Australia Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 115)

This Visa is part of the Australian Family Stream migration programme and is designed to allow a remaining relative of an Australian citizen or permanent resident to migrate to Australia to join his/her family.

The Australia Remaining Relative Visa application can cover a household i.e. a main applicant and spouse and dependants if applicable. The spouse is the person that the applicant lives with as husband/wife (legally married/defacto relationship). Dependent children can either be – natural/adopted/step child.

Applications from inside Australia = permanent residence applications.

Applications from outside Australia = applying to migrate (can take 6-9 months to process migration to Australia).

Eligibility for Australia Remaining Relative Visa:

• You require an approved Assurance of Support (this can be a different person to the visa sponsor).
• Your approved Assurance of support is to be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen/ resident in Australia/financially secure to support the sponsored persons including necessary social security payments if applicable.
• You must meet all health and character requirements set by the Australian Immigration. This includes a medical examination and chest x-ray by a panel of Australian authorities approved doctors. Plus you need to attain police certificates for all countries you have lived at for longer than 12 months, covering the last 10 years.
• The applicant must be sponsored by an Australian citizen/Australian permanent resident/ eligible New Zealand citizen (Sponsorship CANNOT be approved if the sponsor has previously nominated a person whom was granted a visa on the basis of being a remaining relative).
• You have no close family bonds outside Australia and you are the sister/brother/child of an Australian citizen/Australian permanent resident/ eligible New Zealand citizen.
• You and your spouse do not have any close relative (except a close relative who is usually resident in Australia & is an Australian citizen/Australian permanent resident/ eligible New Zealand citizen. Your relative must be aged 18 years plus.
• You are sponsored by a close relative who: is an Australian citizen/Australian permanent resident/ eligible New Zealand citizen/ wasn’t granted a visa on the basis of being a remaining relative/ hasn’t previously sponsored a remaining relative.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a near/close relative?
It is either a parent/brother/sister or a minor child who isn’t in your daily care/an adult child over 18 who isn’t dependant on you/step equivalents.
I am under 18 years old and was adopted overseas by an Australian citizen, can I still apply?
If you were adopted by your parent overseas (Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens) then your adoptive parent must have spent 12 months living overseas prior to the adoption visa application.
For my sponsor are there any age restrictions?
Aged 18 years and above.
What does sponsorship actually mean?
It’s a written responsibility for your chosen sponsor to support you during your initial 2 years in Australia. This includes accommodation and financial assistance.