Visitor (Subclass 600) — Sponsored Family StreamVerified 2026-04-19Australia Sponsored Family Visa (Subclass 600 — Sponsored Family Stream)
The Sponsored Family stream (subclass 600) is for Indian citizens visiting close relatives — parents, siblings, children — who are Australian citizens or permanent residents. The Australian relative acts as 'sponsor', submitting an invitation and financial undertaking. The Department may require an Assurance of Support (a formal financial undertaking, sometimes backed by a bond).
Processing
Variable by visa subclass and individual case
Stay Duration
Typically 3 or 12 months (decided by the Department)
Starting Fee
AUD 200
Apply At
11 VFS centres
Special Instructions — Read Before Applying
These requirements apply to ALL Australia visa types. Violations mean your application will be rejected — read each one carefully.
- 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
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Fees (in INR)
| 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.
Documents Required
Applicant Core Documents
- !Valid passport + photo
- !Cover letter explaining family visit purpose
- ○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
- !Birth certificate (applicant)
Proving the family relationship to sponsor.
- !Sponsor's Australian passport / PR evidence
Copy of Australian passport or PR visa grant.
- !Documents tracing the family chain
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)
- !Sponsor's Form 1149 sponsorship application
- !Sponsor's Australian tax records / income evidence
Recent Notice of Assessment or pay slips showing sponsor can support the visitor.
- !Sponsor's bank statements
- !Sponsor's Australian address proof
Utility bill, rental agreement, or property title.
- !Sponsor's identity document (passport/PR card)
- ○Assurance of Support (if requested)
Formal financial undertaking via Centrelink — may require a refundable bond. Only if the Department asks.
Travel & Stay
- !Return flight itinerary
- !Evidence of where applicant will stay
Sponsor's home address or hotel bookings.
Proof of Applicant Ties to India
- !Applicant's bank statements (6 months)
- !Applicant's ITR (2–3 years)
- !Employment / business / retirement evidence
- ○Property / family commitments in India
Strengthens return intent.
! = mandatory · ○ = optional / if applicable
🗺️ Step-by-Step Application Process
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.
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.
Applicant lodges visa application via ImmiAccount
Applicant creates own ImmiAccount and selects Visitor (subclass 600) — Sponsored Family stream. Reference the sponsor's approved sponsorship.
Upload applicant documents
Passport, photo, relationship evidence, cover letter, bank statements, ITRs, flight bookings.
Pay AUD 200 VAC online
By international credit/debit card.
Biometrics at VFS Global India
At your nearest biometrics centre after the Department instructs.
Decision
Typically 3–6 months for this stream (longer than standard tourist). Digital grant notification; verify via VEVO.
Download Official Forms
Official forms are hosted by VFS Global — we don't host third-party forms ourselves, so you always get the latest version.
📋 How to download from VFS:
- Click the form name below — opens VFS Switzerland page
- Select the visa category you're applying for (e.g. Tourist, Business, Student)
- Scroll down to the "Download Form" section at the bottom
- Click the PDF icon next to the form name → saves to your device
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.
💡 Pro Tips
- 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.
- English translations are mandatory for all non-English documents (bank statements, ITRs, etc.). Use NAATI-certified translators for best acceptance.
- Health insurance: 'adequate health insurance' is strongly recommended — Medicare doesn't cover most tourists. Get travel insurance from an Indian or Australian insurer before travel.
- The Australian Incoming Passenger Card (IPC) must be filled out on every arrival — declare all food, plants, animal products strictly. Biosecurity breaches attract heavy fines.
- The sponsor must lodge Form 1149 BEFORE you lodge the applicant visa — this is the #1 error families make.
- Processing is slower than Tourist stream — plan 3–6 months ahead, not 4–8 weeks.
- If an Assurance of Support is requested, treat it seriously — the bond (if required) is refundable but lodged via Centrelink in Australia.
- Relationship evidence is critical: incomplete birth certificates or missing family-chain documents cause refusals.
Common Rejection Reasons
- 1.Sponsorship not pre-lodged / not approved before applicant application
- 2.Unclear or missing relationship evidence
- 3.Sponsor lacking financial capacity (insufficient income to host)
- 4.Weak applicant ties to India (concern applicant will not return)
- 5.Inconsistent information between sponsor's and applicant's forms
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can be a sponsor?+
What is an Assurance of Support (AoS) and will I need one?+
How long does this visa take?+
Is this the same as the Parent visa (subclass 103 / 143)?+
Can a sponsor host multiple visitors simultaneously?+
What if my sponsor's income is modest?+
Let us prepare your Australia Sponsored Family Visa — (Subclass 600 — Sponsored Family Stream) application
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Other Australia Visa Types
Australia 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.
Australia Business 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.
Australia Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601) — Informational
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.
Australia eVisitor (Subclass 651) — Informational
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.
Australia Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) — Informational
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.
Australia Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417) — Informational
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.
Australia Student 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.
Australia Student 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+).
Source & 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.