Independent migration advice from OZVISA Group. We are a private migration advice business, not the Australian Government. We do not issue visas or guarantee approval.
If your partner or family member plans to visit Australia regularly, you may have heard about the “10-year visitor visa”. Before choosing it, it is worth understanding what that period actually allows and whether it suits your plans.
What is the 10-year visitor visa option?
The option is the Visitor visa (subclass 600), Frequent Traveller stream. It can provide a travel validity period of up to 10 years for eligible frequent visitors. It is not permission to live in Australia for 10 years.
Eligibility was expanded on 7 December 2024 to additional countries, including the Philippines and Thailand. This wider availability may be relevant to families planning regular visits. The change is explained in the Australian Government’s explanatory statement.
Who can consider this stream?
Home Affairs currently lists citizens holding passports from China, Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor-Leste. Applicants must be outside Australia when applying. Holding an eligible passport does not, by itself, establish that an application will succeed.
See the official Home Affairs Frequent Traveller stream information for the current requirements and application process.
Understand the stay limits before planning your visits
- A grant may allow travel for up to 10 years; the full period is not guaranteed.
- Each visit is limited to up to three months.
- Total time in Australia is limited to 12 months in any 24-month period.
- The purpose must remain temporary tourism, visiting family or friends, or permitted business visitor activities.
Applicants must meet genuine visitor, financial, health and character requirements. Check the grant letter for the period and conditions actually imposed. Conditions can affect further applications in Australia and permitted activities. The Home Affairs conditions guide explains the conditions that may apply.
How OZVISA can help you decide
A longer travel validity period can sound attractive, but the useful question is whether this particular option fits your circumstances. At OZVISA, we can provide individual migration advice before you decide how to proceed.
- Compare your options. We can discuss the Frequent Traveller stream alongside other visitor options, rather than assume the longest validity is the best choice.
- Review your travel plans. Tell us how often you hope to visit, the length of each visit and who you will be staying with.
- Identify evidence issues. We can review your circumstances, previous visa history and supporting information, and explain matters that need attention.
- Consider your longer-term plans. If your real goal is to settle together in Australia, we can discuss that separately from plans for temporary visits.
- Explain the costs and scope. Any OZVISA professional fees are separate from government visa application charges and other third-party costs. Our services and fees are set out in a service agreement.
Advice is provided by Rhys Cochrane, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 1568361. OZVISA assists clients from all countries, with a particular focus on the Philippines and Thailand.
Ask about your circumstances
Open our enquiry assistant to ask about migration advice. Let us know the traveller’s nationality, where they are now, their proposed visits and any previous visa refusals. Please do not send passport scans or sensitive documents in an initial website enquiry.
You can obtain official information and apply directly through Home Affairs without using OZVISA or another migration agent. Choosing professional advice is optional. Home Affairs makes all visa decisions; OZVISA cannot promise approval, a particular validity period or faster processing.
General information checked on 28 October 2026. Requirements can change. This article is not an assessment of your eligibility or a substitute for advice about your circumstances.
