Orphan Relative visa (subclass 117)

Eligibility criteria

1. Have a sponsor: The sponsor must be an eligible Australian relative, that is the relative must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. An eligible relative may include child’s siblings, grandparents, aunt and uncle or the current spouse or de facto partner of the child’s relative.  In addition, the relative must be settled in Australia. Usually, ‘settling’ means that the person has lived in Australia lawfully for at least two years. To approve the visa application, the case officer would also consider if the sponsor or the sponsor’s partner has been charged with offences relating to children.
2. Age: The child must be under 18 years old.
3. Have no parent who can care for them: The parent of the child cannot care for the child due to one of the following:
   1. Deceased
   2. Permanently incapable of caring for the child
   3. Can’t be found
4. Consent: The sponsor must have consented to bring the child over to Australia. For example, permission may need to be obtained from the court to allow the child to leave his/her home country.
5. Meet the health requirement
6. Meet the character requirement
7. Bringing the child to Australia must also be in the best interests of the child.

Cost

From $2,475 for the main applicant (from 1 July 2026), plus $1,235 for each additional applicant 18 and over and $625 for each additional applicant under 18.

Processing Times

Subclass 117 (applied for outside Australia):

• 50% of applications: 75 months
• 90% of applications: 97 months

Source: Home Affairs, updated 29 September 2026. Since 25 July 2026, orphan relative visas are processed straight after partner and child visas, ahead of all parent and other family visas.

Subclass 837 (in Australia)

If the child is already in Australia, the onshore Orphan Relative visa (subclass 837) may be available instead. The requirements are similar, but the child must be in Australia when the application is made and decided.

Assurance of Support

Home Affairs may ask for an Assurance of Support for an orphan relative. If one is requested, it is a discretionary assurance and no bond is required.

Orphan Relative Visa 117 or 837: Which One Applies?

There are two Orphan Relative visas. They have the same core requirements and the same government fee, and both are permanent visas. The difference is where the child is:

• Subclass 117 is for a child who is outside Australia. The child applies to migrate to Australia.
• Subclass 837 is for a child who is already in Australia, for example on a visitor visa. The child applies to stay in Australia permanently.

Before applying in Australia, check the conditions on the child’s current visa. Some visas restrict which further visas can be applied for in Australia, so get advice first if the child holds a visa with a “no further stay” condition.

Who Counts as a Relative?

“Orphan” has a specific legal meaning for this visa, and so does “relative”. The sponsor must be one of the following relatives of the child:

• brother, sister, step-brother or step-sister
• grandparent or step-grandparent
• aunt, uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle
• niece, nephew, step-niece or step-nephew

The spouse or de facto partner of one of these relatives may also be able to sponsor. A family friend, godparent or community member cannot sponsor under this visa, however close they are to the child.

The relationship must be proved with official records. Usually this means a chain of birth certificates, for example the sponsor’s birth certificate and the birth certificate of the child’s parent, showing that the sponsor and the parent are siblings.

What “No Parent Able to Care” Really Means

This is the requirement that decides most Orphan Relative applications. It is not enough that the child would have a better education, more opportunities or a safer life in Australia. Each parent must fall into one of three categories, and each needs evidence:

Parent’s situation	Typical evidence
The parent has died	An official death certificate or other official record of death
The parent is permanently incapacitated	Medical reports explaining the condition, why it is permanent, and why it stops the parent from caring for the child
The parent’s whereabouts are unknown	Evidence of genuine efforts to find the parent, such as police reports, official search records, notices and statements from people who knew the parent

If one parent is alive, well and can be contacted, the child will generally not qualify, even if that parent has not been involved in the child’s life. Financial hardship, long working hours, or a parent choosing to send the child to live with relatives does not by itself meet the requirement.

You should also explain who has been caring for the child, and where, since the child’s parents stopped caring for them.

Sponsor Requirements and Undertakings

The sponsor must be at least 18 years old and must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia. Settled usually means having lived in Australia lawfully for about two years.

The sponsor must be able to provide adequate accommodation and financial support for the child. When signing the sponsorship form, the sponsor undertakes to:

• provide accommodation and financial support to meet the child’s reasonable needs until the child turns 18, or for the child’s first two years in Australia if that is longer
• arrange accommodation for the child on arrival
• give the child information and advice about settling in Australia, and support them to attend English classes if needed
• attend an interview if Home Affairs asks
• tell Home Affairs in writing if they withdraw their support before the application is decided

Evidence of the sponsor’s income and employment over the last two years is usually provided, such as tax notices of assessment, payslips or an employer letter.

