Relative visa options

You will need a relative visa if you want to move to Australia and live here permanently because:

• you are aged and financially dependent on a relative who lives here, or
• your and your partner’s only remaining relatives live here and you want to be near them.

If you only want to visit Australia for a short or temporary period of time, you will need  a different kind of visa.

You may be eligible to apply for a relative visa if:

• You are related to:
  • An Australian citizen, or
  • An Australian permanent resident, or
  • An eligible New Zealand citizen
• The person you are related to is 18 years of age or older

You should be aware that not many people are eligible for relative visas. Please read the scenarios below for more information.

You will need to have a sponsor to apply for a relative visa to live in Australia as a permanent resident.

A sponsor must be one of the following or their partner:

• An Australian citizen, or
• An Australian permanent resident, or
• An eligible New Zealand citizen

And:

• Be 18 years of age or over
• Be related to the visa applicant
• Be lawfully resident in Australia for a reasonable period of time

Your sponsor will have further eligibility requirements depending on your visa option. You can read more about the relative visa options below.

Applying outside Australia

Scenario 1

• You are applying outside Australia
• You depend on a relative who lives in Australia for financial support
• You want to travel to and live permanently in Australian
• You are old enough to receive the Australian Age Pension (currently 67)

To be eligible for an Aged Dependent Relative Visa (subclass 114), you must:

• Be sponsored by a relative or their partner who lives in Australia
• Not be married or in a de facto relationship
• Meet dependency requirements
• Meet age requirements
• Have an assurance of support
• Meet health and character requirement

Family members of an applicant for an Aged Dependent Relative Visa (subclass 114) may also be eligible for the visa because of their family relationship with the visa applicant.

Scenario 2

• You are applying outside Australia
• You want to live in Australia to be with your near relatives
• You do not have any other near relatives living anywhere else in the world
• You want to become an Australian permanent resident

Visa option: Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115)

To be eligible for a Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115), you must:

• Have your only near relatives living in Australia
• Be sponsored by an eligible near relative or their partner who lives in Australia
• Have an assurance of support
• Meet health and character requirements

Family members of an applicant for a Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115) may also be eligible for the visa because of their family relationship with the visa applicant.

See > Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115)

Applying in Australia

Scenario 3

• You are applying in Australia
• You depend on a relative who lives in Australia
• You want to become an Australian permanent resident
• You are old enough to receive the Australian Age Pension (currently 67)

Visa option: Aged Dependent Relative Visa (subclass 838)

To be eligible for an Aged Dependent Relative Visa (subclass 838), you must:

• Be sponsored by a relative or their partner who lives in Australia
• Not be married or in a de facto relationship
• Meet dependency requirements
• Meet age requirements
• Have an assurance of support
• Meet health and character requirements

Family members of an applicant for an Aged Dependent Relative Visa (subclass 838) may also be eligible for the visa because of their family relationship with the visa applicant.

See > Aged Dependent Relative Visa (subclass 838)

Scenario 4

• You are applying in Australia
• You want to live in Australia to be with your near relatives
• You do not have any other near relatives living anywhere else in the world
• You want to become an Australian permanent resident

Visa option: Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 835)

To be eligible for a Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 835), you must:

• Have your only near relatives living in Australia
• Be sponsored by an eligible near relative or their partner who lives in Australia
• Have an assurance of support
• Meet health and character requirements

Family members of an applicant for a Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 835) may also be eligible for the visa because of their family relationship with the visa applicant.

You may also be able to bring a relative to Australia through these visas:

• Carer visa (subclass 116 and 836), if you need to provide long-term care to a relative in Australia with a medical condition
• Orphan Relative visa (subclass 117), for a child under 18 whose parents cannot care for them