Australian visa types and how to apply come down to two decisions: picking the subclass that matches why you’re coming, then lodging the right evidence online through ImmiAccount with the correct application charge. The Department of Home Affairs administers every visa under the Migration Act 1958, and nearly every non-citizen needs one before arriving.1Australian Government Legislation Register. Migration Act 1958 Getting the subclass wrong wastes fees and can produce a refusal that follows you for years, so the first real work is matching your circumstances to the right stream.
The Main Visa Streams
The Department groups visas into broad streams. Most applicants fall into one of these:
- Visitor visas for tourism, business meetings, or seeing family.
- Student visas for enrollment in registered Australian courses.
- Skilled and work visas, either employer-sponsored or applied for independently through a points system.
- Working Holiday visas for young adults combining travel with short-term work.
- Family and partner visas for spouses, children, and parents of Australians.
- Permanent residence visas for indefinite stay, often the step before citizenship.
The streams sometimes overlap. A temporary skilled visa can lead to permanent residency. A working holiday visa can be extended into a second or third year if you meet the regional work rules. Match your circumstances to the specific subclass from the start, because each carries its own eligibility criteria and application charge.
Visitor and Short-Stay Visas
If you hold a passport from a European Union country, the United Kingdom, or one of about 30 other eligible nations, you can apply for a free eVisitor visa (subclass 651) online. It allows visits of up to three months at a time over a 12-month period, with multiple entries.2Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. eVisitor Subclass 651 Visa Citizens of the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and several other countries outside the EU typically use the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) instead, which works similarly but carries a small service fee.
Travelers who don’t qualify for either, or who need to stay longer than three months, use the Visitor visa (subclass 600). The application charge is approximately AUD 200 as of 2026.3Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Fees and Charges for Visas The subclass 600 also applies if you have a criminal conviction that would make an eVisitor inappropriate, or if your travel involves healthcare or childcare training environments.2Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. eVisitor Subclass 651 Visa
Student Visas
International students apply for the Student visa (subclass 500), which covers English language courses through doctoral programs. Before you can lodge, you need a Confirmation of Enrolment issued by your Australian education provider. This electronic document is the only accepted proof of enrollment.4Department of Home Affairs. Confirmation of Enrolment
The application charge is AUD 2,000 as of mid-2025.5Study Australia. Student Visa Subclass 500 That’s a substantial jump from where the fee sat a few years ago, and it catches many applicants off guard. The median processing time is around 33 days.6Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Visa Processing Times
Skilled and Work Visas
The main independent skilled visa, the subclass 189, uses a points-based system. You need at least 65 points to submit an Expression of Interest, with points awarded for age, English proficiency, work experience, and qualifications.7Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Skilled Independent Visa Subclass 189 Points-Tested Stream In practice, 65 points is a floor rather than a guarantee. The Department ranks all expressions of interest by score and invites the highest first, so competitive occupations regularly require scores well above the minimum.8Department of Home Affairs. SkillSelect Invitation Rounds
Before applying you must obtain a skills assessment from the assessing authority for your occupation. Each occupation has a designated body that decides whether your qualifications and experience meet Australian standards.9Department of Home Affairs. Skills Assessment Assessments can take months, so start early.
The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) use a similar points framework but each requires a state or territory nomination. States set their own priority occupation lists and may add criteria, so the same applicant can be competitive in one state and ineligible in another. Employer-sponsored visas sit outside the points system and require a business to formally nominate you for a specific role.
Working Holiday Visas
The Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) is for young adults aged 18 to 30 who want to travel Australia and pick up work along the way. Passport holders from certain countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and several European nations, may qualify up to age 35.10Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Working Holiday Visa Subclass 417 The initial visa runs 12 months and you can work for any employer.
Complete a specified period of work in regional Australia during your first year, usually in agriculture or construction, and you qualify for a second-year visa. Do it again in the second year and a third becomes available. The Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) works similarly but covers a different set of participating countries.
Family and Partner Visas
Partner visas let Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens sponsor a spouse or de facto partner. The onshore Partner visa (subclass 820/801) carries an application charge of AUD 9,365 for the primary applicant.11Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Subclass 820 Partner Visa Temporary The process is split in two: you first receive a temporary visa (subclass 820), and the Department later assesses you for the permanent visa (subclass 801), usually about two years after the original application.
The Department scrutinizes the genuineness of the relationship through financial records, shared living arrangements, social recognition, and mutual commitment. Weak documentation at this stage is where most partner visa problems start. Child visas, parent visas, and other family reunion categories each carry their own rules, costs, and wait times.
Permanent Residency and Citizenship
Permanent residency grants the right to live and work in Australia indefinitely and access most government services. Skilled visas, partner visas, and certain employer-sponsored categories all include permanent tracks. Once you hold a permanent visa, you become eligible to apply for Australian citizenship after four years of lawful residence, with at least the final 12 months on a permanent visa. Across those four years, absences from Australia cannot exceed 12 months in total, and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months before applying.12Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Become an Australian Citizen by Conferral
Character and Health Requirements
Nearly every visa requires you to satisfy a character test. The Department may ask for a police certificate from each country where you’ve lived 12 months or more in the last 10 years, since turning 16.13Australia in the USA. Visa Requirements The test goes beyond criminal records. You can fail it if the Department reasonably suspects you’ve been associated with criminal organizations, involved in people smuggling or trafficking, or would pose a risk to the Australian community. Under Section 501, a “substantial criminal record” includes any sentence of 12 months or more in prison.14Department of Home Affairs. Character Requirements for Visas
Health requirements involve medical examinations by Department-approved panel physicians.15Department of Home Affairs. Arrange Your Health Examinations The specific tests depend on the visa type and your country of origin and can include chest X-rays, blood tests, or additional screening.
