The Adoption visa (subclass 102) lets a child come to Australia to live with their adoptive parent. The child can already be adopted or be in the process of being adopted. The adoptive parent sponsors the child for this visa and usually applies on their behalf.

An adoptive parent must be:

• an Australian citizen
• the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa
• an eligible New Zealand citizen

The child must be outside Australia when the application is lodged and when the application is decided.

More information
More information is available from the Child Migration booklet.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent residence visa. It allows the child to:

• travel to and stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if they are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time they will need another visa to enter Australia

If the adoption is through a state or territory adoption authority, you can lodge the application before the adoption is finalised.

Before you adopt

Seek advice from your closest state and territory adoption authority before starting any adoption process to adopt a child from outside Australia.

In Australia, the processing of inter-country adoptions is the responsibility of state and territory central adoption authorities. These authorities manage arrangements for adopting children from overseas, including assessing and approving prospective adoptive parents.

We cannot help arrange an adoption. Our role is to assess and decide applications for visas.

You should first seek legal advice about adoption law in both Australia and the country in which the child lives.

For a child to be eligible for an Adoption visa, one of the following must apply:

• they have been adopted (or are to be adopted) with the involvement of an Australian state or territory central authority
• they have been adopted without the involvement of an Australian state or territory central authority by an Australian citizen, holder of an Australian permanent visa or an eligible New Zealand citizen who has been living outside Australia for more than 12 months before the visa application is lodged
• they have been adopted through an arrangement between two countries, other than Australia, that are parties to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Hague Adoption Convention)

The temporary Partner visa (subclass 820) allows you to live in Australia if you are the spouse or de facto partner of:

• an Australian citizen
• an Australian permanent resident
• an eligible New Zealand citizen.

In some circumstances the visa can be granted where your partner relationship has ended.

The temporary Partner visa (subclass 820) is the first stage towards a permanent Partner visa (subclass 801). You must be in Australia when you apply and also when this visa is decided.

You lodge one application form for your temporary and permanent visas and pay one application charge. Your application is processed in two stages, about two years apart.

What this visa lets you do

The temporary Partner visa (subclass 820) lets you:

• stay in Australia until a decision is made about your permanent Partner visa
• work in Australia
• study in Australia, but with no access to government funding
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses.

You can include your dependent children in your application, but not other dependent relatives (unless you hold or held a Prospective Marriage visa). Dependent applicants must be in Australia when they apply.

If you are later granted a permanent visa, you can:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• receive some social security payments
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time you will need another visa to enter Australia.

Before you apply

Your passport
You need a valid passport or other travel document for this visa. If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, give the details of your new passport to one of our offices.

​The Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) allows you to live in Australia if you are the spouse or de facto partner of:

• an Australian citizen
• a permanent resident
• an eligible New Zealand citizen.

The Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) is the first stage towards a permanent Partner visa (subclass 100). You lodge only one application for your temporary and permanent visas and pay one application charge. Your application is processed in two stages, about two years apart.

You must be outside Australia when you apply and also when the Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) is granted. You can be in or outside Australia when Partner visa (subclass 100) is granted.

What this visa lets you do

The Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) lets you:

• enter Australia and stay here until a decision is made about your permanent Partner visa
• work in Australia
• study in Australia, but with no access to government funding
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses.

If you are later granted a permanent visa, you can:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• receive some social security payments
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time you will need another visa to enter Australia.

Before you apply

Your passport
You need a valid passport or other travel document for this visa. If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, give the details of your new passport to one of our offices.

The Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) is for people who want to come to Australia to marry their prospective spouse.
It is a temporary visa for nine months. You must be outside Australia when you lodge your application and when the visa is granted. You can have the wedding in any country: the wedding does not need to be in Australia.

What this visa lets you do

This visa allows you to:

• enter Australia before you marry your prospective spouse
• travel in and out of Australia as often as you want
• work in Australia, although some employers might not hire people with temporary visas
• study in Australia, but with no access to government funding for tertiary study
• apply for a Partner visa, in Australia, after your marriage.

Before you apply

Your passport
You need a valid passport or other travel document for this visa. If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, give the details of your new passport to one of our offices.

The Parent visa (subclass 103) lets parents live permanently in Australia if they have a child who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia.​

Most applicants must be sponsored by their child. The sponsor needs to have lived lawfully in Australia for the two years immediately before the application is lodged.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent residence visa. It lets you and any family members who have also been granted this visa:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted (after that time, you will need a resident return visa or another visa to return to Australia).

