Dummy ticket for Australia visa: do you need one for subclass 600?

A dummy ticket for Australia visa applications is optional. Home Affairs does not name a flight ticket, reservation or itinerary anywhere on the Visitor visa (subclass 600) document list, and its advice points the other way: do not arrange travel until the visa is granted in writing. You can lodge a complete application in ImmiAccount without any flight document.

Some applicants still attach one. The list asks for "your plans while in Australia", and a held reservation puts dates and a route on those plans without buying a fare before the decision. That is the only job it does in a subclass 600 file.

What Home Affairs says about flight tickets and travel plans

Home Affairs tells you not to book travel before the grant. The "After you apply" step on the subclass 600 page says: "Do not arrange to travel to Australia until we let you know, in writing, that we have granted you the visa." A paid flight bought before that letter is money at risk if the application is refused.

The "Genuine visitor documents" step lists four kinds of evidence. None of them is a flight booking, and only one of them has anything to do with dates.

Showing your plans with a day-by-day outline and a reservation is something applicants choose to do. Home Affairs does not instruct it. If an agent's checklist says a flight ticket is mandatory, compare it with the official page. Our subclass 600 documents checklist for Indians goes through every item on the list.

Which visa Indian passport holders apply for

Indian passport holders apply for the Visitor visa (subclass 600). For a holiday or a family visit lodged from outside Australia, the stream is called "Tourist stream (apply outside Australia)". The Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) and the eVisitor (subclass 651) are open only to listed passports, and India is on neither list. The ETA list covers passports such as Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, the USA and the UK. The eVisitor list is European passports only.

Eligibility goes by passport, not by where you live, so an Indian citizen in Dubai, Riyadh or London applies for subclass 600 in the same way. The official wording on length of stay is "Generally, we grant a stay period of 3 months." Longer stays, up to 12 months, are possible in some circumstances. There is no visa label in the passport: the grant is linked digitally to it, and can be single or multiple entry.

Visa fee: AUD 250 since 1 July 2026

The subclass 600 Tourist stream costs from AUD 250 per applicant when you apply from outside Australia, as of September 2026. The charge rose from AUD 200 on 1 July 2026, under regulations registered on 30 June 2026. The in-Australia charge rose on the same day.

Each family member applies and pays separately. Two adults applying from India lodge two applications, each from AUD 250, so at least AUD 500 in base charges. Health checks, police certificates or biometrics can add to that if Home Affairs asks for them. Rupee amounts move with the exchange rate, so check the AUD figure on the Home Affairs stream page on the day you pay. DTV has no part in any government charge.

Applying from India through ImmiAccount

Visitor visa applications from India are made online, through ImmiAccount on the Home Affairs website. You fill in the application there, upload your documents and pay the charge. Do not assume you need to visit a visa centre.

Home Affairs tells you if it needs your biometrics. VFS Global runs the Australian Biometrics Collection Centres, and the official centre list, correct as of March 2026, has no centre in India. It does list centres in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, and in Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. If you are an Indian living in the Gulf, a biometrics request would be met at one of those centres. Our page for UAE residents covers ordering a reservation from there.

Processing time: no fixed figure

Home Affairs does not publish a fixed number of days for subclass 600. Its processing time guide tool shows how long recently decided applications took and calls itself "a guide only". Check it in the week you plan to lodge, and leave margin before your trip.

The open-ended wait matters if you attach a reservation. A held booking is temporary, and how long it lasts depends on the airline. A reservation that was live when you uploaded it may have lapsed by the time a case officer opens your file. That is normal for a hold, and we cannot tell you how a particular officer will read it. Our guide to how long a reservation stays live explains the airline side.

Where a dummy ticket for Australia visa files fits

A reservation from Dummy Tickets Visa (DTV) is a booking made in the airline's reservation system and held without paying the fare. It has a PNR you can check on the airline's "Manage booking" page, and it arrives as a PDF itinerary by email or WhatsApp, typically 10–20 minutes after your payment is confirmed. It costs US$15 (₹1,200) per passenger, one-way or return. It is not a paid ticket and cannot be used to board.

Timing is the part to get right. The booking form asks when you want to receive the reservation, and it is issued on that date. Choose the day before you plan to upload your documents in ImmiAccount, then check the PNR on the airline website before you attach it. Our flight reservation for visa page explains how the hold itself works.

Other subclass 600 streams and student visas

This page covers the Tourist stream. Subclass 600 also has separate streams for business visits and for visitors formally sponsored by a family member in Australia. Each has its own conditions, set out on the Home Affairs Visitor visa pages. For how a reservation fits those trips, see our pages on family visit visas and business visitor trips. Coming to Australia to study needs a student visa, not subclass 600; our student visa page covers that.

Before you lodge: a short checklist

• Choose the Visitor visa (subclass 600), Tourist stream: Indian passports are on neither the ETA nor the eVisitor list
• Check the current AUD charge on the Home Affairs page on the day you pay
• Prepare proof of funds, your plans while in Australia, an invitation letter if you are visiting someone, and proof of reasons to return home
• Do not buy flights until the grant arrives in writing
• If you attach a reservation, have it issued the day before you lodge and check the PNR first
• Watch ImmiAccount and your email for a biometrics request

For other countries, the visa guides hub lists every destination we cover. If you decide a reservation helps your file, you can order it online for up to 9 passengers on one itinerary.

Which documents carry the most weight

The flight document is one part of this picture. A strong file depends far more on finances and ties than on flights.

Avoiding scams

Australia is a popular destination for Indian travellers, and scam websites target applicants with "guaranteed" documents or "visa-approved tickets". No provider can guarantee a visa. Watch for sites with no contact details, prices that change at checkout, or documents that cannot be looked up on an airline site. Our checklist of dummy ticket scam red flags helps you spot common tricks before you pay.

Frequently asked questions

Last updated 30 October 2026 by Girish A. Visa requirements change, so confirm the current checklist with the embassy, consulate or official application centre before you apply. A reservation supports a visa file and cannot guarantee a visa decision.