Visitor (Subclass 600) — Sponsored Family Stream Verified 2026-04-19Sponsored Family Visa (Subclass 600 — Sponsored Family Stream)
Australian visitor visa for Indian citizens visiting close relatives who are Australian citizens/PR holders and who sponsor the application. An Assurance of Support may be required.
No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the Australia visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.
Processing
Variable by visa subclass and individual…
Stay Duration
Typically 3 or 12 months
Starting Fee
AUD 200
Apply At
11 VFS centres
Your whole Australia Sponsored Family Visa,
handled for one honest price.
A strong Australia file clearly explains your travel purpose, funds, and ties to India. We structure and submit everything properly — so your case is presented clearly and professionally.
All-in · 18% GST included · no hidden charges
File-ready in 3–5 working days after documents
5★ · 100+ reviews · reply in 5 min
Everything below — included, nothing extra
- Document checklist
- Application form guidance
- Document review
- Cover letter
- Purpose of travel structure
- Financial proof review
- Sponsor document guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Post-submission guidance
Not sure you qualify? Start with a refundable ₹499 possibility report — an honest Yes / Maybe / No, credited to this fee.
Price is for our consultancy service only and includes 18% GST. No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision rests with the visa authority.
Your fee, in one glance
What the ₹17,999 fee covers for a Australia file
- We work out what your case actually is, before touching a form
- We build the checklist around your profile, not a template
- We read your documents against each other, not against a list
- Financial proof review
- Purpose of travel structuring
- Cover letter / explanation support
- Return ties review
- Sponsor / invitation guidance
- Application form guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Biometrics guidance
- Post-submission support
Government, VFS, insurance, ticket and hotel costs are separate and charged at cost. Read what each item means, in full.
Good to know before you apply
Rules that apply to every Australia visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.
- 1All Indian applicants MUST apply online via ImmiAccount — there is no paper form, no VFS lodgement. VFS Global is only the biometrics collection agent in India.
- 2Your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your intended stay. Renew BEFORE applying if expiry is within 6 months.
- 3Australia does NOT place a visa sticker in your passport. Your visa is digitally linked to your passport — verify via VEVO after grant.
- 4You must be OUTSIDE Australia when you apply AND when the visa is decided (for most visitor and temporary visas).
- 5Be a 'genuine visitor' — you must intend to return to your home country. Australia's Department of Home Affairs scrutinises this closely for Indian applicants.
- 6Health requirement: you may need a medical examination (chest X-ray, general health check) at a Bupa Medical Visa Services panel physician. Bupa is the only authorised provider in India.
- 7Character requirement: police clearance certificate (PCC) from the passport office may be required if you've spent 12+ months in any country in the last 10 years.
- 8'No Further Stay' condition 8503 is commonly attached to visitor visas — if attached, you cannot apply for another visa while in Australia. Check your grant letter carefully.
- 9Visitor visa holders: be aware of recent laws restricting 'visa hopping' to the Student visa program — you generally cannot switch to Student visa while in Australia on a Visitor visa.
- 10The Sponsored Family stream requires the Australian relative to lodge Form 1149 FIRST via their own ImmiAccount.
- 11An Assurance of Support, if required, is a separate Centrelink process — not part of the visa application itself.
Who Can Apply
- Indian citizens with close relatives (parent, spouse, child, sibling, grandparent, step-parent, etc.) who are Australian citizens or PR holders
- Applicants with a clear parent/family relationship that can be documented (birth certificates, etc.)
- Cases where the Tourist stream has been unsuccessful and a stronger sponsorship route is needed
Not eligible under this visa:
- Applicants whose sponsor in Australia holds only a temporary visa
- Cases where the family relationship cannot be documented
- Applicants intending to remain in Australia beyond the granted stay
What it costs
Government & VFS fees
Paid directly to Australia / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visitor visa (subclass 600) — base charge | AUD 200 |
| Additional applicant 18+ | AUD 100 |
| Additional applicant under 18 | AUD 50 |
| Biometrics (per applicant) | ₹1,850 |
All Visa Application Charges (VAC) are set in Australian Dollars by the Department of Home Affairs and paid online via ImmiAccount using international credit card. The INR amount depends on the credit card's conversion rate on payment day — not controlled by the Australian government. Additional costs include: health check (~₹4,500–6,000), police clearance certificate from PSK (~₹500), biometrics (₹1,850), and any translation costs for non-English documents. Fees are non-refundable regardless of visa outcome. Use the Visa Pricing Estimator on homeaffairs.gov.au for current rates. An Assurance of Support (AoS) bond, if required, is an additional refundable security — typically several thousand AUD depending on the applicant's age and stay duration.
