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Visitor visa - Sponsored family stream (Subclass 600)

AustraliaShort stays and visits

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Australia Read the five questions ↓

For the relevant traveller scope, is a visa, electronic authorisation, visa on arrival or no advance visa normally required?

All non-citizens need a visa or permission to enter Australia. The Visitor visa (subclass 600) Sponsored family stream is a visa for people sponsored, usually by a family member, to come to Australia to visit their family members; the applicant must be outside Australia when applying and when the application is decided. The department notes that the Tourist stream, which does not require a sponsor, might better suit some applicants.

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What short-visit purposes does this route cover?

The permitted purpose is visiting family or friends, cruising or having a holiday, and — in some circumstances — studying or training for up to 3 months; the applicant must intend to come to Australia as a visitor only.

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What maximum stay, rolling-period rule, validity and entry rules apply?

The stay is up to 12 months, and the holder must only intend a temporary stay and obey any condition and stay period attached to the visa.

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What important funds, accommodation, invitation, insurance, onward-travel or passport evidence may be required?

The applicant must have an eligible sponsor and must provide evidence proving the relationship with that sponsor; the applicant (and any family members applying together) must meet health and character requirements, must have or have access to enough money to support the stay, and must have no unpaid debt to the Australian Government (or an arrangement to repay it).

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Where/how is permission obtained when required, and under what important circumstances can a stay be extended or changed?

The visa costs AUD250.00 (concessions apply in limited circumstances, including a lower cost for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens from 1 July 2026), and the sponsor might be asked to pay a security bond. For applicants under 18 the visa might not be granted if that would not be in the child's best interests; someone who wants family support without a formal sponsor can instead apply for the Tourist stream with a letter of invitation. The official source does not state where to apply or when a stay can be extended or changed.

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  • Overview tab — Cost
    AUD250.00 (concessions apply in limited circumstances). We might ask your sponsor to pay a security bond.
  • Eligibility tab — Best interests of the child
    We might not grant this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
  • Eligibility tab — Have a sponsor
    If a family member wants to support you without becoming a sponsor, you can apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the Tourist stream. Provide a letter of invitation from your family member with your application.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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