Before you apply

There is significant demand for this visa and places are limited. You could wait up to 30 years to have this visa decided.

Instead of waiting, you could consider a Contributory Parent visa, which is usually finalised in less than two years.

• Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) gives a two-stage visa pathway in which you can apply first for a temporary visa and later for a permanent visa while in Australia.
• Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) is a permanent visa that lets you pay the full costs of Contributory Parent migration through just one visa application.

If you apply for a Contributory Parent visa, you will pay a higher visa application charge.  A longer assurance of support with a higher bond would also be needed before you could be granted a permanent Contributory Parent visa.  The higher charges offset some costs to the community, such as the costs of health and welfare services.

Tourist visa
If you have been granted a Tourist visa (subclass 676) or Visitor visa (subclass 600) through ministerial intervention you should contact the Perth office in Western Australia - attention Parent Visa Centre - to discuss your circumstances.

Your passport

If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. Your visa is linked to the passport number you use in your application. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, you must give the details of your new passport to the Parent Visa Centre. 

The Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) lets parents who are outside Australia live in Australia for up to two years if they are the parents of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia.

This visa is temporary and cannot be extended or renewed. After arriving in Australia, you have two years to apply for a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143). In this way, you can spread the costs of the Contributory Parent migration over a number of years.

Most applicants must be sponsored by their child. Your sponsor needs to have lived lawfully in Australia for the two years before the application is lodged.

What this visa lets you do

This is a temporary visa that lets you and your family:

• live in Australia for two years
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• travel to and from Australia for two years from the date the visa is granted.
  

If you are granted this visa, you will have two years from the date of your arrival in Australia to apply for a permanent .Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143).

Before you apply

Contributory Parent visas are more expensive than most other visas. This is because many families wanted a faster visa process, and they were prepared to pay more towards their family members’ health and welfare costs in Australia. Visa charges cannot be waived or reduced.

You also have the option of applying for a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143), which provides a direct pathway to permanent residence but involves paying all the Contributory Parent costs in one application.

Tourist visa
If you have been granted a Tourist visa (subclass 676) or Visitor visa (subclass 600) through ministerial intervention you should contact one of our offices - attention the Parent Visa Centre - to discuss your circumstances.

Your passport
If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. Your visa is linked to the passport number you use in your application. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, you must give the details of your new passport to the Parent Visa Centre.

No further stay condition

You cannot apply for this visa if you already hold another visa that has a ‘No further stay’ condition.

Contact us if you are not sure whether your current visa conditions prevent you from applying for a further visa while you are in Australia.

The Aged Dependent Relative visa (subclass 114) is a permanent visa that allows some older people who meet age requirements to migrate to Australia if they rely on an eligible relative in Australia to provide financial support.

Your application must be lodged outside Australia; and you must be outside Australia when the visa is granted.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent visa. It allows you and your family to:

• stay in Australia indefinitely as an Australian permanent resident
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident for five years from the date the visa is granted - after that time you will need to apply for another visa if you want to return to Australia.

More information on Australian permanent residence, including eligibility for government services and benefits, is available.

Before you apply

The Australian Government limits the number of Aged Dependent Relative visas (subclass 114) it grants each year.

Aged Dependent Relative visa applications are given a lower priority than other family visas, such as partner and child visas. You can find information on processing times at Family Members, Capping and Queuing.

Your passport
Usually, you and your family need to have valid passports to be granted this visa. If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, give the details of your new passport to one of our offices.

Requirements

You might be eligible for this visa if you:

• lodge your application outside Australia
• meet the age requirements
• rely on a relative in Australia, and you are sponsored by them or their partner.

The Aged Dependent Relative visa (subclass 838) is a permanent visa that allows some older people who meet age requirements to stay in Australia if they rely on an eligible relative in Australia to provide financial support.

You must be in Australia when you lodge your application; and you must be in Australia when the visa is granted.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent visa. It allows you and your family to:

• stay in Australia indefinitely as an Australian permanent resident
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident for five years from the date the visa is granted - after that time you will need to apply for another visa if you want to return to Australia.

More information on Australian permanent residence, including eligibility for government services and benefits, is available.

Before you apply

The Australian Government limits the number of Aged Dependent Relative (subclass 838) visas it grants each year.

Aged Dependent Relative visa applications are given a lower priority than other family visas, such as partner and child visas. You can find information on processing times at Family Members, Capping and Queuing.

