More Family Visas : Australian family visa : Australian parent visa : Australian partner visa : spouse visa

MARN 0320925

Australian Family Visa

Prospective immigrants with family members who are residents or citizens of Australia, or eligible New Zealand citizens permanently resident in Australia may be eligible for a Parent visa, Child visa, Partner visa, Spouse visa, Orphan relative visa, Fiancee visa, Remaining relative visa, Carer visa, Interdepencency visa or other family visa options.

Before applying for any of these visas, certain eligibility requirements must be met.
To determine your eligibility, complete our Free Assessment We will then assess your
current immigration status and the strict criteria that must be met before an application is made.

Partner Visas/Spouse Visas

Partner visas and spouse visas are intended for partners, spouses, interdependent partners and prospective spouses of settled, permanent resident Australian citizens or eligible New Zealand citizens who are permanent residents of Australia.

Applicants for Spouse visas and Partner visas must be sponsored by their eligible partner and must demonstrate a relationship of at least 12 months.

Spouse visas and Interdependent visas can be applied for from within or outside of Australia. Additional eligibility criteria apply.

Prospective Marriage Visa

Prospective Marriage visas, sometimes called Fiancé visas, are intended for prospective immigrants who wish to enter Australia and marry their fiancé, who must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

After the marriage takes place, holders of Prospective Marriage visas can apply to remain permanently in Australia if they have also met the required additional eligibility criteria.

Orphan Relative Visa

Orphan Relative visas are intended for children from overseas whose parents are deceased or permanently incapacitated, or whose whereabouts are unknown. In order to be eligible for an Orphan Relative visa, the child must have a relative who is an eligible sponsor.

The eligible relative in Australia must be a brother, sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, and must be a settled, Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

Orphan Relative visa applicants must be under the age of 18 and single. In some cases, an Assurance of Support may be required for Orphan Relative visas applicants.

Carer Visa

Carer visas are intended for prospective immigrants who are needed to care for an Australian relative or member of their family unit who has a medical condition.

To be eligible for a Carer visa, the applicant’s relative in need of care must be an Australian citizen, permanent Australian resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and must usually reside in Australia.

Additionally, Carer visas are only available to caregivers who are related to the eligible relative living in Australia as their spouse, child, parent, brother, sister, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew (or the step equivalent of these relationships).

Child Visa

Child visas are intended for natural children, adopted children or stepchildren of Australian citizens, holders of permanent visas or eligible New Zealand citizens.

Child visa applicants must be sponsored, and must be single and under the age of 25. Stepchildren requiring Child visas must meet additional criteria. Children between the ages of 18 and 25 must be a dependent or a full-time student. Adopted children are not eligible for this visa if they were adopted after their sponsor arrived in Australia.

Parent Visa

Applications for Parent visas currently take approximately 17 years to process; however, Contributory Parent visa applications are being processed in as little as 15 months.

To be eligible for Parent visas, applicants must have an eligible sponsor, which is usually the applicant’s child.

In order to qualify for a Parent visa, the applicant must have an Assurance of Support bond for two years. Applicants for Parent visas must also meet the requirements of the Balance of Family Test.

Aged parents are eligible to apply for a Parent visa from within Australia; however, additional eligibility requirements will apply.

Contributory Parent Visa

Applicants for Contributory Parent visas must meet the same eligibility criteria as those applying for Parent visas; however, the Assurance of Support bond for Contributory Parent visa applicants is for 10 years.

If an applicant pays the Health Contribution Charge associated with the Contributory Parent visa, application processing time is significantly reduced.

Aged parents are eligible to apply for Contributory Parent visas from within Australia; however, additional eligibility requirements will apply.

Contributory Parent
(Temporary) Visa

In order to be eligible for Contributory Parent (Temporary) visas, applicants must meet the same eligibility criteria as those applying for Contributory Parent visas; however, the Health Contribution Charge may be paid to the Department in two installments up to two years apart.

The required Assurance of Support bond is not due until the permanent approval stage, which can be up to two years after the Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa is initially granted.

Aged parents are eligible to apply for Contributory Parent (Temporary) visas from within Australia; however, additional eligibility requirements will apply.

Dependent Child Visa

Dependent Child visas are intended for natural children, adopted children or stepchildren of holders of temporary partner visas. The Dependent Child visa applicant must be sponsored by the same person who sponsored his or her parent and must be under the age of 18.

Additionally, Dependent Child visa applicants must be single and must apply for Dependent Child visas prior to the finalisation of their parent’s permanent visa application.

New Zealand Citizen
Family Relationship Visa

New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visas are for family members of Special Category visa holders who are not eligible for a Special category visa themselves, because they are not New Zealand citizens.

Each applicant for a New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa must be related to the Special Category visa holder as their spouse, their (or their spouse’s) dependent child, the dependent child of their (or their spouse’s) dependent child or their (or their spouse’s) relative.

To be eligible for New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visas, applicants must usually be a resident in the Special Category visa holder’s household, dependent on the Special Category visa holder and widowed, divorced, separated or never married.

Adoption Visa

Adoption visas are intended for children from overseas who have been, or are about to be, adopted by an Australian citizen, Australian permanent visa holder or eligible New Zealand citizen.

For adoptive parents living in Australia, in order to meet the eligibility requirements for an Adoption visa, the relevant Australian State or Territory Adoption Authority must be involved in managing the adoption process with the overseas country where the child is living.

For adoptive parents living overseas, they must have been living overseas for the 12 months before applying for this visa, and the residence overseas must not have been solely for the purpose of adopting a child.

To meet Adoption visa eligibility requirements, the adoption must be completed in accordance with the laws of the country in which the child lives, and the adoption must give the adoptive parents full and permanent parental rights, such as severing legal ties between the child and his or her birth parents.

Alternatively, Adoption visas are also available for children adopted under an arrangement between two Hague Convention countries, other than Australia.

Children adopted through privately arranged adoptions are generally not eligible to apply for an Adoption visa.

Remaining Relative Visa

Remaining Relative visas are for prospective immigrants whose only near relatives are residing in Australia as settled, Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens.

Applicants for Remaining Relative visas must be sponsored by an eligible relative or their spouse and must be the remaining brother, stepbrother, sister, stepsister, parent or stepparent of the sponsor.

Additionally, Remaining Relative visa applicants and their spouses must have no brothers, stepbrothers, sisters, stepsisters, parents or stepparents other than those in Australia.

An Assurance of Support is required.

Aged Dependent Relative Visa

Aged Dependent Relative visas are intended for aged persons who rely on a relative in Australia for all or most of their living expenses.

Applicants for Aged Dependent Relative visas must meet certain age requirements, be financially dependent on the relative in Australia and be single, which can be from never having married, being widowed, divorced or formal separation from their spouse.