Best for: parents and relatives applying for a visitors visa to Australia from South Africa, sponsored by an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
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A holiday visa for Australia from South Africa is the Tourist stream. South Africa isn’t in the Working Holiday programme, so you can’t work on it.
Not sure your bank statements are strong enough? Send them over. We’ll check them free.
A short letter explaining who you are, why you're visiting, who pays and when you'll return. We help you write it.
Top refusal causes: unexplained deposits · weak ties to South Africa · vague travel plans · missed biometrics
Six steps. We run the four in the middle. Most applications for a visa to visit Australia from South Africa are decided within about four weeks of biometrics, but Home Affairs times vary, so apply at least six weeks before you fly.
PLEASE NOTE: We at Global Visa Services, strive to provide the best and most efficient services to meet your needs and deadlines. We carry out all queries and processes as soon as possible, but we cannot be held liable if third parties or issuing authorities delay the process or if they do not issue your documents before the intended date. We cannot be held liable for any losses or refunds incurred with regard to documents.
Yes. South African passport holders need a visa for every trip to Australia, including short holidays. Australia’s ETA and eVisitor are not open to South African passports, so you apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) before you travel.
From 1 July 2026 the Home Affairs fee is AUD 250 per person for a Visitor visa applied for outside Australia, for the Tourist, Sponsored Family and Business Visitor streams. Every family member pays their own fee. The VFS biometrics fee and our service fee are extra, so we give you one fixed quote before we start.
You need a South African passport valid for your whole stay, proof you can pay for the trip, proof of ties that bring you back to South Africa (a job, studies, property or family), a genuine reason to visit, and biometrics taken at a VFS Global centre. Health and character checks can be requested for longer stays.
Your passport and a copy of your South African ID, 3 to 6 months of bank statements, proof of employment and an approved leave letter, a travel itinerary, travel health insurance and, if you’re visiting family, an invitation letter with a copy of their Australian status. A short cover letter helps tie it together.
Most Tourist stream applications from South Africa are decided within about four weeks once your biometrics are in, but Home Affairs processing times change during the year. Apply at least six weeks before you fly and don’t book non-refundable flights until the visa is granted.
Yes. The holiday visa for Australia is the Tourist stream of the Visitor visa (subclass 600). It covers holidays, cruises and visiting friends or family for up to 3, 6 or 12 months. South Africa is not part of Australia’s Working Holiday programme, so a holiday visa can’t be used to work.
Yes. You can apply in the Tourist stream with an invitation letter, or in the Sponsored Family stream if your child, parent, sibling or other relative who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident sponsors your visit. In the Sponsored Family stream the sponsor may be asked to pay a security bond.
No. A Visitor visa does not allow paid or unpaid work in Australia. Business visitors can attend meetings, conferences and negotiations, but to work or study long term you need a different visa. We can advise you on the right one.
You apply online through an ImmiAccount with the Australian Department of Home Affairs, then give your fingerprints and photo at a VFS Global centre in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban or Gqeberha. Our offices in Sandton and Cape Town prepare and check your file before you lodge.
Home Affairs grants a stay of up to 3, 6 or 12 months per visit, depending on your plans and history. Your grant letter shows the exact length and any conditions, such as “no further stay”, which stops you extending the visa from inside Australia.
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