How To Lodge A Successful Tourist Visa Application

This post reflects the legal landscape as of the date of publication. Laws may have changed since then. Please consult a legal professional for current information and personalised advice.

When applying for a Visitor visa, it is important to be able to show that you are only intending to visit Australia as a tourist, and that your stay is only temporary. Below is a guide on how to prove this, and some handy tips for your application.

Don’t apply for the wrong stream

It is very important to ensure you apply to the correct stream, depending on your needs of travel. If you have a family member officially sponsoring a ‘No Further Stay’ condition (Condition 8503) will be imposed on the visa, which prevents you from applying for further visas while you are in Australia. Only in limited circumstances can this condition be waived (see our article on Waiving Condition 8503  to find out how). A family member or friend can support your trip with an invitation letter etc. without going through the official family sponsor stream.

After confirming you have applied to the correct stream, the next step is considering how you can best prove you are a tourist.

Evidence

For every claim you make the Department will want to see evidence

  • Evidence of sufficient funds for travel (bank statements, pay slips, audited accounts, taxation records, a credit card limit)
  • If you are visiting a friend or relative, provide an information letter from them inviting you to Australia
    • If they are paying for your trip, also provide evidence that they have sufficient funds
    • If they are related to you consider providing birth certificates to prove the relation
  • If you are visiting under the Tourist stream, your itinerary for your stay in Australia
  • Even if you don’t have a day-to-day plan make sure to include details about the tourism activities you will participate in. Whether you’ve planned a tour of the Great Barrier Reef in the Summer, booked a ski trip to Thredbo in the Winter, or you’re going Whale Watching between May and November, all this information helps you show that you are genuinely looking to be a tourist in Australia and are not wanting the visa for any ulterior purpose.

You should also try to provide information to show that you have reason and authority to return to your home country, such as:

  • A letter from your employer stating that you intend to return to your job
  • Evidence of enrolment at your school, college university back home – showing that there is still coursework to complete is important, a student ID alone does not prove much
  • Evidence of your immediate family members living in your home country e.g. recent bills in their name
  • Evidence of your visa or residence status in your home country, and your right to return
  • Evidence of property or other significant assets owned in your home country

Some tips

  • Certified copies of these documents are not normally requested, except for birth certificates of children
  • When showing evidence of sufficient funds, be careful when using screenshots of online bank statements as they often do not display your name
  • If you’re doing an online application, it is unlikely you will need to provide a passport picture
  • All of your evidence must tell the same story, if you say you are single and then lodge a partner visa 3 month’s later there may be consequences
  • In your application, it helps to talk about the plans you have in store for when you arrive back home, which shows your stay is only temporary.