Police checks for sponsors

Because the applicant is a child, the sponsor and the sponsor’s partner will usually need an Australian National Police Check and police certificates from each country where they have lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years (since turning 16). Sponsorship will generally not be approved if the sponsor or their partner has a conviction or an outstanding charge for a registrable offence, which covers serious offences involving children.

Assurance of Support

An Assurance of Support is not automatically required, but Home Affairs can ask for one if it considers the applicant likely to rely on social security. If the sponsor cannot meet the income test, another person can act as the assurer.

Custody and Consent to Leave the Home Country

Informal family care is often not enough. If anyone still has the legal right to decide where the child lives, such as a surviving parent, a legal guardian or a court appointed carer, Home Affairs will need that person’s written consent, usually on the consent form with a certified copy of their identity document. Alternatively, you can provide a court order that allows the child to be permanently removed from their home country, or an Australian family law order that is consistent with the child migrating.

In many countries a local court must approve guardianship or the child’s departure. Start this process early, as it can take months.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Confirm eligibility. Check that the sponsor is an eligible relative and is settled in Australia, and that the evidence about both parents meets the test.
2. Sort out custody. Obtain consents or court orders from the child’s home country.
3. Collect documents. Gather civil documents for the child, the parents and the sponsor, with accredited English translations.
4. Complete the forms. The child’s application form and the sponsorship form are completed and lodged together.
5. Pay the visa application charge. The charge is paid online in advance and the receipt is included with the application.
6. Lodge by post or courier. Orphan Relative applications are lodged on paper with the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth. Applications sent to the wrong office are not valid, and a residential address (not a post office box) must be given.
7. Respond to requests. Home Affairs will ask for health examinations, police certificates and any further information. Respond within the time given.
8. Grant. For a 117, the child must be outside Australia when the visa is granted. For an 837, the child must be in Australia.

Document Checklist

For the child:

• passport bio page and two recent passport photos
• birth certificate showing both parents’ names
• death certificates, medical reports or evidence of searches for each parent
• custody consents or court orders
• police certificates if the child is 16 or older
• evidence of any change of name

For the sponsor:

• proof of Australian citizenship, permanent residence or eligible New Zealand citizenship, and length of residence in Australia
• birth certificates and other records proving the relationship to the child
• evidence of employment and income over the last two years
• details of the home the child will live in and who else lives there
• police checks for the sponsor and their partner

Documents not in English must be translated by an accredited translator. Provide certified copies, not originals, unless originals are requested.

Comparing the Orphan Relative Visa With Other Options

Visa	Best suited to
Orphan Relative (117 or 837)	A child under 18 with no parent able to care for them, sponsored by a settled relative
Child visa (101 or 802)	A child sponsored by their own parent who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
Adoption visa (102)	A child adopted, or being adopted, by an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
Remaining Relative visa (115)	A person whose only close relatives live in Australia (this visa has very long waiting times)
Carer visa (116 or 836)	A person coming to care for a relative in Australia with a long term medical condition

If a child’s situation does not quite meet the Orphan Relative requirements, see our relative visa options guide or speak with us about alternatives.

After the Visa Is Granted

The Orphan Relative visa is a permanent visa. Once granted, the child can live, study and work in Australia indefinitely and can enrol in Medicare.

The visa includes a travel facility that usually lasts five years from grant. After that, the child will need a Resident Return visa to come back to Australia after travelling, unless they have become an Australian citizen.

Many newly arrived migrants must wait before they can receive certain social security payments, so the sponsor should plan to support the child without relying on those payments. Holders of Orphan Relative visas may be eligible for government funded settlement support services.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying when one parent is still alive and contactable, without strong evidence that the parent is permanently unable to care for the child.
• Relying on informal arrangements with family members instead of formal consents or court orders.
• Weak evidence of the relationship between the sponsor and the child, such as missing or inconsistent birth records.
• Leaving the application too late when the child is close to turning 18.
• Information that differs between forms, civil records and earlier visa applications.
• Lodging at the wrong office, without the full fee, or with a post office box address, which makes the application invalid.

Orphan Relative Visa: Frequently Asked Questions