1. The Family Migration Program — Beyond Partners and Parents
Australia's family migration program extends well beyond the partner and parent visa categories most commonly discussed. For family members who do not qualify as a partner, parent, or child, the program offers three additional visa subclasses — the Aged Dependent Relative, the Remaining Relative, and the Carer visa. Each has distinct eligibility requirements, and the practical viability of each differs significantly.
| Subclass | Category | Who It's For | Queue | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 114 (offshore) / 838 (onshore) | Aged Dependent Relative | Elderly relative of pension age, financially dependent on sponsor | 30+ years | Permanent |
| 115 (offshore) / 835 (onshore) | Remaining Relative | Person whose only near relatives are in Australia | 30+ years | Permanent |
| 116 (offshore) / 836 (onshore) | Carer | Person who provides long-term care to an Australian relative with a medical need | No global cap | Permanent |
2. Aged Dependent Relative Visa (114/838)
The Aged Dependent Relative visa is for a relative of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen who has reached the qualifying age for the Australian Age Pension (currently 67) and is genuinely financially dependent on their Australian relative for support.
Eligibility Requirements
- Age: The applicant must have reached the Age Pension qualifying age (currently 67 years old) at the time the application is decided.
- Financial dependency: The applicant must be genuinely financially dependent on their Australian relative for a reasonable period prior to the application. The dependency must be real — the relative must have been providing regular financial support, and the applicant must not have a partner who can provide that support.
- Relationship: The applicant must be an eligible relative of the sponsor — this includes parents, siblings, and certain other relatives as defined in the Migration Regulations.
- No partner support available: The applicant must not have a spouse or de facto partner who is able to provide financial support. If a partner exists and is able to support the applicant, the dependency test is not met.
- Health and character: Standard Australian requirements apply.
- Assurance of Support: An Assurance of Support from the sponsor may be required.
Documenting Genuine Financial Dependency
The financial dependency requirement is the most commonly tested aspect of these applications. Evidence should include:
- Bank transfer records showing regular financial support from the Australian sponsor to the applicant
- Evidence of the applicant's financial circumstances — income, assets, expenses — to demonstrate that they are genuinely reliant on the sponsor's support
- Statutory declarations from the sponsor describing the nature and history of the support provided
- Evidence that no other person — including any current or former partner — is in a position to provide financial support
Processing Reality
The Aged Dependent Relative visa category has very limited annual places in the Australian immigration program. Current processing queues exceed 30 years, meaning applications lodged today may not be decided for decades. This is a critical practical consideration that must be communicated clearly to clients before they commit to this pathway.
3. Remaining Relative Visa (115/835)
The Remaining Relative visa is for a person who has no near relatives living outside Australia — that is, all of their near relatives are either settled in Australia or included in the same visa application.
The Near Relative Test
For the Remaining Relative visa, "near relatives" are defined as:
- The applicant's spouse or de facto partner
- The applicant's parents
- The applicant's children (including stepchildren and adopted children)
- The applicant's siblings (including step-siblings and adoptive siblings)
For the test to be satisfied, every one of these people must either be settled permanently in Australia or be included in the current visa application. If a single near relative — a sibling, a parent, a child — is living outside Australia and not included in the application, the test fails.
This is an extraordinarily narrow test. Most families who believe they qualify — on the basis that the bulk of their relatives are in Australia — fail it when all near relatives are formally identified and their residence status assessed. A parent remaining in the country of origin is sufficient to disqualify the applicant.
Processing Reality
Like the Aged Dependent Relative category, the Remaining Relative visa has very limited annual places and a queue exceeding 30 years. It is not a viable near-term pathway for any family.
4. Carer Visa (116/836)
The Carer visa is the most practically accessible of the three categories. Unlike the 114 and 115 visas, the Carer visa is not subject to a global annual cap. It is assessed on its individual merits — each application is decided based on whether the specific circumstances satisfy the eligibility criteria.
Eligibility Requirements
- The Australian relative's need: The Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible NZ citizen must have a permanent and genuine medical condition — physical, intellectual, or psychiatric — that requires assistance with daily activities.
- No reasonable professional or community alternative: The care required must not be reasonably available from professional carers, community services, or other support systems at a reasonable cost in the local area.
- The carer's relationship: The applicant must be a near relative of the person in need of care. More distant relatives may be considered if no near relative is available to provide the care.
- Medical assessment: A medical assessment by an independent Australian medical assessor approved by the Department is required. The assessment must certify the nature of the care need and confirm that alternatives are not reasonably available.
- Carer's capacity: The applicant must be genuinely able and willing to provide the required care and must demonstrate that they have the necessary skills or relationship to do so.
The Medical Assessment Process
The carer visa medical assessment is one of its most distinctive features. The assessment must be conducted by an independent medical assessor — not by the treating physician. The assessor must:
- Confirm the existence and permanence of the medical condition
- Assess the level and nature of care required for daily activities
- Confirm that no suitable professional or community care is reasonably available in the local area
Applications lodged before obtaining the required medical assessment are likely to be delayed substantially. The medical assessment must be obtained and submitted before or as part of the visa application.
5. Other Family Pathways
Families who do not meet the strict criteria for the above categories have several alternative options worth exploring:
- Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent Visa (Temporary): For parents of Australian citizens or PRs — a temporary visa of 3–5 years, processed in approximately 6–12 months. Does not lead to permanent residence but provides extended stays without the 30-year queue.
- Visitor Visa (Subclass 600): Allows visits of up to 12 months (in some cases with a long-stay restriction). Not a family reunion pathway but may provide interim access while longer-term options are planned.
- Independent skilled migration: Where the relative is of working age and has relevant qualifications, an independent skilled migration pathway may be substantially more achievable than any family category.
6. Who Qualifies as a "Relative"
The term "relative" for family visa purposes is defined in the Migration Act and Regulations and is more specific than colloquial usage. For the family visas in this article, eligible relatives of an Australian sponsor typically include:
- Parents (covered separately by the parent visa series)
- Siblings (brothers and sisters, including step-siblings and adoptive siblings)
- Children (but children have their own dedicated child visa category)
- Aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces — only in specific circumstances and for specific visa subclasses
More distant relatives — cousins, in-laws, family friends — generally do not qualify as "relatives" for any current Australian family visa category. There is no "other family member" catch-all category in the Australian system.