We prefer you to contact by Email: [email protected]
Call us 24/7 in Australia: 1800 847 243
Australia: +61-7-3186 1467
India: +91-7598 338 336
We prefer you to contact by Email: [email protected]
Call us 24/7 in Australia: 1800 847 243
Australia: +61-7-3186 1467
India: +91-7598 338 336
Remaining Relative Visa Subclass 115 : What this Remaining Relative visa lets you do
This is a permanent visa. It allows you and your family to:
See information, including eligibility for government services and benefits, Australian permanent residence information.
You will not be able to sponsor any other relatives for a Remaining Relative visa. See: Settle in Australia
The Australian Government limits the number of Remaining Relative visas it grants each year.
See Other Family Visa Queue for more information.
You need a valid passport or other travel document for this Remaining Relative 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 the department of immigration and border protection offices
The visa application charges are listed in Fees and charges.
You could have to pay other costs, such as the costs of health assessments and police certificates, or any other certificates or tests. You are responsible for making the necessary arrangements.
Do not arrange for any checks until the department of immigration and border protection tell you to.
You might be eligible for this Remaining Relative visa if:
You should not apply for this Remaining Relative visa unless you believe you are likely to be successful, because the visa application charge will not usually be refunded if your application is refused or withdrawn.
Your near relative is your parent or your partner’s parent (including biological and step-parent), brother, sister, stepbrother or stepsister; child (including stepchild) who has turned 18 and is not a dependent child; or child (including stepchild) who has not yet turned 18 years of age and is not in your or your partner’s daily care and control.
The department of immigration and border protection do not consider how much contact you have with near relatives when they make a decision about whether you are a remaining relative.
Your sponsor must be your parent, brother, sister, stepbrother or stepsister or one of their partners. They must agree to give you support, accommodation and financial assistance for your first two years of residency in Australia. This agreement includes any family members included as applicants in your application.
Your sponsor must be:
o settled in Australia
o an Australian citizen
o an Australian permanent resident or
o an eligible New Zealand citizen.
Do not apply for this Remaining Relative visa if:
You must meet certain health requirements. The results are usually valid for 12 months. Do not arrange a health examination until the department of immigration and border protection ask you to.
This also applies to all the members of your family unit included in your application, whether they are migrating or not.
You must meet certain character requirements. You must be prepared to provide a police certificate from each country you have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after you turned 16 years of age. Do not arrange for police certificates until the department of immigration and border protection ask you to.
This also applies to all members of your family unit listed in your application, whether they are migrating or not. ​​
If you are 18 years of age or older, you must sign an Australian Values Statement to confirm that you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. The statement is included in the visa application form. You must have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia book before you sign the statement.
You must have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government or have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government before this Remaining Relative visa can be granted.
You might be asked to provide biometrics (a scientific form of identification) as part of the application. Countries and visa subclasses included in the biometrics program has more information.
You can include the following people in your visa application at the time of lodgement:
For detailed information regarding who you can include in your application see including family members in your application.
The application must include documentary evidence of their relationship to you. ​​
Members of your family unit must be able to show that they meet health and character requirements.​
This information explains what you need to do if you want to apply for a Remaining Relative visa (subclass 115).
Your application must be made outside Australia.
You need to provide documents to prove the claims you make in the application. The documents are listed in the Document checklist.
Some documents could take some time to obtain. You should have them ready when you lodge the application to reduce any delays in processing.
You must complete the following forms to apply for this Remaining Relative visa. You must lodge all the forms together.
If you have any members of your family unit who are 18 years of age or older, you must complete:
If you have any dependent children who are under 18 years of age, you must complete:
Your sponsor must complete:
Lodge all the forms together. Pay the first instalment of the visa application charge when you apply.
Lodge your application at one of the immigration offices outside Australia, which will tell you how you can pay. There is also further information available on the methods of payment accepted by the department of immigration and border protection offices.
Please refer to preparing your application, for information on:
After you have lodged your application and documents, the department of immigration and border protection will acknowledge that they have received your information.
The department of immigration and border protection assess applications for this Remaining Relative visa in the order in which they are lodged with the processing office, subject to the Other Family Visa Queue.
There is a high demand for family migration visas and only a limited number of places are available. Applications for this Remaining Relative visa are subject to capping and queuing arrangements and in accordance with any relevant Ministerial Directions. This means your application is considered in two stages:
o the department of immigration and border protection assess your application to check whether you still qualify for this Remaining Relative visa (including health and character requirements and an assurance of support)
o if you qualify for this Remaining Relative visa, the department of immigration and border protection ask for the second instalment of the visa application charge
o the department of immigration and border protection make a final decision about your visa application.
If the visa is to be granted, you and any family members included as applicants in the application must be outside of Australia at the time of grant.
Do not make arrangements to travel to Australia until you are advised in writing that you have been granted a visa. Wait for a decision from the department of immigration and border protection before you leave your job, sell your home or book your travel.
You can provide more information to the department of immigration and border protection, at any time until a decision is made on the application. If you want to correct information you provided, use:
The department of immigration and border protection could also ask you for more information. You will have to respond by a set date. After that date, they can make a decision about your application using the information that they have.
If another person gives the department of immigration and border protection information that could result in you being refused a visa, the department of immigration and border protection will usually give you the opportunity to comment on the information.
You might also be interviewed. If you are asked to attend an interview in person, bring your passport or other identification and any requested documents to the interview.
You must tell the department of immigration and border protection if your circumstances change. This includes a new residential address, a new passport, or a pregnancy, birth, divorce, separation, marriage, de facto relationship or death in your family.
