Australia’s 600 Approved Destination Status stream: check the tour rules first
The Visitor visa (subclass 600) Approved Destination Status stream is for citizens of China from certain areas who plan to visit Australia on a tour organised by an approved travel agent. It is not a general tourist option for every Chinese passport holder and it is not an independent-travel visa. The Department of Home Affairs says applicants must contact a travel agent registered with the Approved Destination Status scheme and ask that agent to apply on their behalf. A visa holder must follow the approved tour arrangements and leave with the group.
Check that your trip fits this stream
The applicant must be a citizen of the People’s Republic of China and intend to travel to Australia as part of a tour organised by an approved travel agent. The Department describes the stream as serving citizens from certain areas of China. Its page does not say that every Chinese resident may choose this route. Before paying a deposit, ask the agent to confirm its current scheme registration, the area it serves, any location requirements that apply to you, and whether it can arrange the proposed group itinerary. A Chinese passport, a departure city or a previous group holiday alone does not establish eligibility.
Home Affairs also requires the applicant to be in the People’s Republic of China when the application is lodged and when a decision is made. If your location or travel dates could affect this requirement, ask the registered ADS agent before proceeding. Do not assume that the lodgement rules for another subclass 600 stream apply here.
The group itinerary is central to this visa stream. A plan to enter with a tour and then stay behind to visit family or travel independently may not fit the conditions. Home Affairs says a visa holder can enter with the approved tour group and take part in the tour activities, but must stay with the group and leave Australia with it before the visa expires. Consider the whole intended trip before selecting this stream.
A registered ADS travel agent applies for you
The official application steps direct applicants to contact a travel agent registered with the Approved Destination Status scheme and ask the agent to apply on their behalf. Confirm the agent’s registration and its ability to arrange a tour for your location and travel dates. A general travel agency, online booking platform or visa consultant does not become an ADS agent simply because it sells travel or provides visa assistance.
Before proceeding, ask what personal information and supporting documents each traveller must provide, how the visa application charge is separated from the tour and service fees, what happens if the itinerary changes, and who will lodge the application. Keep the fee schedule, refund terms and each party’s responsibilities in writing. A visa application charge, the agent’s service fee, the tour price, flights and accommodation, and any health or biometric costs are separate items. Do not assume the tour price includes every visa-related expense.
The grant notice sets the stay period
The Approved Destination Status stream is temporary. Home Affairs considers the length of the tour when determining how long the visa holder may stay and states the period in the individual grant notice. The visa may be granted for single or multiple entry. Do not assume multiple entry will be granted. Check the tour dates, visa validity, number of entries and required departure date separately.
The official guidance says the holder must stay with the tour group and depart at the time shown in the itinerary. This stream cannot be extended so that the traveller can remain in Australia longer on their own. Wait for the grant notice before buying non-refundable flights or accommodation. Read the personal grant notice and check VEVO rather than relying only on a general webpage. If the visa record and the group schedule appear inconsistent, ask the agent to clarify before travelling.
Each family member needs a separate application
Family members cannot all be included in one Approved Destination Status application. Home Affairs requires a separate application for each family member, including children listed in a parent’s passport. A family can travel on the same tour, but each person has an individual application, decision, validity period and visa conditions. One family member’s grant does not mean that another person has been granted a visa or will receive matching conditions.
If a child is travelling, ask the agent in advance about parental consent, evidence of family relationships, passport details and the group’s arrangements. The documents required depend on each traveller’s circumstances and the agent’s instructions. Do not treat another family’s checklist as a substitute for checking your own case.
A practical pre-lodgement checklist
Confirm that the applicant is a Chinese citizen and ask the agent to check the location and itinerary requirements for this scheme.
Verify that the travel agent is currently registered with the Approved Destination Status scheme and will lodge on your behalf.
Check the group itinerary, proposed stay period, entry type and required departure date.
Prepare a separate application for every family member and confirm the documents required for children.
Record the visa charge, agent’s service fee, tour price and other possible costs separately.
After a decision, compare the grant conditions with the tour dates before buying non-refundable travel products.
Do not treat this stream as an independent holiday, a family-visit route or a long-term stay option. If you want to arrange your own itinerary, leave a tour to visit relatives, or travel without group restrictions, check the requirements of another Visitor visa stream instead of describing a different trip as a tour. Home Affairs decides each application and stay period on its merits. A travel agent or adviser cannot guarantee a visa outcome.
Questions travellers often ask
Does a Chinese passport automatically qualify me? No. The official description refers to Chinese citizens from certain areas travelling on an approved group tour. The agent’s current registration, your location and the itinerary must also be checked.
Can I lodge the application myself online? Home Affairs directs applicants to contact an ADS-registered travel agent and ask the agent to apply on their behalf. Confirm that the agent is registered for this scheme.
Can I stay behind after entering with the group? The official conditions require the visa holder to stay with the approved tour group and leave with it at the specified time. Do not assume the visa permits a separate itinerary.
Does one family application cover everyone? No. Each family member needs a separate application, including a child listed in a parent’s passport.
Verification date and limitation: This article was checked against the Department of Home Affairs pages for the Approved Destination Status stream and its visa conditions on 20 October 2026. The stream page shows a last updated date of 23 September 2024. Confirm the eligible locations, agent registration and current operating arrangements with a registered ADS travel agent and the official page before paying or lodging. This is general information, not an assessment of an individual application or a prediction of the outcome.
If you are considering an Australian Visitor visa, prepare your passport details, place of residence, proposed itinerary and information about accompanying family members. You can then review Premiervisa Group’s['a', 'Australian Visitor visa subclass 600 service information', 'https://www.premiervisagroup.com/immigration-programmes/australia-visitor-600'] to identify an appropriate advice scope. The authority to lodge an Approved Destination Status application must be confirmed with a travel agent registered with that scheme.
Official sources and verification date
20 October 2026
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