Flights · Hotels · Insurance · Itinerary
What Australia actually requires — and what it does not.
Australia assesses genuine temporary intent — the bookings matter less than the reason you are coming back.
0 of 4 are compulsory for Australia
Flight reservation
A confirmed ticket is not required for the visitor stream. An indicative itinerary matching your approved leave is sufficient.
Where people slip: Applying with open-ended dates. "Genuine temporary entrant" is the test, and open dates argue against you.
How to hold a flight without payingHotel booking
Show where you are staying for the main part of the trip, or give the host's details if you are visiting family.
Where people slip: Listing a family address with no evidence of who lives there.
Refundable hotel booking, explainedTravel insurance
Not required for a visitor visa. Sometimes requested for older applicants, or where a health condition is declared.
Where people slip: Skipping it entirely at 65 or over. If a medical examination is triggered, cover strengthens the file.
What the cover must actually sayTravel itinerary
A plan tied to a real reason — a wedding, a graduation, a sporting season. Specific reasons pass; general tourism is examined harder.
Where people slip: An itinerary longer than the leave your employer approved in writing.
The letter your itinerary attaches toWe arrange all four for your Australia file.
We are a B2B travel agency as well as a visa consultancy, working with partners including Riya Travel — so the flight, the hotel and the policy all come from us, issued the same day, and you deal with one team instead of four. Every booking is a real one under your own name.
What to gather
Documents required
Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.
Applicant Core Documents
3 items- Valid passport + photoRequired
- Cover letter explaining family visit purposeRequired
- Form 1149 — Sponsorship for a Sponsored Family Visitor visa (subclass 600)
Provided to the sponsor by the Department. Submitted by the sponsor, not the applicant.
Relationship Evidence
4 items- Birth certificate (applicant)Required
Proving the family relationship to sponsor.
- Sponsor's Australian passport / PR evidenceRequired
Copy of Australian passport or PR visa grant.
- Documents tracing the family chainRequired
Parents' marriage certificate, sibling birth certificates — whatever proves the relationship.
- Photographs with sponsor / family history
Helpful supporting evidence.
Sponsor Documents (submitted via ImmiAccount by sponsor)
6 items- Sponsor's Form 1149 sponsorship applicationRequired
- Sponsor's Australian tax records / income evidenceRequired
Recent Notice of Assessment or pay slips showing sponsor can support the visitor.
- Sponsor's bank statementsRequired
- Sponsor's Australian address proofRequired
Utility bill, rental agreement, or property title.
- Sponsor's identity document (passport/PR card)Required
- Assurance of Support (if requested)
Formal financial undertaking via Centrelink — may require a refundable bond. Only if the Department asks.
Travel & Stay
2 items- Return flight itineraryRequired
- Evidence of where applicant will stayRequired
Sponsor's home address or hotel bookings.
Proof of Applicant Ties to India
4 items- Applicant's bank statements (6 months)Required
- Applicant's ITR (2–3 years)Required
- Employment / business / retirement evidenceRequired
- Property / family commitments in India
Strengthens return intent.
Required · optional / if applicable
The journey.
7 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.
- 01
Sponsor lodges Form 1149 via ImmiAccount
The Australian relative sponsor starts the process by creating their own ImmiAccount and lodging Form 1149 (Sponsorship for a Sponsored Family Visitor visa). This is submitted BEFORE the applicant's visa application.
- 02
Department approves sponsorship (or asks for AoS)
If the Department requires an Assurance of Support, the sponsor lodges an AoS through Centrelink, which may include a refundable bond.
- 03
Applicant lodges visa application via ImmiAccount
Applicant creates own ImmiAccount and selects Visitor (subclass 600) — Sponsored Family stream. Reference the sponsor's approved sponsorship.
