Tourist visa is intended for those who wish to visit Australia for an organised trip or have been invited by friends or family. A tourist visa does not entitle you to work in the country. If granted, this visa will allow you either a single or multiple entry to Australia for a stay period of up to three, six or in exceptional circumstances up to 12 months - this will depend on the purpose of the visit and your personal circumstances.

The two most popular types of tourist visa are:

• e-Visitor (subclass 651): formal requirements for this type of visa are smaller than in the case of Tourist visa. The application for this visa type is free of charge and the processing time is very short (one to several days). You can lodge your application here). However, this visa type can’t be granted while the applicant is in Australia and it does not allow the applicant to apply for extension of stay later on. An eVisitor is designed for people who are outside Australia and want to visit Australia for tourism (like holidays, recreation and seeing family and/or friends) or business purposes (like attending a conference, negotiation or exploratory business visit). You can stay in Australia for up to three months on each visit within a 12 month period from the date of grant.
• Tourist visa (subclass 676): for this visa are more strict than for e-Visitor. The processing time is longer (usually it’s 1-2 weeks). However, this visa type allows the applicant to apply for extension of their stay while in Australia. The offshore online application fee is AUD $105. You can lodge your application here). Onshore application fee is $250. This visa allows people to visit Australia for a holiday or recreation, or to visit family and/or friends. This visa may also be used for other short-term non-work purposes (including study for less than 12 weeks). If granted, this visa will allow you either a single or multiple entry to Australia for a stay period of up to three, six or in exceptional circumstances up to 12 months.

Australian business visa option is aimed at people who wish to travel to Australia for business purposes. Professionals can enter Australia on a temporary basis to conduct business or to undertake employment that is considered to benefit the Australian economy. The business visas can be divided into two general categories:

• short-stay: for short term business visitors seeking entry to Australia for business purposes (up to 3 months) - attending a conference, business meetings, short business stay, etc.
• long-stay: for long-term temporary business and skilled entry (up to 4 years) to work in Australian companies or to set up a new business or branch of an overseas company.