# Inviting Parents from India to Australia: Visa Guide > How Indian parents get an Australian Visitor visa: Tourist vs Sponsored family stream, the AUD 250 fee, longer validity for parents of citizens and PRs, documents and grant rates. _Published: 2026-11-03 · Reading time: 6 min · Words: 1387_ ## TL;DR Indian parents visit Australia on the Visitor visa (subclass 600), through either the Tourist stream or the Sponsored family stream, at AUD 250 per person. Parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents can ask for multiple-entry validity beyond 12 months, but may not stay more than 12 months in any 18. ## Key takeaways - Indian parents visit on the Visitor visa (subclass 600), lodged online in ImmiAccount; there is no visa on arrival, ETA or eVisitor option for Indian passports. - The Tourist stream and the Sponsored family stream each cost AUD 250 per person when applied for outside Australia (charges from 1 July 2026). - Parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents may get a multiple-entry visa valid for more than 12 months, with no more than 12 months' stay in any 18 months. - In the Sponsored family stream the child lodges Form 1149 and may be asked to pay a security bond. - Home Affairs reported a 69.8% grant rate for tourist visitor visas for Indian citizens in October to December 2025. **Indian parents visit Australia on the Visitor visa (subclass 600), applied for online through ImmiAccount with the Department of Home Affairs. They can use the Tourist stream or, if their child sponsors them, the Sponsored family stream; both cost AUD 250 per person. Parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents may get multiple-entry validity beyond 12 months.** ## Article Fees, processing times and grant rates in this guide are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For student, work and skilled routes, see our Australia visa guide for Indian applicants. ### Tourist stream or Sponsored family stream: which should your parents use? Both are streams of the same Visitor visa (subclass 600). Both cost AUD 250 when lodged from outside Australia, under the charges in force from 1 July 2026. The difference is who carries the application and what the visa allows. FeatureTourist stream (outside Australia)Sponsored family streamVisa application chargeAUD 250 per personAUD 250 per personWho actsParents apply; your invitation letter is optionalParents apply; you lodge Form 1149 as sponsorUsual stayGenerally 3 months, up to 12 monthsStandard 3 months, up to 12 months in limited circumstancesEntriesSingle or multipleGenerally single entry, 6 months after grant to enterSpecial pointLonger validity possible for parents of citizens and PRsSponsor may be asked to pay a security bondGlobal processing (all nationalities)50% in 21 days, 90% in 33 days50% in 40 days, 90% in 3 monthsParents who have their own income, pension, savings or property in India usually fit the Tourist stream: they apply in their own right and your letter supports the file. The Sponsored family stream puts formal responsibility on you as sponsor. Home Affairs may ask you to pay a security bond, and the published pages do not state an amount, so do not budget a figure until the Department asks. If your parents want to live in Australia rather than visit, that is a separate family migration category and outside the scope of this guide. ### Can parents get a visa valid for more than 12 months? Yes, through the Tourist stream. Home Affairs says parents or step-parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents may be granted a visa valid for more than 12 months with multiple entries. The cap is on time in Australia: no more than 12 months' stay in any 18 months. A longer visa is not automatic. The Tourist stream checklist asks anyone requesting a longer stay, such as parents of citizens or PRs, to explain the reason and give proof. State clearly why your parents want longer validity, for example regular visits around a grandchild's birth, and attach proof of your citizenship or permanent residence. The permitted stay, dates and number of entries appear on the visa grant letter, and entries can also be checked in VEVO. Visitor visas cannot be extended. A parent who wants to stay longer must apply for a new visa, which is not possible if condition 8503 (No Further Stay) is attached unless it is waived. A Tourist stream application made inside Australia costs AUD 630, against AUD 250 from outside. ### What should you, as the child in Australia, send your parents? - Invitation letter (optional in the Tourist stream): your relationship, the purpose and length of the visit, and whether they will stay with you. - Proof of your funds, if you are paying for the trip. - Proof of your status as an Australian citizen or permanent resident, essential if they ask for longer validity. - Form 1149 (Sponsored family stream only): the Application for sponsorship for Sponsored Family Visitors, completed by you, with a copy in each parent's application. - Relationship documents (Sponsored family stream): birth certificates, passport pages showing parents' names, a family register or marriage certificates. Check that names on your birth certificate and your parents' passports match. If spellings differ, explain it in the letter rather than leaving the case officer to work it out. ### Which documents do the parents need from India? Home Affairs lists the same core evidence for every visitor: - Passport pages showing the photo, personal details and issue and expiry dates. - Proof of enough money for the stay and to leave Australia: itemised personal bank statements for a 3 month period, pay slips, tax records, term deposits or credit card statements. For retired parents, pension credits in the bank statement, fixed