- 04
Upload applicant documents
Passport, photo, relationship evidence, cover letter, bank statements, ITRs, flight bookings.
- 05
Pay AUD 200 VAC online
By international credit/debit card.
- 06
Biometrics at VFS Global India
At your nearest biometrics centre after the Department instructs.
- 07
Decision
Typically 3–6 months for this stream (longer than standard tourist). Digital grant notification; verify via VEVO.
What works
11 levers that flip a borderline case.
- Apply at least 4–8 weeks before your intended travel date. Don't make non-refundable travel arrangements until your visa is granted.
- ImmiAccount is the ONLY way to apply — you'll create an account, complete the 101-part online form, upload documents, and pay by international credit/debit card (AUD).
- Documents to upload: passport bio-page, photo, ITR (2-3 years), bank statements (6 months), employment letter with leave approval, travel itinerary, hotel bookings, invitation letter (if applicable), previous visa/travel history.
- The Department can make decisions WITHOUT requesting further information — submit the most complete application first time. Use Form 956/956A if someone else is helping you apply.
What kills cases
Top 3 refusal triggers we see.
- 1Sponsorship not pre-lodged / not approved before applicant application
- 2Unclear or missing relationship evidence
- 3Sponsor lacking financial capacity (insufficient income to host)
Download official forms
Each link opens the official Australia page on VFS Global (we never host third-party forms): pick your visa category there and use its "Download Form" section for the current version.
ImmiAccount — Online Application Portal
Australia's official online visa application portal. ALL Australian visas for Indian applicants must be lodged here — no paper forms, no VFS lodgement. Create your ImmiAccount, select the visa subclass, pay online, and upload documents.
Department of Home Affairs — Official Website
Authoritative source for all Australian visa information. Includes Visa Finder tool, Visa Pricing Estimator, Visa Processing Time Guide, and health requirement details.
Visa Finder Tool
If you're unsure which visa is right for you — answer a few questions and the tool recommends matching visa subclasses.
VEVO — Visa Entitlement Verification Online
After visa grant, use VEVO to check your visa conditions, stay period, and entry rights. Australia grants digital visas only — no sticker in passport.
VFS application centres
Visa Eligibility Check
Answer 10 questions to see your likelihood of approval. Embassies look for the same core factors across visa types — financial strength, clear purpose, genuine intent to return.
How clear is your purpose of visit?
How long is your planned stay?
Travel history to developed countries?
Any previous visa refusals?
Employment / income source?
3-month average bank balance?
Income Tax Returns history?
Travel bookings status?
Ties to India (reasons you'll return)?
Travelling with?
Indicative only — final decision is always with the Embassy.
Frequently asked
Questions, answered straight
An Australian citizen or permanent resident aged 18+ who is a close relative — parent, spouse, child, sibling, grandparent, step-parent, or similar. Temporary visa holders cannot sponsor.
An AoS is a formal legal undertaking by the sponsor (or a third party) to financially support the visitor and repay any social security payments the visitor may claim. For parents, the Department may require an AoS with a refundable bond. It is lodged via Centrelink, not the Department of Home Affairs.
Typically 3–6 months — longer than Tourist stream because two applications (sponsorship + visitor) are assessed.
No. Parent visas are permanent migration categories with multi-year processing. The Sponsored Family stream is still a Visitor visa — for temporary visits only, not permanent residence.
Yes, but the Department scrutinises the sponsor's capacity to support multiple simultaneous visitors. Strong financials help.
You can still apply — the Department considers overall capacity, not just income. Assets, joint sponsor (if allowed), and shared household help. Modest income may trigger an AoS request.
Reviewed by Paramjit Singh, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.
How we get it done
Your Australia Sponsored Family Visa, from your first message to your passport back.
5 questions about this visa specifically. The first two are open — tap any other to read it.
Refused? Our full service fee comes back.Government and visa-centre fees are the one part nobody can refund.
+My relative in Australia is inviting and sponsoring me. What do they need to send?
An invitation naming you and the relationship, proof of their own status in Australia (residence permit, passport or citizenship), proof of address, and — if they are paying — their income evidence and a formal undertaking. Several countries have a specific sponsorship form; using a plain letter where a prescribed form exists gets the file bounced. Send us their documents together with yours: the two sides have to agree with each other, and mismatched addresses or dates between sponsor and applicant are one of the quietest refusal causes.