Your passport
Usually, you and your family need to have valid passports to be granted this visa. If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, give the details of your new passport to one of our offices.

The Aged Parent visa (subclass 804) lets older parents live permanently in Australia if they are the parents of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia.

Most applicants must be sponsored by their child. Your sponsor needs to have lived lawfully in Australia for the two years before the application is lodged.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent residence visa. It lets you and any family members who have also been granted this visa:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted (after that time, you will need a resident return visa or another visa to return to Australia).

Before you apply

There is significant demand for this visa and places are limited. You could wait up to 30 years to have this visa granted.

Instead of waiting, you could consider a Contributory Aged Parent visa, which is usually finalised in less than two years:

• the Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 884) gives a two-stage visa pathway in which you can first apply for a temporary visa and later for a permanent visa
• the Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864) is a permanent visa that lets you pay the full costs of Contributory Parent migration through just one visa application.

If you apply for a Contributory Parent visa, you will pay a higher application charge. A longer assurance of support with a larger bond would also be required before you could be granted a Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864). The higher charges offset some costs to the community, such as the costs of health and welfare services.

Tourist visa
If you have been granted a Tourist (subclass 676 or subclass 600) visa through ministerial intervention, you should contact one of our offices - attention Parent Visa Centre - to discuss your circumstances

Your passport
If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. Your visa is linked to the passport number you use in your application. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, you must give the details of your new passport to the Parent Visa Centre.

No further stay condition

You cannot apply for this visa if you already hold another visa that has a ‘No further stay’ condition.

Contact us if you are not sure whether your current visa conditions prevent you from applying for a further visa while you are in Australia.

A Carer visa (subclass 836) is a permanent visa for people who want to live in Australia to provide substantial and continuing care or assistance for a relative who either:

• has a long-term medical condition that means they cannot look after themselves in practical aspects of daily life, or
• needs permanent or long-term practical support to help them care for a member of their family in their household with such a medical condition.

The relative must not be able to reasonably get the care they need from any other relative or from welfare, hospital, nursing or community services in Australia.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent visa. It lets you and any family members who have been granted this visa:

• stay in Australia indefinitely as an Australian permanent resident
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident for five years from the date the visa is granted - if you travel after that time, you will need to apply for another visa if you want to return to Australia.

More information on being an Australian permanent resident, including eligibility for government services and benefits is available.

Your application must be made in Australia and you must be in Australia at that time.  You must be in Australia when the visa is granted. This also applies to all of your family members included as applicants for the visa.  

Before you apply

The Australian Government limits the number of Carer visas it grants each year.

Your sponsor
To apply for this visa, you need a sponsor. This person must be the relative who needs the care or assistance, or their partner. They must sign an undertaking (an agreement) to give you support, accommodation and financial assistance (if you need it) for two years after you first arrive in Australia. This agreement includes any family members you include in your application.

Your passport You need a valid passport or other travel document for this visa. If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, give the details of your new passport to one of our offices.

No further stay condition

You cannot apply for this visa if you already hold another visa that has a 'No further stay' condition.

Contact us if you are not sure whether your current visa conditions prevent you from applying for a further visa while you are in Australia.

A Carer visa (subclass 116) is a permanent visa for people who want to live in Australia to provide substantial and continuing care or assistance for a relative who either:

• has a long-term medical condition that means they cannot look after themselves in practical aspects of daily life, or
• needs permanent or long-term practical support to help them care for a member of their family in their household with such a medical condition.

The relative must not be able to reasonably obtain the care they need from any other relative or from welfare, hospital, nursing or community services in Australia.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent visa. It lets you and any family members who have been granted this visa:

• stay in Australia indefinitely as an Australian permanent resident
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident for five years from the date the visa is granted - after that time you will need to apply for another visa if you want to return to Australia.

More information on Australian permanent residence, including eligibility for government services and benefits, is available.

Before you apply

The Australian Government limits the number of Carer visas it grants each year. See Other Family Visa Queue for more information.

Your sponsor
To apply for this visa, you need a sponsor. This person must be the relative who needs the care or assistance, or their partner. They must sign an undertaking (an agreement) to give you support, accommodation and financial assistance (if you need it) for two years after you first arrive in Australia. This agreement includes any family members you include in your application.

Your passport If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. In most cases, you and your family members must have valid passports to be granted this visa.

