Subclass 600 Visitor Visa: Fees and Processing Times

The subclass 600 Visitor visa base application charge is not published as a single fixed figure in the official guidance, so you must check the current Visa Pricing Table for the exact amount. However, the official Home Affairs pages do confirm that a subsequent temporary application charge (STAC) can apply to certain onshore applications, and that the median processing time for Visitor visas (subclasses 600, 601 and 651 combined) was less than one day in July 2026. The STAC is a separate charge payable in addition to the base application charge, and it applies per person based on individual visa history. Processing times vary significantly by subclass and by whether additional information is requested, so the published median is a guide only, not a guarantee for your application.

How the base application charge is set

The Department of Home Affairs does not list a single flat fee for the subclass 600 visa on the pages used here. The fee you pay depends on the stream you apply for, where you apply, and the number of applicants. The official guidance shows this indirectly: in the worked example for the subsequent temporary application charge, a Visitor (subclass 600) visa – Tourist stream applied for outside Australia is shown with a base application charge of AUD150, while a further Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Tourist stream applied for inside Australia is shown with a base application charge of AUD380.

These figures are illustrative examples in the Department’s own guidance, not a current fee schedule. The Department states that there are a number of variations in fees and charges, and that you should consult the Visa Pricing Table to verify which charges apply to you. That table is the authoritative source for the exact base application charge for your circumstances.

The subsequent temporary application charge (STAC)

The subsequent temporary application charge is a separate charge that applies to certain temporary visas. It is payable by each person in the application and is based on their individual visa history. If it applies, it is payable in addition to any other visa charges that apply at the time of lodgement. It is not paid for bridging, criminal justice or enforcement visas, nor for permanent visas.

For the subclass 600 Visitor visa, the STAC can apply when you are in Australia and applying for a further Visitor visa. The Department’s worked example sets this out clearly: a person who applies for a Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Tourist stream while in Australia, and who previously applied for another temporary visa in Australia, will pay the base application charge plus the STAC. In the example, the STAC is shown as AUD700 for a second onshore temporary visa application, making the total visa application charge AUD1080 (AUD380 base application charge plus AUD700 STAC).

Exemptions from the STAC

The STAC will not be charged where at least one of the following applies:

• the base application charge for your application is nil
• the visa pricing table does not show a subsequent temporary application charge
• the visa pricing table shows the subsequent temporary application charge as nil
• the visa pricing table shows the subsequent temporary application charge as N/A
• the applicant is outside Australia while making their substantive temporary visa application
• the applicant is making their first substantive temporary visa application in Australia
• the subsequent temporary application charge formula evaluates the charge to nil

If you are outside Australia when you apply for a subclass 600 visa, the STAC does not apply. If you are in Australia and this is your first substantive temporary visa application in Australia, the STAC also does not apply. The charge only becomes relevant on a second or subsequent onshore temporary visa application.

How the STAC is calculated

The Department sets out a four-step formula for calculating the STAC for each applicant:

Step	Question	Outcome if yes	Outcome if no
1	Are you in Australia applying for a visa of a kind specified in Table 1?	Go to step 2	Charge is $0
2	Do you hold, or was the last substantive visa you held, a visa of a kind specified in Table 2?	Go to step 3	Charge is $0
3	Did you apply for a visa specified in Table 2 when you were in Australia?	Go to step 4	Charge is $0
4	Do any of the five listed situations apply (new-born child, operation of law, ministerial intervention, granted without application, or education provider default)?	Charge is $0	STAC applies

Table 1 lists the temporary visas being applied for that can attract the STAC. It includes the Temporary Activity (subclass 408), Training (subclass 407), Skills in Demand (subclass 482), Student (subclass 500), Student Guardian (subclass 590) and Visitor (subclass 600) visas. Table 2 lists the previous visas applied for in Australia that count toward the charge. It includes a broader list, including Visitor (subclass 600), Student (subclass 500), Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482), Working Holiday (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas, among others.

If any of the five situations in step 4 applies, the charge for that applicant is $0. If none applies, the subsequent temporary application charge applies to that applicant.

Visitor visa processing times

The Department publishes median processing times by visa category. For the Visitor category, the median processing time for July 2026 was less than one day. This figure combines the processing times for subclasses 600, 601 and 651. The Department notes that processing times for the subclass 600 visa can vary significantly when compared with subclasses 601 and 651, which generally have shorter processing times.

The Department also states that if additional information is requested for any visa subclass, the final decision may take longer while that information is assessed. You should review the visa processing times guide for the specific visa subclass you applied for, and apply well in advance of travel.

Several factors can affect how long your application takes. The Department lists these reasons for variations in processing times:

• whether the application has all necessary supporting documents
• whether the application is lodged online or on paper (online helps streamline processing)
• how quickly you respond to requests for further information
• how long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly relating to health, character and national security requirements
• the complexity of the application
• changes in the volume of applications
• changes to Ministerial Directions
• the effect of deciding older applications

How to check your specific processing time

If you have already lodged an application, you can check processing times using the visa processing times guide tool on the Home Affairs website. This tool shows processing times for recently decided applications. The Department is clear that it is a guide only and is not specific to your application.

Processing times are available for most visas, but not for visas that are closed to new applications, family visas that are capped and queued, or visas that have too few decisions in the month to provide a reliable indicator. The Department updates processing time information regularly as new data becomes available.

The Department also encourages applicants to submit all necessary supporting documents at the time of applying, to help process applications as quickly as possible.

What to do next and what to verify

Before you lodge a subclass 600 visa application, verify the current base application charge on the Visa Pricing Table on the Department of Home Affairs website. That table is the authoritative source for the fee that applies to your specific circumstances, including your stream and whether you are applying in Australia or outside Australia.

If you are applying for a further Visitor visa while in Australia, work through the four-step STAC formula to determine whether the subsequent temporary application charge applies to you. Check the Visa Pricing Table to see whether it shows a STAC amount for the subclass 600 visa, and whether it is shown as nil or N/A.

For processing times, use the visa processing times guide tool after you have lodged your application. Do not arrange travel to Australia until you have been notified in writing that your visa has been granted. If you applied in Australia, you must be in Australia when your visa is granted.

The Department’s guidance is clear that published processing times are medians and guides, not promises for your individual application. Lodging a complete application with all supporting documents is the most effective way to avoid unnecessary delays.