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Writer's pictureCharlene Tan

DIY guide on tourist visas and exemptions for your parents

Updated: Dec 8, 2021


Lodge ONE tourist visa and then ONE travel Exemption (in this order). There is no advantage to submitting multiple visa applications. If you have already applied for more than one visa, withdraw one so that only one visa application remains. Read this entire post to find out which one is best to submit or continue reviewing.


Re-lodge the Travel Exemption with new information/documents if the Travel Exemption is non-exempt (this means refused). If it says "Exempt" it means Approved.


If your parents have a passport from:

Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea or the United States of America, submit ETA 601 via mobile phone application for faster decision.



If your parents have a passport from:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Republic of San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom - British Citizen (not Hong Kong BNO), Vatican City, they must apply for an EVISITOR 651 via ImmiAccount: https://online.immi.gov.au/


If your parents are from any other country, lodge a 600 Visitor Visa via https://online.immi.gov.au/ This will only be approved at the same time or later.


Lodge under the “TOURISM STREAM”. You must not lodge under the Family-Sponsored Stream.


Upload their passport initially, with other supporting documents, then after the travel exemption is approved, you can upload a copy to the visa too.


For other documents to attach to a 600 Tourist Visa, read the following link well:


This link describes the student visa, but the information is very similar to what you need for a 600 visa.


How to lodge travel exemptions?



Upload evidence of:

  • your parent’s identity

  • your identity

  • your proof of citizenship/permanent residency of AUS

  • proof that your parent is your parent

  • If you have any events you need your parents in AUS for, include a statutory declaration or story - dated and signed - about why you need them to travel.


Australia has strict border measures in place to protect the health of the Australian community during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. You cannot come to Australia unless you are exempt from Australia’s travel restrictions and have a valid visa. Check the COVID-19 and the border travel restrictions website to determine your eligibility for an exemption: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/travel-restrictions


Grant of an ETA through the app does not mean you have been considered for or granted an exemption to travel to Australia.


Generally, for 601 or 651 visas no help is needed, for 600 visas you may need help. Ensure that if you are hiring someone to help you, they are a Registered Migration Agent with a MARN number and check their qualifications on mara.gov.au or an Immigration Lawyer - check their qualifications that can be shown on AUS State Law Society page.


You can legally apply for a visa on behalf of a blood relative, even if you are not eligible. You cannot apply for a visa for someone else if you are just a friend or acquaintance unless they are qualified (as mentioned above). This includes free or paid services.


In Australia, it is a crime to give illegal immigration advice as an ineligible person, even if you think you are helping. If your information is incorrect, it can cause great harm to others. Australian visa refusals are reported by the US, Canada, UK and New Zealand and must be reported when travelling to another country in the future, and visa refusals can permanently damage someone's travel records. So please be cautious in this area.



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