A Child visa (subclass 101) lets an eligible parent sponsor their child to live in Australia indefinitely. The parent can apply on behalf of a child younger than 18 years of age.

An eligible parent is:

• an Australian citizen
• the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa
• an eligible New Zealand citizen.

The child must be outside Australia when the application is lodged and when the application is decided.

This is a permanent residence visa. It allows the child to:

• travel to and stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if they are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time they will need another visa to enter Australia.

Before you apply

Children born in Australia are automatically granted Australian citizenship if at least one parent is either an Australian citizen or the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa. They do not need a visa to live in Australia.

Children born outside Australia must either:

• apply for a permanent visa to live in Australia (if neither parent is an Australian citizen)
• apply for Australian citizenship (if at least one parent is an Australian citizen).

A Child visa (subclass 802) lets an eligible parent sponsor their child to live in Australia indefinitely. The parent can apply on behalf of a child younger than 18 years of age.

An eligible parent is:

• an Australian citizen
• the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa
• an eligible New Zealand citizen.

The child must be in Australia when the application is lodged and when the application is decided.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent residence visa. It allows the child to:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if they are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time they will need another visa to enter Australia.

Before you apply

Children born in Australia are automatically granted Australian citizenship if at least one parent is either an Australian citizen or the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa. They do not need a visa to live in Australia.

Children born outside Australia must either:

• apply for a permanent visa to live in Australia (if neither parent is an Australian citizen), or
• apply for Australian citizenship (if at least one parent is an Australian citizen).

Adopted Children

You must apply for an Adoption visa (subclass 102) rather than this visa if:

• you want to adopt a child who is outside Australia
• your child was adopted after you became an Australian citizen or the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa, or an eligible New Zealand citizen and that child is outside Australia.

You can only apply for this visa if the child is an adopted child applying in Australia, and they were adopted either before or after the sponsoring parent became an Australian citizen, the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa or eligible New Zealand citizen.

A child who is applying for this visa as an adopted child must meet certain requirements.

Before you adopt

Seek advice from your closest state and territory adoption authority before starting any adoption process to adopt a child from outside Australia.

In Australia, the processing of inter-country adoptions is the responsibility of state and territory adoption authorities. These authorities manage arrangements for adopting children from overseas, including assessing and approving prospective adoptive parents.

We cannot help arrange an adoption. Our role is to assess and decide applications for visas.

You should first seek legal advice in both Australia and the country in which the child lives.

The Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 884) lets older parents live in Australia for up to two years if they are the parents of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia.

This visa is temporary and cannot be extended or renewed.​ After the visa is approved, you have two years to apply for a Permanent Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864). In this way, you can spread the costs of the Contributory Aged Parent migration over a number of years.

Most applicants must be sponsored by their child. Your sponsor needs to have lived lawfully in Australia for the two years before the application is lodged.

What this visa lets you do

This is a temporary visa that lets you and your family:

• live in Australia for two years
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses.

This visa cannot be extended or renewed.

If you are granted this visa, you will have two years from the date you are granted the visa to apply for a permanent Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864).

Before you apply

Contributory Parent visas are more expensive than most other visas. This is because many families wanted a faster visa process, and they were prepared to pay more towards their family members' health and welfare costs in Australia. Visa charges cannot be waived or reduced.

You also have the options of applying for a Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864), which provides a direct pathway to permanent residence but involves paying all the Contributory Parent costs in one application.

Tourist visa
If you have been granted a Tourist visa (subclass 676) or Visitor visa (subclass 600) through ministerial intervention, you should contact the Perth office in Western Australia - attention Parent Visa Centre - to discuss your circumstances.

Your passport
If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. Your visa is linked to the passport number you use in your application. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, you must give the details of your new passport to the Perth office in Western Australia - attention Parent Visa Centre.

The Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864) lets older parents live permanently in Australia if their child is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia.

Most applicants need to be sponsored by their child. Your sponsor needs to have lived lawfully in Australia for the two years before the application is lodged.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent residence visa. It lets you and any family members who have also been granted this visa:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted (after that time, you will need a resident return visa or another visa to return to Australia).

The Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) lets parents live permanently in Australia if they have a child who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia.

Most applicants need to be sponsored by their child. Your sponsor needs to have lived lawfully in Australia for the two years before the application is lodged.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent residence visa. It lets you and any family members who have also been granted this visa:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted (after that time, you will need a resident return visa or another visa to return to Australia).