You can use the following forms:
If you do not provide the department of immigration and border protection with the details of any new passport issued to you, you could experience significant delays at the airport and could be denied permission to board your plane.
​You can withdraw the application at any time before the department of immigration and border protection make a decision about it. To do this, send the department of immigration and border protection a letter or email to ask for the withdrawal. Your request must include your full name and date of birth. You should also include your file reference number, client ID, or a Transaction Reference Number.
​​​All applicants 18 years of age or older, wishing to withdraw, must sign the request for withdrawal. ​​​​​​
The department of immigration and border protection will not usually refund the visa application charge.
A person or organisation must give you an assurance of support. They can be your sponsor or another person. Up to three people can provide an assurance of support for you.
An assurance of support is a legal commitment to provide you with financial support so you do not have to rely on social security payments.
The assurance covers you and the family members included in your application.
An assurer must:
o AUD5000 – for the main applicant
o AUD2000 – for each adult family member included in your application.
If the assurer is an organisation, a larger bond is required for each application.
The bond is refunded two years after your first entry to Australia once your visa has been granted. Any debts to the government are deducted from the bond and only the balance is refunded.
The department of immigration and border protection will tell you how and when to lodge an assurance of support after your application has been assessed and is released from the queue for final processing.
More information about the assurance of support and how much you need to pay is at the Department of Human Services.
If the visa is granted, the department of immigration and border protection will let you know:
Usually you will not have a visa label placed in your passport.
If the visa is not granted, the department of immigration and border protection will let you know:
You need to provide documents to support your application for this Remaining Relative visa. The department of immigration and border protection can make a decision using the information you provide when you lodge your application. It is in your interest to provide as much information as possible with your application.
Provide certified copies of original documents. Do not include original documents unless the department of immigration and border protection specifically ask for them. Police certificates should be original documents. Documents not in English must be accompanied by accredited English translations.
Use this checklist to make sure your application is complete.
Your application could be delayed if you do not lodge complete forms and relevant documents to prove your claims.
Complete these forms:
Complete this form if it applies:
o Form 47a Details of child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over (238 kB PDF).​
Pay the first instalment of the visa application charge.
You will be asked to pay the second instalment before the visa is granted. If you do not pay this charge, the visa will be refused.
o For​m 956Advice by a migration agent/exempt person of providing immigration assistance (135KB PDF) (the agent or exempt person completes the form and you must sign it).
o Form 956a Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (120KB PDF) (the recipient completes the form and you must sign it).​​
o These photographs should be of the head and shoulders only against a plain background.
o Print the name of the person on the back of each photograph.
o a certified copy of their birth certificate and proof of their relationship to you
o proof that they live in your household
o proof that they have been financially dependent on you for at least the 12 months immediately before you lodge your application.
o passport
o family book showing both parents’ names
o identification document issued by the government
o document issued by a court that verifies the child’s identity.
If relevant, provide the same documents for anyone included as a dependent child in the application.
o certified copies of official legal documents, such as a court-issued parental responsibility (custody), access or guardianship order
o a statutory declaration giving their permission
o Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years (251 kB pdf).
o If you use this form, you will have to attach a certified copy of the other parent’s government-issued identification document (such as a passport or drivers licence) with their photograph and signature.
o If any dependent child included in the application is adopted: certified copies of the adoption papers.
o If any dependent child aged 18 years of over, evidence such as:
o current enrolment into full-time tertiary studies
o bank records
o other financial statements
o an Australian National Police Check for anyone who has spent a cumulative total of 12 months or more in Australia since turning 16 years of age
o police certificates from each country in which anyone in your application has spent a cumulative total of 12 months or more in the past 10 years since turning 16 years of age.
Provide the original certificates and keep a copy for yourself.
This is a permanent visa. It allows you and your family to:
More information on Australian permanent residence, including eligibility for government services and benefits, is available.
You will not be able to sponsor any other relatives for a Remaining Relative visa.
You and your family must comply with all Australian laws.
You can sponsor a family member for this Remaining Relative visa if you are their near relative. This means you are their brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister or parent. Your partner can be the sponsor, provided you live together.
To be a sponsor, you must be:
You must also agree in writing to provide support, accommodation and financial assistance for your relative and any accompanying family members for their first two years in Australia.
If you are an eligible New Zealand citizen will also need to meet health and character requirements.
Neither you nor your partner can sponsor someone for this Remaining Relative visa if:
o Preferential Family visa (subclass 104) (now closed to new applicants)
o Remaining Relative visa (subclass 115)
o Family visa (subclass 806) (now closed to new applicants)
o Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835).
Complete the following form and lodge it with the visa application:
Your relative can change their sponsor before the department of immigration and border protection make a decision about their application. The new sponsor will have to lodge their own completed:
For two years after your relative(s) is granted this Remaining Relative visa and arrives in Australia, you must continue to help them and their accompanying family members settle in Australia by providing:
If you have also provided an assurance of support, you must support your relative and their family for two years after they arrive in Australia by:
You can use Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) for free to check your visa details and entitlements.
Source: The Australian Department of Home Affairs (www.homeaffairs.gov.au). Please visit www.border.gov.au to get updated information.
Visa Help Australia Pty Ltd and Skilled Migration Consultants Pvt Ltd are specialists in study, skilled, work and family visas. Our qualified Australian registered migration agent can help you with all types of Australian visas.
Please visit our testimonials page to see what our clients have said about our quality service.