485 visa subsequent entrant

You can include family members in your 485 visa application.

You can include members of the family unit in your application when you apply.

Family members who apply for the visa must meet our health and character requirements.

You can add your children to the application until a decision on your application is made. You can’t add any other member of the family unit to your application during that period.

Your family can also apply to join you in Australia as a subsequent entrant after the visa is granted.

Latest 485 visa changes and updates:

Recent News

Australian Visa Changes from 1 July 2026: Higher Fees, New Income Thresholds and Working Holiday Updates

Federal Budget 2026–27: Key Migration and Visa Changes for Australia

Skilled Partner Points and Changes in Marital Status for Subclass 190 Visa Applicants

Partner Visa Processing Update (April 2026): What Applicants Must Know

Iranian visa holders temporarily barred from travelling to Australia from 26 March

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Can a Subclass 485 visa application be lodged if the main applicant is in Australia and their spouse is overseas?

Generally, no.

For a combined Subclass 485 visa application, all applicants included in the application must usually be in Australia at the time the application is lodged. This requirement applies to both the primary applicant and any secondary applicants, including spouses and dependent children.

There was previously a temporary concession that allowed certain family members to be outside Australia when the application was lodged. However, that concession ended in November 2023.

As a result, in most current cases, a spouse who is included as a secondary applicant on a Subclass 485 application must be in Australia when the application is submitted.

If the spouse is overseas, it may be necessary to consider alternative options, such as lodging the primary applicant’s Subclass 485 application first and exploring whether the spouse can be added later as a subsequent entrant, depending on the circumstances.