Before you apply

You have to pay more for Contributory Parent visas than for most other visas. This is because many families wanted a faster visa process and were prepared to pay a higher contribution towards their family members' health and welfare costs in Australia. Visa charges cannot be waived or reduced.

You also have the option of applying for a Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173), which provides a two-stage pathway, allowing the costs of Contributory Parent migration to be staggered.

Tourist visa
If you have been granted a Tourist visa (subclass 676) or a Visitor visa (subclass 600) through ministerial intervention, you should contact one of our offices - attention Parent Visa Centre - to discuss your circumstances.

Your passport
If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. Your visa is linked to the passport number you use in your application, and you should advise us if your passport changes.

​A Dependent Child visa (subclass 445) is a temporary visa for the child of a parent who holds a temporary Partner visa that does not already include the child.

If this visa is granted, the child also needs to make a permanent Partner visa application before the parent's permanent Partner visa is decided.

The child can be in or outside Australia when they apply for this visa.

If the child's siblings are also applying for this visa, they must lodge separate applications.

What this visa lets you do

This visa allows the child to:

• travel to and from, or stay in Australia with their parents until a decision in made on the parent's permanent visa application
• work and study in Australia
• travel to and from and stay Australia while the temporary visa is valid. The visa is valid while the parent's temporary Partner visa or Dependent Child visa is valid.

A Dependent Child visa holder is eligible to enrol in Medicare once they have lodged an application for a permanent Partner visa. Medicare is Australia's scheme for health related care and expenses.

A Dependent Child visa holder can apply for a permanent Partner visa by using:

No further stay condition

You cannot apply for this visa if you already hold another visa that has a 'No further stay' condition.

Contact us if you are not sure whether your current visa conditions prevent you from applying for a further visa while you are in Australia.

The New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary) visa (subclass 461) allows someone who is not a New Zealand citizen to live in Australia with a family member who:

• is a New Zealand citizen
• either
  • holds a Special Category visa (subclass 444) and is living in Australia, or
  • is eligible to hold a Special Category visa (subclass 444) and is accompanying you to Australia.

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for this visa.

What this visa lets you do

This visa allows you to: work and study in Australia travel to, enter and remain in Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted.

Before you apply

Your passport
If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. In most cases, you and your family members must have valid passports to be granted this visa.

An Orphan Relative visa (subclass 117) is for a child whose parents are dead, permanently incapacitated or of unknown whereabouts. It allows a child in this situation to travel to and stay permanently with their sponsoring relative in Australia.

The sponsoring relative usually applies on behalf of the child. The child must be outside Australia when the application is lodged and when the application is decided.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent residence visa. It allows you and any family members who have also been granted this visa to:

• travel to and stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted (after that time, you will need a resident return visa or another visa to return to Australia).

An Orphan Relative (subclass 837) visa is for a child whose parents are dead, permanently incapacitated or of unknown whereabouts. It allows a child in this situation to live permanently with their sponsoring relative in Australia.

The sponsoring relative usually applies on behalf of the child. The child must be inside Australia when the application is lodged and when the application is decided.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent residence visa. It allows the child to:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if they are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time they will need another visa to enter Australia.

The Remaining R​elative visa (subclass 115) is a permanent visa for people who want to live in Australia to be with their only near relatives.

Your application must be made outside Australia and you must be outside Australia when the visa is granted.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent visa. It allows you and your family to:

• stay in Australia indefinitely as an Australian permanent resident
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident for five years from the date the visa is granted - after that time you will need to apply for another visa if you want to return to Australia.

Before you apply

The Australian Government limits the number of Remaining Relative visas it grants each year.

Your passport
You need a valid passport or other travel document for this visa. If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, give the details of your new passport to one of our offices.

The Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835) is a permanent visa for people who want to live in Australia to be with their only near relatives.

Your application must be made in Australia and you must be in Australia at that time.

You must be in Australia when the visa is granted.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent visa. It allows you and your family to:

• stay in Australia indefinitely as an Australian permanent resident
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident for five years from the date the visa is granted - after that time you will need to apply for another visa if you want to return to Australia.

Before you apply

The Australian Government limits the number of Remaining Relative visas it grants each year.

Your passport
You need a valid passport or other travel document for this visa. If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, give the details of your new passport to one of our offices.

Requirements

You might be eligible for this visa if:

• you are in Australia
• your (and your partner's) only near relatives usually live in Australia and are all Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens
• one of your near relatives or their partner is prepared to be your sponsor.​