How long does the subclass 600 visa take? (November 2026)

Reviewed by a registered migration agent · MARN 1795282
Updated 2 November 2026

As at 2 November 2026, Home Affairs reports that 75% of Visitor visa (Subclass 600) applications (Tourist stream) were finalised within 27 days, and 90% within 31 days. In September 2026 the 75% figure was 26 days. The 600 has 3 streams with different times, listed below. These are official global processing times for applications decided in the previous month, not a promise for any individual case.

Subclass 600 processing times by stream

Stream	75% of applications	90% of applications	75% in September 2026
Tourist	27 days	31 days	26 days
Sponsored Family	54 days	89 days	61 days
Business Visitor	14 days	23 days	13 days

What to expect when you apply for the subclass 600

How the application moves

Tourist and Business Visitor applications are lodged online and many are decided within days; the officer looks at your purpose of visit, ties to your home country, funds and travel history.
Sponsored Family stream applications depend on the Australian sponsor's application and any security bond requested, which adds a stage.

What most often slows a 600 application

Weak evidence of genuine temporary stay: unclear purpose, limited funds, or few ties such as employment, property or family at home.
Longer stays or multi-year validity requested without the supporting evidence, for example parents of Australians asking for a 3- or 5-year visa.
Health examinations required for stays over six months or for applicants intending to visit hospitals or care settings.

What to have ready before lodging

An itinerary or invitation, evidence of funds, proof of employment or study and family ties at home, and for parents, evidence of the relationship to the Australian child and health insurance.

What the 75% and 90% figures mean

Home Affairs publishes the time within which it finalised 75% and 90% of the applications decided in the previous month. Three in four applicants got a decision faster than the 75% figure; one in ten waited longer than the 90% figure, almost always because the application was incomplete, needed health or character follow-up, or sat outside the current processing priorities. The figures move every month, which is why we keep a history on the processing-times tracker.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the 600 visa take to process in November 2026?

Home Affairs reports that 75% of Visitor visa (subclass 600) applications in the Tourist stream were finalised within 27 days and 90% within 31 days, as at 2 November 2026. Other streams differ; see the table on this page.

What do the 75% and 90% figures mean?

They are the times within which Home Affairs finalised 75% and 90% of the applications it decided in the previous month. Three in four applications were decided faster than the 75% figure; one in ten took longer than the 90% figure, usually because the application was incomplete or needed extra checks.

Can a 600 visa be processed faster?

There is no paid priority service for the 600. The things that reliably shorten processing are lodging a complete, decision-ready application (identity, health, character and every eligibility document attached at lodgement), responding to any request for information quickly, and avoiding avoidable requests for further information.

Related visas: processing times and costs

Source: Department of Home Affairs — global visa processing times, as at 2 November 2026. Cost: subclass 600 visa fees. Eligibility and steps: 600 Visitor Visa 2026: Fee, Stay Length & Streams. General information only, not migration advice.