The remaining relative visa provides a permanent migration pathway for people whose only qualifying near relatives live in Australia. Eligibility depends on your family circumstances and those of your spouse or de facto partner, as well as sponsorship and other requirements.
There are two options: Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 115) for applicants outside Australia and Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 835) for applicants in Australia. Both are capped and queued, making the waiting period a major consideration.
Quick Answer
You may qualify for a Remaining Relative visa if you and your partner have no near relatives other than those usually living in Australia as Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens.
You also need an eligible sponsor and an Assurance of Support. Home Affairs currently estimates a processing period of approximately 26 years for new Remaining Relative visa applications.
Why This Matters
Having a brother or sister in Australia does not automatically make this pathway available.
Before paying an application charge, families need to establish who counts as a near relative, where each person usually lives and their immigration status. A detailed family assessment can reveal an eligibility problem that is easy to miss when looking only at the applicant’s immediate circumstances.
The long queue also raises practical questions about housing, employment, travel and how a family’s circumstances might change over time.
Remaining Relative Visa: Subclass 115 vs Subclass 835
The main difference is where you must be when applying and when Home Affairs decides your application.
| Requirement | Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 115) | Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 835) |
|---|---|---|
| Location when applying | Outside Australia | In Australia, outside immigration clearance |
| Location when the visa is granted | Outside Australia | In Australia |
| Visa outcome | Permanent residence | Permanent residence |
| Waiting arrangements | The application does not provide a bridging visa to live in Australia | A valid application may provide access to a bridging visa, subject to individual circumstances |
Being in Australia does not, by itself, mean you can make a valid Subclass 835 application. Your current visa conditions and immigration history must also be checked.
Who Counts as a Near Relative?
For the remaining relative visa, near relatives include:
- Parents and step-parents.
- Brothers, sisters, step-brothers and step-sisters.
- Children and stepchildren aged 18 or older who are not dependent.
- Children and stepchildren under 18 who are not wholly or substantially in your or your partner’s daily care and control.
The assessment includes your spouse or de facto partner’s family.
Your partner’s relatives can affect eligibility
For example, your own parents and siblings might all be settled in Australia. However, if your partner has a parent usually living overseas, your family circumstances would not satisfy the remaining relative test.
The practical starting point is a family tree covering both sides of the relationship, rather than a list of relatives who want to sponsor you.
Living in Australia is not enough
A near relative who lives in Australia on a temporary visa can also prevent eligibility, unless they are an eligible New Zealand citizen. The same concern applies to a near relative living in Australia unlawfully.
Check immigration status alongside addresses. A relative’s Australian home address does not establish that they meet the required status.
Remaining Relative Visa Sponsorship Requirements
Your sponsor must generally be at least 18 and settled in Australia as an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Eligible sponsoring relationships include a parent, step-parent, brother, sister, step-brother or step-sister, or the eligible partner of one of these relatives.
An adult child cannot sponsor their parent through this pathway simply because the parent has no other family overseas. Parent visa options need a separate assessment. Previous Remaining Relative sponsorships or visa grants can also affect sponsorship eligibility.
Before applying, discuss practical support with the proposed sponsor. Accommodation, living expenses and help settling in Australia are important parts of the family’s planning.
What Is the Assurance of Support?
An Assurance of Support is a financial undertaking intended to help the applicant settle without relying on certain government income support payments.
It is mandatory for Remaining Relative visas. Services Australia assesses the proposed assurer, including their financial capacity, and a bank guarantee supported by a term deposit is required.
For an individual assurer, the current security amounts are:
| Adults covered by the assurance | Security amount |
|---|---|
| One adult | AUD5,000 |
| Two adults | AUD7,000 |
This security is separate from the visa application charges. It may be returned after the assurance period, with deductions where recoverable payments have been made.
The Assurance of Support period for a Remaining Relative visa is two years. It starts from arrival in Australia or visa grant, whichever occurs later.
Documents for a Remaining Relative Visa Application
Your application needs to explain your family circumstances clearly and consistently.
Prepare evidence of family relationships, such as birth certificates, marriage records and relevant adoption or name-change documents.
Other supporting evidence may include:
- Identity documents.
- Details of your and your partner’s relatives.
- Evidence of relatives’ usual residence and Australian immigration status.
- Death certificates, where relevant.
- Evidence of the sponsor’s identity, status and settlement in Australia.
- Translations of documents that are not in English.
The application form requires extensive family information. Missing relatives or inconsistent names can make it harder to establish eligibility.
Health and character requirements also apply. Some family members who are not migrating may need to undergo assessment.
How to Apply for a Remaining Relative Visa
The initial application is submitted on paper using Form 47OF, with the sponsorship application on Form 40.
