1. Overview
Know these facts cold before the first client conversation - they are also what the exam below tests. No - short visits only.
Visa typeTemporary
LodgementOffshore
StayUp to 3 months per entry, within 12 months
Work rightsNo work permitted
Study rightsUp to 3 months
Government chargeFree (no visa application charge)
Processing time~minutes to a few days
2. Process flow
The handling sequence for a 651 file, from first consultation to decision. Each step assumes the one before it is genuinely finished - not "mostly done".
- Check passport eligibility
eVisitor covers most European passports. If not eligible, use the ETA (601) or Visitor visa (600).
- Apply online
Free, online, usually decided within days.
- Brief on limits
3 months per entry within 12 months, no work.
5. Cost checklist
Quote the full stack, in writing, before the client signs. Surprise costs are the fastest way to lose a client's trust (and earn a complaint).
| Item | Indicative amount |
|---|
| Base visa application charge (2025-26, indicative) | Free (no visa application charge) |
| Health examinations (only if requested) | ~$300-500 |
| Biometrics collection (some countries) | Small fee at the collection centre |
| Your professional fee | Per your agency's schedule - quote in writing before Form 956 |
| Rule of thumb | Government charges usually change every 1 July - re-quote any file that lodges after 30 June |
7. Case studies - eligible cases
Illustrative composites showing what a grantable 651 file looks like in practice.
Grant: Tunde from Nepal
- Background
- Tunde, a marketing professional from Nepal. European passport holders visiting Australia for tourism or business visitor activities.
- Why it qualified
- (1) Hold an eligible eVisitor (mostly European) passport. (2) Visiting for tourism or business visitor activities. (3) No serious health or character concerns.
- What made the file strong
- Every claim was evidenced before lodgement - nothing was left 'to follow'.
- Outcome
- Granted within the indicative processing window (~minutes to a few days).
Grant: Anya from Thailand
- Background
- Anya, a farm-work backpacker from Thailand. European passport holders visiting Australia for tourism or business visitor activities.
- Why it qualified
- (1) Hold an eligible eVisitor (mostly European) passport. (2) Visiting for tourism or business visitor activities. (3) No serious health or character concerns.
- What made the file strong
- The file opened with a short submission mapping each criterion to its evidence, so the case officer never had to hunt.
- Outcome
- Granted within the indicative processing window (~minutes to a few days).
8. Case studies - refusal cases
The same visa, handled badly. Every one of these failure modes is screenable at the first consultation.
Refusal: Farid from the Philippines
- Background
- Farid, a retired engineer from the Philippines, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 651.
- What went wrong
- Trying to work on an eVisitor
- Outcome
- The application was refused, and the refusal must now be declared on every future application, for any country.
- Lesson for the agent
- Screen for this at the first consultation, before money changes hands. It is cheaper to delay a lodgement than to fight a refusal.
Refusal: Sofia from Turkey
- Background
- Sofia, a university student on a semester break from Turkey, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 651.
- What went wrong
- Overstaying the 3-month limit
- Outcome
- The Department refused; the client lost the application charge, months of lead time, and in this subclass a refusal also complicates any onshore follow-up.
- Lesson for the agent
- Put this issue on the document checklist on day one and refuse to lodge until it is closed out.
9. Self-exam
10 questions drawn from this manual. Pass mark 80%. Answers are graded on the server and your result is recorded against your agent profile - retakes are unlimited and your best score is kept. Log in to the agent portal first so your result is saved to My trainings.