deposit receipts and ITR acknowledgements fall into these categories. - Their plans while in Australia. - Reasons to return home: ownership of a house or major assets in India, immediate family remaining in India, or an employer letter if a parent is still working. - A police certificate, only if Home Affairs asks. - Form 956A if they nominate an authorised recipient, or Form 956 for a migration agent. Any document not in English, such as a land record in Hindi or Tamil, needs an English translation with the translator's details. Scan every document in colour and upload multi-page documents as one file. Each parent applies and pays separately: Home Affairs does not allow family members to be included in one Visitor visa application. A clear travel itinerary is a simple way to show their plans. ### How long does it take, and how many applications are granted? For Indian citizens specifically, tourist visitor visas granted from October to December 2025 had a median processing time of 14 days, with 75% decided within 23 days, according to the Home Affairs Visitor visa program report. The Department's global guide, covering all nationalities, is slower for sponsored applications: 50% in 40 days and 90% in 3 months. The same report gives grant rates for Indian citizens, measured as grants as a percentage of grants plus refusals: VisaGrant rate, Indian citizensPeriodTourist Visitor visa (subclass 600/676)69.8% (73.2% in the same quarter of 2024)1 October to 31 December 2025Sponsored Tourist (subclass 600)61.0%1 October to 31 December 2025These figures describe past decisions across all Indian applicants. They are not a forecast for your parents' file. If the Department needs health checks, a police certificate or biometrics, it tells the applicant, and each adds time and cost. ### Mistakes to avoid when inviting parents - Buying non-refundable flights before the grant. A verifiable flight reservation is enough to show travel plans. - Assuming an ETA or visa on arrival. Indian passports are not eligible for the ETA (subclass 601) or eVisitor (subclass 651), and only New Zealand passport holders get a visa on arrival. - Skipping health insurance. It is not a visa requirement, but visitors pay all their own healthcare costs in Australia and the Department strongly recommends adequate cover. Some visas carry Condition 8501, which makes it mandatory. - Requesting 12 months without a reason. Explain the purpose and attach proof of your status. - Forgetting the 18-month rule. Even on a long-validity visa, parents may not spend more than 12 months in Australia in any 18 months. Questions about a lodged application go to the Home Affairs helpline on +61 2 6196 0196. The Department of Home Affairs office at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi manages many visa services for Indian citizens. Full stream details are on the Home Affairs Sponsored family stream page. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact our team. ### Frequently asked questions #### Can both parents apply on one Australian visitor visa application? No. Home Affairs says family members cannot be included in a Visitor visa (subclass 600) application, so each parent applies and pays AUD 250 separately. Lodge both applications together and cross-reference them in the letters. #### Do Indian parents have to give biometrics for an Australian visitor visa? Only if the Department of Home Affairs asks. VFS Global runs Australian Biometrics Collection Centres in listed countries, and India was not on that list as of March 2026. Follow any request letter exactly. #### Will my parents get a visa sticker in their passports? No. The Visitor visa is digitally linked to the passport and has no label. The grant letter shows the stay period, dates and whether it is single or multiple entry, and entries can be checked in VEVO. #### How do parents in India pay the AUD 250 fee? They pay online in ImmiAccount when they lodge the application, and it is not processed until the fee is paid. Home Affairs charges in AUD and publishes no INR amount, so the rupee cost depends on the card's conversion rate. ## FAQ ### Can both parents apply on one Australian visitor visa application? No. Home Affairs says family members cannot be included in a Visitor visa (subclass 600) application, so each parent applies and pays AUD 250 separately. Lodge both applications together and cross-reference them in the letters. ### Do Indian parents have to give biometrics for an Australian visitor visa? Only if the Department of Home Affairs asks. VFS Global runs Australian Biometrics Collection Centres in listed countries, and India was not on that list as of March 2026. Follow any request letter exactly. ### Will my parents get a visa sticker in their passports? No. The Visitor visa is digitally linked to the passport and has no label. The grant letter shows the stay period, dates and whether it is single or multiple entry, and entries can be checked in VEVO. ### How do parents in India pay the AUD 250 fee? They pay online in ImmiAccount when they lodge the application, and it is not processed until the fee is paid. Home Affairs charges in AUD and publishes no INR amount, so the rupee cost depends on the card's conversion rate. ## Sources 1. [Visitor 600 Tourist stream (apply outside Australia)](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/visitor-600/tourist-stream-overseas) — Department of Home Affairs, Australia 2. [Visitor 600 Sponsored family stream](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/visitor-600/sponsored-family-stream) — Department of Home Affairs, Australia 3. [Visitor visa program report, 31 December 2025](https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/visitor-visa-december-2025.pdf) — Department of Home Affairs, Australia