Applicants must follow the current postal or courier instructions and include the required payment and supporting documents. Eligible paper applications can subsequently be imported into ImmiAccount for management.
A useful preparation sequence is:
- Assess the full family tree.
- Confirm the appropriate subclass and application validity.
- Check the sponsor’s eligibility.
- Gather supporting records.
- Complete and review the application before lodging.
During the waiting period, keep contact details current and report relevant changes, including marriage, a new de facto relationship or the birth of a child.
Remaining Relative Visa Costs
The standard charges below are current as of October 2026. Limited concessions may apply.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Main applicant’s first instalment | AUD6,600 |
| Additional applicant aged 18 or older, first instalment | AUD3,300 |
| Additional applicant under 18, first instalment | AUD1,655 |
| Second instalment, per applicant | AUD2,065 |
For one main applicant paying standard charges, the two instalments total AUD8,665. The second instalment is payable before grant, when requested.
Budget separately for the Assurance of Support security, medical examinations, police certificates, translations and any professional assistance. Check the applicable charges before lodging.
Remaining Relative Visa Processing Times
Home Affairs currently estimates approximately 26 years for new Remaining Relative visa applications.
As at 31 August 2026, applications with queue dates up to 30 June 2013 had been released for final processing. This queue release date is different from an application’s lodgement date.
How the Remaining Relative visa queue works
Home Affairs first assesses whether an application meets the initial criteria for queue placement. Eligible applications receive a queue date and wait for a place within the annual visa allocation.
The published estimate can change. It is not a promised decision date, and queue placement does not guarantee a visa grant.
Families should therefore consider whether the pathway fits their long-term plans before committing to it.
Can You Stay in Australia While Waiting?
For a Subclass 835 application, check your existing visa before lodging. No Further Stay conditions can prevent an onshore application unless the relevant condition is waived. A waiver request does not automatically remove the condition.
If you make a valid onshore application, your bridging visa arrangements determine your position after your current substantive visa expires.
Work rights and overseas travel require separate checks. Do not assume that lodging a permanent visa application immediately gives you unrestricted rights or permission to leave and return.
What Happens After the Visa Is Granted?
A successful application provides permanent residence, allowing you to live, work and study in Australia and enrol in Medicare.
The initial overseas travel facility generally lasts five years. After that, a Resident Return visa or Australian citizenship may be needed to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
Permanent residence is the outcome after grant. Your rights while waiting depend on the visa you hold during that period.
When Another Family Visa May Be Relevant
If the reason for migration is to provide substantial ongoing assistance to a relative with qualifying medical needs, the Carer visa may warrant a separate assessment.
For a child under 18 who cannot be cared for by either parent because of death, permanent incapacity or unknown whereabouts, the Orphan Relative visa may be relevant. Each pathway has its own eligibility requirements.
Common Mistakes
- Assessing only your own relatives and overlooking your partner’s family.
- Assuming a relative’s temporary Australian visa satisfies the family test.
- Treating an Australian child as an eligible sponsor for a parent under this pathway.
- Budgeting only for the first application charge.
- Making housing or employment plans around a guaranteed grant date.
- Assuming a bridging visa automatically provides work and travel rights.
Where to Go Next
Explore the relevant visa options and practical requirements before deciding how to proceed:
FAQs
Potentially, if they meet the sponsorship requirements and you satisfy the remaining relative test. Having an eligible sibling does not resolve other family eligibility issues.
Yes. The assessment includes the near relatives of your spouse or de facto partner. Their family circumstances can affect your eligibility even where your own relatives meet the requirements.
The current Home Affairs estimate for new applications is approximately 26 years. Actual waiting periods can change with visa allocations and queue movement.
For applicants in Australia, work rights depend on the conditions of their current substantive or bridging visa. Check those conditions before starting employment.
Yes. Both subclasses provide permanent residence when granted. Lodging the application or receiving a queue date does not make you a permanent resident.
Conclusion
The Remaining Relative visa provides a permanent migration pathway for eligible applicants whose qualifying near relatives are settled in Australia.
Applicants need to consider more than having family in Australia. Their partner’s relatives, sponsorship eligibility, Assurance of Support, health and character requirements, visa charges and current immigration status can all affect the application.
Processing is a particularly important consideration because Remaining Relative applications are capped and queued. Families should use current Home Affairs queue information and consider how a lengthy wait fits their circumstances.
If you’re unsure whether the Remaining Relative visa or another Australian family visa suits your circumstances, book a consultation with IC Australia to discuss your options.
Claire Dawson
Australian visa content specialist focused on skilled migration, employer sponsorship, partner visas, student pathways, and long-term options for moving to Australia.
