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This visa is designed for a single, older person who wishes to stay in Australia indefinitely, and is financially dependent on a relative residing in Australia. It must be applied for from inside Australia.
An example of someone could apply for this visa is:
- A financially dependent parent who is ineligible to apply for any of the Australian Parent visas because they fail to satisfy the balance-of-family test requirement.
The 838 visa could be an option for them as it does not have the balance-of-family test requirement.
However, there are other eligibility criteria that the applicant(s) and sponsor must meet prior to applying for this visa (see ‘Eligibility’ below).
Length of Stay
This is a permanent visa. It lets you stay in Australia indefinitely.
For citizenship purposes, your permanent residency starts on the day this visa is granted to you.
Cost
From AUD$6,600. There are additional charges for each family member that applies with you.
You pay for this visa in two parts called ‘instalments’. The first instalment is paid when you apply for the visa. The second is paid when the Department of Home Affairs requests it.
Eligibility
Who could get this visa?
You could be eligible for this visa if:
- You have a sponsor; and
- Are old enough to receive the Age Pension in Australia; and
- Are financially dependent on an Australian relative (or Australian relatives’ spouse or de facto partner); and
- Have no partner
Who is an eligible sponsor?
Your sponsor must be above the age of 18, and be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen. They must also be your relative, or your relatives’ spouse or de facto partner who cohabitates with your relative.
What does being financially dependent look like?
You need to have been dependent on your relative in Australia for basic needs like food, shelter and clothing for at least the last 3 years before you apply for the visa.
You may also be dependent on your relative due to disability that prevents you from working.
What is considered older?
At the time of applying, you must be old enough to be granted the age pension under the Australian Social Security Act 1991.
The Age Pension age is 67.
Who is considered a relative?
Your child, parent, brother, sister, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew (or step equivalent)
What is considered single?
You must not have a spouse or de facto partner of the same or opposite gender.
Other requirements of this visa
Not have a No Further Stay condition
A ‘No Further Stay’ condition is a condition that prevents the visa holder from applying for many temporary and permanent visas while they are in Australia. ‘No Further Stay’ conditions include 8503, 8534 and 8535. You can read more here: https://visaenvoy.com/no-further-stay-8503/
Assurance of Support
An Assurance of Support is an undertaking by a person stating they agree to financially assist you, to ensure the cost to the Australian taxpayer is minimised. This legal document assures the Australian Government that you will not rely on government benefits for at least the first four years of your residency in Australia.
Health requirement
You must meet certain health requirements. Simply put, you must be free from any disease or condition that is a significant healthcare and community service cost to the Australian community, and likely to limit the access of Australian citizens and permanent residents to health care and community services that are in short supply by placing demand on those services.
Paid back debts to Australian Government
You must have no outstanding debts to the Australians Government or have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government before this visa can be granted.
No visa cancellations or previous visa refusals
You might not be eligible for this visa if you have previously had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.
Best interests of the child
The Australian Department of Home Affairs will not grant you this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
The Key Requirements Explained
Age Pension age
You must be old enough to receive the Australian Age Pension. The increase in Age Pension age has now finished, and it is 67. You need to have reached this age when you apply.
Being single
You must not have a spouse or de facto partner. If you are widowed, divorced, separated with no new partner, or have never married, you may meet this requirement. If you marry or enter a de facto relationship before the visa is granted, you will no longer be eligible.
Financial dependence
Dependence is the requirement most applications turn on. You need to show that you rely wholly or substantially on your relative in Australia for your basic needs, such as food, shelter and clothing, and that this has been the case for a sustained period (Home Affairs generally looks for at least the last three years). Occasional gifts or help with extras are not enough.
Home Affairs looks at your whole financial picture. If you have your own pension, income, savings, property or other assets that could cover your basic needs, it is harder to show that you depend on your relative. The support should also be genuine and not arranged simply to qualify for the visa.
Evidence of Dependence
Strong evidence usually shows both sides: the support you receive and the lack of other resources. Useful documents include:
- bank statements and money transfer records showing regular payments from your relative over at least three years
- evidence that your relative pays your rent, bills, medical costs or other living expenses
- evidence that you live in your relative’s home, if that is the case
- evidence of your own income and assets (or that you have none), such as pension statements or bank records
- statements from you and your relative explaining how the support works and why you need it
- medical evidence, if a disability that prevents you from working is part of the reason for your dependence
Your Visa Status When You Apply
The 838 visa is applied for from inside Australia, and you must also be in Australia when it is granted. Many older people visiting family are in Australia on a visitor visa. Check your visa grant notice carefully: many visitor visas carry a “No Further Stay” condition (8503, 8534 or 8535), which would stop you from lodging. See our page on condition 8503.
If you lodge a valid application while you hold a substantive visa, you will usually be granted a bridging visa that lets you stay lawfully after your current visa ends. Given the length of the queue, you may hold a bridging visa for a very long time, so check its conditions. A bridging visa A does not let you leave and return, so you would usually need a bridging visa B before travelling. See our bridging visas guide.
Assurance of Support for the 838 Visa
An Assurance of Support (AoS) is required before the 838 visa can be granted. Your assurer (usually the relative you depend on) agrees to repay certain social security payments you receive during the assurance period.
- The assurance period for the Aged Dependent Relative visa is four years, starting from the visa grant date (or the date you enter Australia as a permanent resident, if later).
- A bond is usually required: $5,000 for the main applicant and $2,000 for each other adult. It is held by the Commonwealth Bank and refunded at the end of the period, less any recoverable payments.