How to Apply
Gather Your Documents First
Before touching the online form, collect your evidence. Every application needs a valid passport, and most require additional identity documents like birth certificates. Any document not in English needs a certified translation. Skilled visa applicants need their completed skills assessment. Students need their Confirmation of Enrolment. Partner applicants need extensive relationship evidence covering finances, cohabitation, social recognition, and commitment.
Everything must be in digital format, with specific file size and format restrictions for upload. Scan at high resolution and organize files to match the application sections. Partially completed applications can time out, so preparing before you start the form matters.
Lodge Through ImmiAccount
Almost all visa applications are lodged online through ImmiAccount, the Department’s central portal.16Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Applying Online in ImmiAccount You create an account, enter personal history, employment records, and travel details, then upload supporting documents. The system prompts you to pay the Visa Application Charge, and you cannot submit until it’s paid.
After payment, some applicants must attend an Australian Biometrics Collection Centre in person for fingerprints and a facial photograph.17Department of Home Affairs. Biometrics The Department will tell you if this applies. Final submission produces a digital receipt confirming your application is queued for a case officer.
Be Accurate: The PIC 4020 Risk
Providing false or misleading information triggers Public Interest Criterion 4020. A refusal based on bogus documents or false information can bar you from most visas for three years. If the refusal was because you failed to establish your identity, the ban stretches to ten years.18Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Providing Accurate Information These bans apply to you and every family unit member included in the application. Correct honest mistakes; deliberate deception ends migration prospects fast.
Fees and Processing Times
Visa Application Charges vary enormously across subclasses. Reference points for 2026:
- eVisitor (subclass 651): free.2Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. eVisitor Subclass 651 Visa
- Visitor (subclass 600): approximately AUD 200.3Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Fees and Charges for Visas
- Student (subclass 500): AUD 2,000.5Study Australia. Student Visa Subclass 500
- Partner onshore (subclass 820/801): AUD 9,365 for the main applicant.11Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Subclass 820 Partner Visa Temporary
Charges increase periodically, so check the Department’s visa pricing estimator before budgeting. On top of the government fee, expect costs for health examinations, police certificates, skills assessments, English tests, and translations.
Processing times depend on visa type, application completeness, and how quickly you answer requests for more information. Visitor visas in the eVisitor and ETA categories are often processed in less than a day. Student visas run a median of about 33 days. Subclass 600 visitor visas take noticeably longer than their electronic counterparts.6Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Visa Processing Times Partner and skilled visas can take many months. A decision-ready application with all documents included is the single most effective way to speed things up.
After Your Visa Is Granted
Every granted visa comes with conditions, and breaching them can lead to cancellation. Condition 8503, “No Further Stay,” blocks you from applying for most other visas while you’re in Australia. That restriction continues to apply even after the original visa expires, which surprises people who assume it lapses with the visa itself.19Department of Home Affairs. No Further Stay Waiver
Condition 8501 requires certain visa holders to maintain adequate health insurance for the whole stay. The Department sets minimum coverage levels covering public hospital treatment, emergency admission fees, and postoperative care at rates equivalent to what state health authorities charge ineligible patients.20Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Adequate Health Insurance for Visa Holders Overseas Visitor Health Cover products from Australian-registered insurers usually meet this, but not every policy qualifies, so check before buying.
Report Changes in Circumstances
Section 104 of the Migration Act requires you to notify the Department when anything changes that affects the answers you gave on your application: address, relationship status, employment, or the birth of a child. Changes are reported on Form 1022. Failure to notify can result in visa cancellation, and if you’re in Australia when that happens, you become an unlawful non-citizen, which leads to detention and removal unless another visa is granted quickly.21Department of Home Affairs. Notification of Changes in Circumstances Form 1022
Bridging Visas Between Applications
If you’re already in Australia and apply for a new substantive visa, you’re generally granted a Bridging Visa A automatically as part of the application. It keeps your status lawful while the Department assesses the new application, so you don’t fall into a gap.22Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Subclass 010 Bridging Visa A You must be in Australia both when you apply and when the bridging visa is granted.
If Your Application Is Refused
Refusals and cancellations can often be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal, which replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in October 2024.23Parliament of Australia. Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment The standard application fee for a migration review is AUD 3,580, with a 50 percent reduction available on financial hardship grounds. If the Tribunal decides in your favor, you receive a partial refund.24Administrative Review Tribunal. Fees
Not every decision is reviewable, and strict time limits apply. Your refusal or cancellation notice will state whether review rights exist and how long you have to lodge. Miss the deadline and you lose Tribunal review; the alternative is judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court, which is far more complex and expensive.
Using a Registered Migration Agent
Anyone in Australia who gives immigration assistance for a fee must be a registered migration agent. The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority handles registration, sets professional development requirements, and takes complaints about agent conduct.25Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority. Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority Search the public register to confirm any agent’s registration before hiring them.26OMARA Self-Service Portal. Search for Registered Migration Agents
Professional fees vary. Simple skilled visa lodgements may start around AUD 1,500, while full-service partner visa assistance can exceed AUD 5,000. These fees are separate from the Visa Application Charge and other costs like health exams and skills assessments. An agent earns their fee most clearly when your case involves complications: prior refusals, health waivers, or character concerns. For straightforward applications where you meet every requirement cleanly, the Department’s own guidance and checklists may be enough.