With Chinese New Year approaching, many families have already started planning:

• Parents visiting Australia for family reunion
• Relatives and friends coming to visit
• Planning an in-depth Australia holiday
• Short-term business visits

Good news: The current average processing time for Australian visitor visas is approximately 1–3 weeks. If you start preparing now, most applications can still be approved before Chinese New Year.

Most Common Visa Type for Visiting Australia(Primarily the Subclass 600 Visitor Visa)

Key takeaway first:Over 90% of applicants are best suited for the standard Visitor Visa (Subclass 600).So-called family visit / business / reunion visas are essentially within the same visa framework, with differences only in length of stay and additional conditions.Below, we explain how to choose the right option using real-life scenarios.

Scenario 1: General Family Visit / Tourism / Visiting Friends

1-year validity · Up to 3 months per stay (most common option)

• Parents, siblings, and relatives visiting short-term
• Family members of Student Visa (500), Graduate Visa (485), or Work Visa (482 / 491) holders
• Pure tourism purposes

Common misconception: Many people believe the “3 months” must be used up within the first year. In fact, as long as you enter Australia within the visa validity period, you may stay for the full 3 months.Example: Enter Australia in December → You may stay until March of the following year.

Scenario 2: Applicants Seeking Long-Term Multiple Entries

3-year validity · Maximum 3 months per stay

Features:

• Suitable for parents or business visitors who travel frequently
• Usually requires submission through specific channels
• Still classified as a visitor visa in nature

Scenario 3: Long-Term Stay for Parents of PR / Citizens

If your child is already an Australian Permanent Resident or Citizen, you may consider:3-year validity · Up to 12 months stay per entry (maximum 12 months within any 18-month period)

Suitable for:

• Parents who have previously visited Australia
• Applicants willing to complete health checks and obtain insurance
• Families seeking long-term companionship without yet applying for parent migration

This is currently the most commonly used solution for parents staying long-term in Australia.

Other Special Options Include:

•  18-month version (for first-time visiting parents)
•  5-year version (for applicants who have lodged Parent visas 103 / 143)
•  6–12 months stay per year options
•  10-year multiple-entry visa (high cost + biometric collection required, very difficult to obtain now)
• Business Visitor Visa (must involve genuine business activities; in most cases, we recommend Subclass 600 – Business Visitor stream)
• Group tour visas (travel-agency-only)

How We Determine the Best StrategyWe assess each case based on:

Applicant’s age
Ties to home country
Refusal history (if any)
Child’s visa or PR status
Whether long-term stay is required

Our approach is to select the most stable and realistic pathway, rather than forcing applicants into a specific category.Important ReminderHaving PR relatives does NOT mean you must apply for a sponsored visa.Many DIY applicants mistakenly assume: “If my child is a PR, I must apply for a family-sponsored visa.” This is incorrect.

Sponsored Visitor Visas – What to KnowSponsored visas are usually:

• Single-entry only
• More likely to have conditions such as 8503 / 8507 (No Further Stay)
• More complex in documentation

We only recommend sponsored visas when:

There is a refusal history
The applicant is from a high-risk region
Financial capacity is weak
A PR / citizen relative is willing to provide formal sponsorship

Business Visits ≠ Just an Invitation Letter

Business visitor visas are typically for:

• Business inspections
• Contract negotiations
• Technical support
• Training or conferences

Required documents usually include:

Formal invitation from an Australian company
Evidence of business relationship between China and Australia
Proof of employment or business connection with the Australian entity
Explanation of the necessity of the visit

A simple “invitation letter from a friend’s company” is usually insufficient. In most cases, Subclass 600 – Business Visitor stream is the most appropriate choice.

How We Can Help

Suitable for:

• First-time (blank) passports
• Previous visa refusals
• Long-term stay planning for parents
• Complex business visitor documentation
• Chinese New Year urgent application assessments

Our services include:

Visa pathway assessment
Tailored document checklist
Early identification and avoidance of risk points
Refusal history restructuring strategies