- The assurer must meet an income test, assessed using Australian Taxation Office notices of assessment. Up to three people can give a joint assurance.
- The AoS is lodged with Services Australia only when Home Affairs asks for it, at final processing.
Read our Assurance of Support guide for more detail.
Processing Times and the Queue
Aged Dependent Relative visas are part of the capped and queued Other Family category, so the wait is very long.
- Applications that meet the core criteria are given a queue date and released for final processing in queue date order.
- As at 31 August 2026, applications with queue dates up to 30 June 2013 had been released.
- Home Affairs’ own published estimate for new applications is measured in decades (26 years at the time of writing).
- Since 25 July 2026, aged dependent relative visas are in the lowest processing priority group for family visas, together with non-contributory parent and remaining relative visas.
Because of the wait, you need to keep meeting the requirements, including being single and dependent, until a decision is made. See our family visa processing times page for current queue dates.
Costs: A Worked Example
Government visa application charges from 1 July 2026 are:
| Charge | Amount |
| First instalment, main applicant | $6,600 |
| First instalment, each additional applicant 18 or over | $3,300 |
| First instalment, each additional applicant under 18 | $1,655 |
| Second instalment, per applicant (paid before grant) | $2,065 |
A single applicant applying alone pays $6,600 at lodgement and $2,065 before grant, a total of $8,665 in government charges. The $5,000 Assurance of Support bond is payable on top of this and refunded after four years, less any recoverable payments. Health examinations, police certificates, translations and professional fees are extra. See our 2026 visa fee changes.
How to Apply for the 838 Visa: Step by Step
- Check the core requirements. Confirm your age, that you are single, and that you can prove at least three years of financial dependence.
- Confirm your sponsor. Your sponsor must be your eligible relative in Australia (or their partner), aged 18 or over, and an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
- Check your visa status. Make sure your current visa has no “No Further Stay” condition and that you can lodge in Australia.
- Prepare the forms and evidence. The application is made on paper using the Other Family visa form (form 47OF), with a sponsorship form (form 40) from your sponsor.
- Lodge and pay the first instalment. Paper applications are sent by post or courier to the Home Affairs processing centre for parent, child and other family visas. The application, sponsorship, documents and payment must be sent together.
- Receive an acknowledgement and queue date. If the core criteria are met, your application is placed in the queue.
- Keep your details up to date. Report any change of address, passport or circumstances while you wait.
- Final processing. When your application is released, you will provide health examinations, police certificates, the Assurance of Support and the second instalment before grant.
Document Checklist
For you:
- passport and national identity documents
- birth certificate and any change of name documents
- evidence that you are single, such as a divorce certificate or a partner’s death certificate, if applicable
- documents showing your relationship to your relative, such as birth certificates linking you
- evidence of financial dependence (see the list above)
- details of your current and previous Australian visas
- police certificates and health examinations, when requested
For your sponsor:
- proof of identity and Australian citizenship, permanent residence or eligible New Zealand citizenship
- evidence that they are settled and usually resident in Australia
- evidence of the support they provide to you
Documents that are not in English must be translated into English by an accredited translator.
838 vs Aged Parent and Other Parent Visas
| Visa | Balance of family test | Must be single and dependent | 1st instalment (main applicant) | 2nd instalment (per applicant) |
| 838 Aged Dependent Relative | No | Yes | $6,600 | $2,065 |
| 804 Aged Parent | Yes | No | $6,600 | $2,065 |
| 864 Contributory Aged Parent | Yes | No | $6,300 | $43,600 |
| 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) | No | No | $1,515 | $4,855 (3 years) or $10,925 (5 years) |
Fees are government visa application charges from 1 July 2026. The 838 and 804 have similar costs and long queues. The contributory 864 costs much more but is processed far sooner, while the 870 is temporary and does not lead to permanent residence. For a parent who fails the balance of family test, the 838 can be one of the few permanent options, but only if the single and dependence requirements are met. See our parent visa costs page.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying with only a few months of transfers, rather than a sustained history of dependence.
- Not disclosing your own pension, savings or property overseas, which Home Affairs will consider.
- Lodging while holding a visitor visa with a “No Further Stay” condition.
- Applying before reaching Age Pension age.
- Assuming the assurer’s income now will still meet the income test when the application is finally processed many years later.
- Sending an incomplete paper application, or one without the full first instalment.
Aged Dependent Relative Visa 838: Frequently Asked Questions
Can a parent apply for the 838 visa?
Yes. A parent is an eligible relative, and the balance of family test does not apply. However, the parent must be single, of Age Pension age and genuinely financially dependent on their child in Australia.
Can a married couple apply together?
No. The main applicant must not have a spouse or de facto partner. A couple would need to look at a parent visa or another option.
Does receiving a pension from my home country stop me qualifying?
Not automatically, but it makes dependence harder to prove. The question is whether you rely wholly or substantially on your relative for your basic needs. If your own pension covers most of your living costs, you are unlikely to be considered dependent.
What is the difference between the 838 and the 114?
They have the same core requirements. The 838 is applied for and granted in Australia, while the 114 is applied for and granted outside Australia.
Can I get Medicare while I wait?
It depends on your circumstances and the visa you hold. Medicare eligibility is decided by Services Australia, so check with them after you lodge.
Is the 838 visa worth applying for given the wait?
It depends on your age, health and family circumstances. For some people the main benefit is being able to remain in Australia lawfully on a bridging visa while the application is in the queue. We can compare the 838 with other options in a consultation.
