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Most Dubai expats who want to holiday in Australia or see family there need the Visitor visa, subclass 600, tourist stream. You lodge it online in ImmiAccount, pay the Home Affairs fee in Australian dollars, and give biometrics at the Australian visa centre run by VFS Global in the UAE. The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai processes UAE files. Times are indicative only.
Who handles your application
Three bodies show up in a Dubai application, and it helps to know which does what:
- Department of Home Affairs owns ImmiAccount and the rules. You lodge and pay there.
- Australian Consulate-General in Dubai processes all visa applications from the UAE. People searching "Australia embassy in Dubai" usually mean this office. The embassy itself is in Abu Dhabi.
- VFS Global runs the Australian Visa Application Centres. They only take biometrics and handle paperwork. They do not decide.
Which stream fits your trip
Subclass 600 has more than one stream. For a holiday or a visit to friends and family, you lodge in the tourist stream from outside Australia. That covers most people reading this page. Business trips and formally sponsored family visits have their own streams, listed on the Home Affairs subclass 600 page.
Some passports can use an Australian electronic travel authority instead of a visitor visa. Living in the UAE does not decide that, your nationality does. Home Affairs' visa finder shows the options for your passport, so run it before you start.
Fees
| Item | Paid to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa subclass 600, tourist stream | Home Affairs, online | Check the Home Affairs pricing page |
| Biometrics | Collected at the visa centre | Ask when you book |
| Optional centre services | VFS Global | Priced by the centre |
Source: Home Affairs visitor visa pricing page and the Australian Embassy UAE page, checked . The pricing page did not open for our checker, so we do not print a fee we could not confirm.
Home Affairs updates its prices from time to time. Use the visa pricing estimator on the day you lodge.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 800 to AED 1,500 for Australia visitor visa help (published prices of 5 Dubai agencies, checked ). One agency lists the government visa fee as included in its price. The others do not say, so confirm before you compare quotes.
Documents that build a strong file
Home Affairs wants to see a genuine temporary visit and enough money for it. A Dubai resident's upload usually covers:
- Passport bio page, and earlier visas for Australia, the UK, the US, Canada or Schengen if you have them.
- UAE residence visa and Emirates ID.
- Employer letter from your Dubai company: position, salary, length of service and approved leave.
- Bank statements in your name showing regular income and funds for the trip.
- Travel plan: dates, cities, hotel bookings or the address of the people you stay with.
- If you visit family: an invitation letter and proof of the host's status in Australia.
- For children: birth certificate and consent from any parent not travelling.
Upload each document as a clear PDF with a plain file name, so the officer finds what they need without asking.
Step by step from Dubai
- Create an ImmiAccount and start a Visitor (600) application.
- Answer the questions, upload documents and pay the fee online.
- Wait for the biometrics request, then book at the VFS Global centre in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
- Attend, give fingerprints and a photo. Bring your passport and the request letter.
- Watch ImmiAccount and your email for any request for more information or health checks.
- Get the decision in ImmiAccount and by email, and keep the grant notice with your passport.
Processing time
The Australian Embassy in the UAE says processing times are indicative and only start once the application is complete. In practice that means: from the day your biometrics are taken and all documents are in. Home Affairs posts global processing times on its website. Check them when you lodge, because they shift with demand. A request for more information stops the clock until you reply.
Why Australian visitor visas get refused
- Genuine visitor doubts. A long trip, a short job history in Dubai or a residence visa ending soon after the trip.
- Not enough funds, or funds that do not match your salary.
- Incomplete applications. Missing biometrics or unanswered requests.
- Past immigration issues anywhere, especially if left out of the form.
- Character or health concerns that need more checks.
A refusal often comes with reasons. Read them before applying again, and fix the point raised.
How it works with us
Send your passport copy, UAE residence visa and travel dates on WhatsApp, or use the form on this page. A visa adviser tells you which subclass 600 stream fits and what to upload for your case. You see one total price before you pay. The team prepares the ImmiAccount application with you, uploads a tidy file, pays the Home Affairs fee, books your biometrics and answers any follow-up from the Consulate-General with you. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service, not the consulate. Home Affairs alone grants or refuses the visa.
Home Affairs does not return the visa fee after a refusal. Before you pay, your adviser sets out in writing what part of our total, if any, comes back if the visa is refused.
Plan the rest of the trip
Many travellers combine Australia with New Zealand. See our New Zealand visa from Dubai guide, which runs on a different online system. Other long-haul guides: Canada visa from Dubai and UK visa from Dubai. The full list is on visas from Dubai.
Official sources
- Australian Embassy UAE, visiting Australia: online lodgement in ImmiAccount, biometrics at a visa centre, indicative processing times.
- Australian Embassy UAE, visas and migration: processing by the Consulate-General in Dubai.
- Home Affairs visitor visa pricing: current subclass 600 fee. Did not open for our checker.
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