+Does having close family settled abroad make my visa harder?
It is the question officers probe hardest on a family visit, because a visitor visa turns on whether you will come back. It is not a bar — thousands of these are approved every month — but it has to be answered rather than ignored. The answer is your own life here: your job or business, your dependants, your property, your bookings. A file that names the relative and then says nothing about your ties invites the officer to assume the obvious.
+How long does a Australia Sponsored Family Visa take, start to finish?
Three things sit between today and your trip: preparing the file properly, waiting for an appointment, and the mission's own processing. Australia currently states Variable by visa subclass and individual case. Visitor visas typically 20–60 days. Use the Visa Processing Time Guide Tool on homeaffairs.gov.au for current indicative times. Processing times are guides only — not guarantees. for the decision itself. We control the first, which is usually days. The middle depends on slot releases. The third is entirely the mission's and no consultant can shorten it — anyone telling you otherwise is selling something they cannot deliver. Tell us your travel date and we will tell you honestly whether it is realistic.
+How much of what I pay for the Australia visa is actually your fee?
Most of it is not ours. The Australia government fee (currently AUD 200) goes to the mission and the visa-centre fee goes to VFS — both charged to you at cost, never marked up, and shown as separate lines on one GST invoice in the registered company name. Our service fee is the only part we set, and it is published rather than quoted case by case.
+How does SureshotVisa handle my Australia Sponsored Family Visa, from first message to passport back?
You send what you have on WhatsApp and a licensed consultant says the same working day whether the case is ready. We build the file around your profile, check every document against the others, write the cover letter to match them, and hold the file complete so the first workable appointment can be taken the moment it appears. You attend biometrics; we track the file to the decision (Australia currently states Variable by visa subclass and individual case. Visitor visas typically 20–60 days. Use the Visa Processing Time Guide Tool on homeaffairs.gov.au for current indicative times. Processing times are guides only — not guarantees.). Government and visa-centre fees (AUD 200 for this visa) are charged at cost; our own fee is published, and if the visa is refused that fee comes back in full.
Before you file
A Australia Sponsored Family Visa goes one of two ways.
Filed on a guessed checklist, the government fee is gone on a refusal and the refusal follows every future application. Filed after a licensed consultant has read the papers against each other, the file answers the officer's questions before they are asked. Same Australia rules, different outcome. How we do that is written once, in full, on the method page rather than repeated here.
Other Australia Visa Types
Tourist Visa (Subclass 600 — Tourist Stream)
Australian visitor visa for Indian citizens travelling to Australia for tourism, sightseeing, or visiting friends and relatives. Typically 3, 6 or 12 months stay.
View guideBusiness Visa (Subclass 600 — Business Visitor Stream)
Australian business visitor visa for Indian professionals attending meetings, conferences, negotiations, or exploratory business visits. Paid employment is NOT permitted.
View guideElectronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601)
The ETA (subclass 601) is Australia's quick online visa for tourism/business visits, but it is NOT available to Indian passport holders. Indian citizens must apply for the Visitor visa (subclass 600) instead.
View guideeVisitor (Subclass 651)
eVisitor (subclass 651) is a free online visa for short visits to Australia, but it is exclusively for European passport holders. Indian citizens are NOT eligible — apply for subclass 600 instead.
View guideWork and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462)
Informational guide. The Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) allows young Indians aged 18–30 to work and travel in Australia for up to 12 months, but India has a ballot-based quota. SureshotVisa does not process work visas.
View guideWorking Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)
Informational guide. The Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) is NOT available to Indian passport holders. Indian citizens should refer to the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) via the annual ballot.
View guideStudent Visa (Subclass 500)
The Student visa (subclass 500) allows Indian students to live in Australia and undertake a full-time eligible course of study — school, VET, undergraduate, postgraduate, or research — for up to 6 years.
View guideStudent Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)
The Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) allows an Indian parent, custodian, or close relative aged 21+ to come to Australia to provide care and support for a student visa holder under 18 (or in exceptional cases, 18+).
View guideSource & Disclaimer
Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global Australia website and Embassy of Australia. Last verified 2026-04-19. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.
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