Are you thinking of bringing your siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, or other relatives to Australia? As an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you can sponsor your relatives to come to Australia. In this article, we will go through the different visa options.
Overview of Family Sponsored Visas
Depending on the circumstances, below are some common visas to bring a family member over to Australia:
- Subclass 600 Visitor visa – Sponsored Family Stream
- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa – Family Sponsored
- Subclass 115 / Subclass 835 Remaining Relative Visa
- Subclass 116 / Subclass 836 Carer Visa
- Returning Australian bring overseas-born family
- New Zealand citizens bring family
- Partner Visa
- Parent Visa
At a glance
| Visa | Type | Who it suits | Base charge from 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass 600 Sponsored Family | Temporary (up to 12 months) | Relatives visiting family in Australia | $250 |
| Subclass 491 Family Sponsored | Provisional (5 years) | Skilled relatives with a family sponsor in a regional area | $6,140 |
| Subclass 115 / 835 Remaining Relative | Permanent | People whose only near relatives live in Australia | $6,600 |
| Subclass 116 / 836 Carer | Permanent | Relatives coming to care for someone with a long-term medical condition | $2,720 |
| Citizenship by descent | Citizenship | People born overseas to an Australian citizen parent | $380 |
| Subclass 461 | Temporary (5 years) | Family members of New Zealand citizens | $1,330 |
Partner and parent visas have their own guides, linked below. Fees are the main applicant base charge and change each year.
Subclass 600 – Visitor Visa
Subclass 600 Visitor Visa – Sponsored Family Stream is suitable if you plan to invite your relatives to visit Australia for up to 12 months. With this visa, the family member can visit family or friends, travel around Australia, and study for up to 3 months in total on this visa. It is crucial to note that the applicant cannot work on this visa. This visa is perfect for applicants who want to stay in Australia temporarily.
To sponsor a relative to Australia, you must be a settled Australian citizen or permanent resident. You must also be at least 18 years old. As a sponsor, you must also have the ability to pay a security bond if asked by the Department. The amount for the security bond is discretionary. However, if requested, it usually ranges between $5,000 – $15,000 per person.
Processing time: varies by country and circumstances; see our processing times guide.
Costs: $250 (base application charge from 1 July 2026; see our visa fee guide)
Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa – Family Sponsored
The subclass 491 visa was introduced on 16 November 2019. It enables eligible skilled workers and their families to live, work and study in designated regional areas of Australia for five years. Visa holders will be eligible to apply for a Permanent Residence visa after three years. Applicants must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government or sponsored by an eligible family member residing in a designated regional area.
The sponsor must be:
- 18 years old or older
- usually resident in a designated area of Australia
- be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen
- be your or your partner’s eligible relative
An eligible relative can be:
- a parent
- a child or step-child
- a brother, sister, adoptive brother, adoptive sister, step-brother or step-sister
- an aunt, uncle, adoptive aunt, adoptive uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle
- a nephew, niece, adoptive nephew, adoptive niece, step-nephew or step-niece
- a grandparent, or
- a first cousin
The subclass 491 visa is point tested. The applicant must have at least 65 points to express his/her interest to apply however invitations are competitive and the points needed change from round to round, so you may need well above 65 points to receive an invitation to apply. The other requirements include:
- Be sponsored or nominated.
- Be under 45 years old.
- Have a positive skills assessment.
- Have at least competent English.
- Under the family Sponsored stream, the applicant’s occupation must be on the MLTSSL list.
- Pass health and character requirement.
Cost: $6,140 (base application charge from 1 July 2026; see our visa fee guide)
Processing times: see our 491 visa processing time guide.
Subclass 115 / Subclass 835 Remaining Relative Visa
Subclass 115/ Subclass 835 is the remaining relative visa. Subclass 115 is for applicants who are overseas while subclass 835 is for applicants who are in Australia when applying for the visa. The remaining relative visa is a permanent visa that allows the applicant to move to Australia to be with their only close relative.
The eligibility requirements are:
- You must have a sponsor – The applicant must be sponsored by an eligible parent or step-parent, sibling or step-sibling, or an eligible partner of your relative.
- You must have no other near relatives – Near relatives is defined as:
- parent or step-parent
- partner’s parent or step-parent
- sibling or step-sibling
- child or stepchild who is 18 or older and not dependent on you
- child or stepchild who is under 18 and not in your or your partner’s daily care and control
- You must have assurance of support – This is to make sure that the applicant will not have to rely on government assistance.
- You must meet health and character requirements.
With this visa, the applicant can stay, work and study in Australia indefinitely.
Costs: $6,600 (base application charge from 1 July 2026; see our visa fee guide)
Processing times: There are a limited number of remaining relative visa granted each year. As such, the waiting time is very long and can run to several decades.
Subclass 116 / Subclass 836 Carer Visa
Carer visa is also a permanent visa. It allows the applicant to move to Australia to care for someone with a long-term medical condition. To be eligible:
- You must be a carer. You intend to provide ongoing substantial care and support for the sponsoring relative or the family member.
- Have a sponsor.
- The sponsor must be the applicant’s relative.
- As a sponsor, you must agree to provide housing and financial support for the first two years the applicant lives in Australia.
- You must be medically assessed as someone who requires ongoing medical care.
- You do not have reasonable access to care options in Australia. That is, you cannot get adequate care from another relative or from an Australian welfare, hospital or community service.
- The applicant must meet health and character requirement.
Costs: $2,720 (base application charge from 1 July 2026; see our visa fee guide)
Processing times: carer visas are capped and queued, so the wait is usually many years.
Returning Australian bring overseas-born family
If one of your parents was an Australian citizen at the time of your birth, you could apply for citizenship by descent. Once you receive the citizenship, you can apply for an Australian passport.
Costs: $380 (application fee)
Processing times: see our citizenship processing times.
New Zealand citizens bring family
As a New Zealand citizen, you do not need to apply for a visa before you come to Australia. You will be granted a Special Category Visa (SCV) when you arrive.
If you are one of the members of the family unit of a New Zealand citizen, you can apply for the subclass 461 – New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship Visa. This visa will let you live and work in Australia for five years.
Members of family unit include the partner and dependent child of the New Zealand citizen.
Partner Visa
You can find out more here.
Parent Visa
You can find out more here.
Above are some of the common visa options to bring family members over to Australia.
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