An invitation explains the visit
Home Affairs lists a letter from a relative or friend in Australia as possible evidence for the Visitor visa (subclass 600) Tourist stream. It is especially relevant when you will visit or stay with that person. If your trip is a holiday without a host, an invitation may have no role; explain your actual travel plans instead.
The letter supports your account of the trip. It does not guarantee a visa, replace your own evidence of funds or temporary intent, or make the host a formal sponsor.
Official Tourist stream evidence examples · Home Affairs visitor tips
Keep the letter specific and truthful
Home Affairs says a host’s letter could state the relationship, purpose and length of the visit, and whether the visitor will stay with the host. A practical outline can also give the host’s name, address and contact details so the account is clear. Use approximate dates if plans are not final; keep them consistent with the application.
- Visitor’s name as shown in their passport and the host’s name.
- How they know each other and why the visit is planned.
- Approximate visit dates and whether accommodation is offered.
- Who will pay for travel, accommodation and everyday costs, if agreed.
- Host contact details and the date the letter was written.
If the host will pay for the stay, the official Tourist stream page says to provide proof of their funds. Do not claim support that has not been agreed.
Choose the right meaning of “sponsor”
A person can invite or help fund a visitor in the Tourist stream without becoming a formal sponsor. The Visitor 600 Sponsored Family stream is a separate application pathway with its own sponsor eligibility, obligations and Form 1149. Use that form only if the selected stream or Home Affairs specifically requires it.
Before paying for or preparing formal sponsorship documents, check which stream the applicant is actually using. If you are inviting a parent, our parent-visit guide compares the relevant visitor and longer-stay routes.
Parents visiting Australia → · Tourist vs formal sponsorship → · Official Sponsored Family stream · Official Form 1149 instructions
Give the visitor a usable document
The host can send the completed letter to the applicant to upload with their online application if relevant. The applicant should also provide the identity, travel, financial and return evidence requested in ImmiAccount. Translate non-English documents under Home Affairs’ rules and check that names, dates and funding details do not contradict the rest of the application.
If the visit has an urgent or compassionate purpose, Home Affairs recommends evidence explaining that reason, such as a relevant medical letter when appropriate. Follow the exact prompts for the application rather than adding unrelated private documents. Keep passports, bank statements and medical evidence in the applicant's own secure files; MyAusVisa does not collect them.
Official visitor application tips · See the full evidence guide →
What the letter can and cannot do
Can a friend invite me?
Home Affairs' visitor tips include a letter from family or friends when you plan to visit them. State the real relationship. The applicant still needs to meet the chosen visa's requirements and provide their own evidence.
What if the host pays for the visit?
Explain what the host will actually pay for and what the visitor will pay. The Tourist stream says to provide evidence of the host's funds when the host will pay for the stay. An offer of accommodation alone is different from paying all trip costs.
Does the host need Form 1149?
Form 1149 belongs to the separate Sponsored Family stream. A Tourist stream invitation does not itself create formal sponsorship. Confirm the selected stream before preparing that form.
Official invitation and funds tips · Sponsored Family requirements
Draft the invitation
Download a plain-text structure, replace every placeholder with true details and remove sections that do not apply.