around seven times the standard offshore Tourist stream — but it grants a visa valid for up to ten years with multiple entries and stays of up to three months at a time. For someone who visits several times a year for business or family, paying once for a decade of access can be cheaper than renewing a $250 visa every year or two. Eligibility is restricted to those nationalities, and applicants must show a genuine history of frequent travel — it is aimed at established frequent travellers, not first-time visitors.

Additional costs beyond the government fee

The VAC is only one part of the total. Depending on your nationality, travel history and documents, you may also pay for:

Health examination: the Department may require an immigration medical from an approved panel physician if you are from certain countries, plan a long stay, or have a health condition. Costs are set by the provider — roughly AUD $250–$500 equivalent for an adult. Check your ImmiAccount after lodging to see if a medical is required.

Biometric collection: applicants from some countries must provide fingerprints and a photo at a collection centre (such as VFS Global). The fee is paid to the service provider — around AUD $80 per person, set locally.

NAATI-certified translation: any non-English document — bank statements, birth certificates, invitation letters — must be translated by a NAATI-credentialled translator. Budget AUD $60–$100 per single-page document for common language pairs. Machine translations are not accepted.

Migration agent fees: the 600 is straightforward, and many people lodge without help. For a complex case (prior refusals, gaps in travel history, sponsor declarations), an agent typically charges AUD $200–$600 on top of the government fee.

No refund on the VAC: the government charge is non-refundable once a decision is made, so factor that into a borderline application.

Every person pays separately

There is no family or group rate for the subclass 600. Each applicant, including children, lodges a separate application and pays a separate VAC. For a family of four applying offshore in the Tourist stream, government charges alone total AUD $1,000 ($250 × 4). Add health examinations, biometrics, translations and any agent fees, and the budget can reach several thousand dollars before travel costs. Applications can be linked in ImmiAccount so they are assessed together, but each person remains a separate applicant with their own fee and decision — a child's application is not automatically approved because a parent's was.

How the 600 compares to the ETA (601) and eVisitor (651)

If your passport is eligible for a cheaper alternative, the subclass 600 is not the right visa.

Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601): available to passport holders from eight countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Brunei and Malaysia. Applied for via the Australian ETA app, with a small service charge (around AUD $20, not a government fee). Grants up to three months per visit within a twelve-month period; processing is usually minutes.

eVisitor (subclass 651): free, available to passport holders of many European countries including all EU member states, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Applied for free through ImmiAccount; up to three months per visit.

Use the 600 when your passport is not eligible for the ETA or eVisitor, you want to stay longer than three months (up to twelve months may be granted, subject to assessment), you have a specific purpose the others do not cover, or you are already in Australia and need to extend. The Home Affairs visa finder tool uses your nationality and purpose to direct you to eligible options.

What the 600 does not cover, and common mistakes

The subclass 600 is a temporary visa with no pathway to permanent residence. Key limits:

No right to work — the visitor visa permits no paid work in Australia, including remote work for a foreign employer while physically in Australia.

No Medicare access — visitor visa holders cannot access subsidised healthcare. Travel insurance covering medical evacuation and hospitalisation is strongly recommended, as a single hospital admission can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

No automatic extension — lodging an onshore 600 before your current visa expires keeps you lawful on a Bridging Visa, but the Department can refuse the extension.

Grant is not guaranteed, and the charge is non-refundable even on refusal. A prior refusal on any Australian visa increases scrutiny and should be disclosed. Do not assume your home-country health insurance covers treatment in Australia — most policies do not.

How much does the subclass 600 visitor visa cost in 2026?

As at 1 July 2026 the base government charge is AUD $250 per person for the Tourist stream applied outside Australia, or AUD $630 if you apply inside Australia. The Frequent Traveller stream (only for certain China and Southeast Asian passport holders) is AUD $1,845. These are the Visa Application Charge only — health checks, biometrics and translations are separate, and you should confirm the current charge on the Home Affairs pricing page before lodging.

Is the visitor visa fee refundable if my application is refused?

No. The government charge is non-refundable once a decision is made, whether approved or refused. If you withdraw before a decision you may be eligible for a partial refund in some circumstances, but once decided the full fee is retained. This is why complex or borderline applications are worth professional review before lodging.

Does my child need to pay a separate fee?

Yes. Every applicant, including infants and children, pays their own Visa Application Charge — there is no family rate or child discount. A family of four applying offshore in the Tourist stream pays AUD $1,000 in government charges alone. Applications can be linked in ImmiAccount, but each person has a separate application and fee.

Why is it cheaper to apply from outside Australia?

The offshore Tourist stream ($250) is priced lower than the onshore stream ($630) because offshore applications are assessed on a simpler footing. Onshore applications require the Department to also assess your compliance with your current visa, your history of stays, and whether another visitor visa is appropriate — that extra work is reflected in the higher fee.

I have a European passport — do I need a subclass 600?

Most European passport holders do not need the subclass 600 for a standard tourist visit. Holders of passports from EU member states, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and several other European countries are eligible for the free eVisitor (subclass 651). Check the Home Affairs visa finder to confirm before paying for a 600.

What is the Frequent Traveller stream and is it worth the extra cost?

It is available only to passport holders from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei and Timor-Leste. At AUD $1,845 it is far more expensive than the standard Tourist stream, but grants a visa valid up to ten years with multiple entries and stays of up to three months. For frequent travellers the long-term cost can be lower than repeatedly renewing a standard visa; infrequent or first-time visitors are better served by the $250 Tourist stream.