Visitor Visa Agent Australia: Do You Need One? (Subclass 600)
Visitor visa (subclass 600) explained: the genuine visitor criterion, sponsored family stream rules, Home Affairs charges from 1 July 2026, and when people ask a registered migration agent. General information, not migration advice. Figures as at October 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
Watch
Chapters
- 0:00 Do you need a visitor visa agent?
- 0:14 Visitor visa charges from 1 July 2026
- 0:30 The genuine visitor requirement
- 0:40 The other criteria
- 0:59 Who can sponsor a visitor
- 1:17 What a sponsor takes on
- 1:40 After a visitor visa refusal
- 1:54 What a consultation costs
- 2:11 Where to read more
Transcript
Do you need an agent for an Australian visitor visa? Many people apply directly online. Here is what the visa asks, and when people look for advice.
First, the government charges. From 1 July 2026, the Tourist stream applied for outside Australia and the Sponsored Family stream are each $250. In Australia, the Tourist stream is $630.
The central criterion is being a genuine visitor: only intending to stay temporarily in Australia, and obeying the conditions and stay period on the visa.
The other criteria are the health and character requirements, paying any debts owed to the Australian Government, and having enough money to support yourself.
The Tourist stream does not need a sponsor. The Sponsored Family stream does, and the applicant provides evidence of their relationship to the sponsor.
Home Affairs lists who can sponsor: a spouse or de facto partner, parent or child, brother or sister, grandparent or grandchild, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew. A fiancé, in-law, cousin, friend or New Zealand citizen generally cannot.
A sponsor is responsible for the visitor complying with their visa conditions, and for repaying any money the visitor owes the Australian Government.
If a longer stay is the real plan, look at condition 8503, No Further Stay. It stops the holder applying for another visa in Australia, and Home Affairs can waive it only in limited circumstances.
After a refusal, the notice sets out the reasons. A registered agent can review them with you and explain how they relate to the criteria. Each new application is assessed on its own evidence, and nobody can guarantee the outcome.
Our own data on initial consultations: 686 quotes from 57 registered agents, median $220, middle half $150 to $275. Full-engagement fees are set by each agent in a written agreement.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.
Short versions
- Visitor visa cost: $250 or $630? (0:33)
- Can a cousin or friend sponsor a visitor visa? (0:32)
Talk it through with a registered agent
Every agent on Migratio is on the official OMARA register. Compare agents and their consultation fees.