How Can You Bring Your Family to Australia on a Family Visa?

Undoubtedly, Australia is the best country to live in! Whether we talk about world-class education, the country being home to some of the top-ranked universities, or the job market, it’s thriving with countless high-paying career opportunities. Add to that the quality of life is truly anything one can dream of, with safe cities, an excellent healthcare system, and breathtaking natural beauty to savour every single day.

But, even after everything, something can still feel incomplete, and that is the company of your loved ones. The amazing experience of living in Australia can be fulfilling only if you have your family to share it with.

That’s why Australia not only welcomes skilled professionals and students but also provides various Family Visa Australia options to help them bring their families together. If you are also looking to bring your partner, children, parents, or other relatives to Australia on a Family Visa, just read this article to find out the right way to do it!

Understanding The Key Options For Family Visa In Australia

Australian citizens, permanent residents, and certain New Zealand citizens (holding a Special Category Visa) or visa holders, including skilled professionals and students, can sponsor their eligible partners, children, parents, and other family members to apply for a family visa to migrate to Australia.

Interestingly, there is not just one but multiple family visa options in Australia. Depending upon the relation, the purpose of the visa, the time of visit (permanent or temporary), the location of the family applying from (in or outside Australia), and many other factors, the primary family visa is available in different subclasses, as explained below:

1. Partner Visa

If you want to sponsor your partner (spouse or de facto partner) for a family visa, you should consider the following visa options:

Onshore Partner Visa

The Onshore Partner Visa is designed for partners who are already staying in Australia. Your partner cannot obtain permanent residence without first completing a two-stage visa.

• Subclass 820 (Temporary Partner Visa): This visa allows your partner to live, work, and even study in Australia for around two years. During this time, the authorities review the permanent visa application to determine the legitimacy of both the relationship and the visa application.
• Subclass 801 (Permanent Partner Visa): Once the genuineness of the visa application is verified and approved, your partner gets a Subclass 801 visa. It allows your partner to live, work, and study in Australia indefinitely, with the same rights as any other Australian citizen.

Offshore Partner Visa

If your partner lives in a country other than Australia, they must go through the following two-stage visa application process to obtain permanent residence in Australia:

• Subclass 309 (Temporary Offshore Partner Visa): This visa allows your partner to temporarily live, work, and even study in Australia. During this time, the Department of Home Affairs evaluates both the authenticity of the relationship and the visa application.
• Subclass 100 (Permanent Offshore Partner Visa): After the permanent visa application is approved, a Subclass 309 visa holder may qualify for a Subclass 100 visa. It allows your partner to stay, work, and study in Australia forever and access all the rights like any Australian citizen.

Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300)

The Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300) is only for fiancés. It allows your partner to enter Australia for nine months to marry. After the wedding, they can apply for a permanent Partner visa.

2. Child Visa

Subclass 101 or Subclass 802 visas allow the dependent children to live with their parents in Australia. To be eligible for one of these child visas, the child must be under the age of 18 or financially dependent if older.

Subclass 101 (Offshore Child Visa)

Subclass 101, Family Visa Australia, allows you to sponsor a child living outside of Australia so that they can join you and live in Australia permanently.

Subclass 802 (Onshore Child Visa)

If your child already resides in Australia, they can obtain permanent residency and the same benefits with Subclass 802.

3. Parent Visas

Your parents can live permanently in Australia if they meet the necessary requirements to qualify for a parent visa. The most important of these is to meet the balance-of-family test, which requires that at least half of their children live in Australia rather than another country.

Subclass 103 (Non-Contributory Parent Visa)

This visa provides permanent residency to live in Australia, but the visa assessment process is too lengthy, which actually drags on for years.

Subclass 143 (Contributory Parent Visa)

Subclass 143 visas are processed much faster than Subclass 103 visas, but they require a larger financial contribution.

Subclass 804( Aged Parent Visa)

This visa option is for elderly parents whose children are citizens or permanent residents of Australia.

4. Remaining Relative Visas (Subclass 115 and Subclass 835)

Even your close relatives might be able to live in Australia with a family visa. They must, however, apply for Subclass 835 if they reside in Australia and Subclass 115 if they are not. The most crucial prerequisite for these visas is that all members of the immediate family must be residents of Australia. It means they do not have any other family members outside of Australia.

5. Carer Visa (Subclass 116 and Subclass 836)

The Carer Visa is a special visa that is specifically offered for individuals who need to move to Australia to provide full-time care for a relative with a serious medical condition. The Subclass 116 visa is for applicants from outside Australia, while the Subclass 836 visa is for those from within Australia.

Bring Family Members On Subsequent Entrant Visas

You can even sponsor your family member for a visa and bring them to Australia under the subsequent entrant stream. It allows dependants such as a spouse, de facto partner, or children to join you in Australia. This option is available for the following visas, including:

• Student Visa (Subclass 500)
• Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
• Skilled Visas (Subclass 189, 190, 491)
• Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
• Training Visa (Subclass 407)

Steps to Bring Your Family to Australia On A Family Visa

You need to follow a step-by-step and structured approach to bring your loved one on a family visa. It goes as follows:

Determine Eligibility

The first and foremost step is to find which of the visa categories fits your family member. You need to consider their age, your relationship, health, and many other factors to sort the right visa option.

Gather Required Documentation

Depending on the visa option selected, documents are gathered to attach to the visa application. Although the list of required documents varies for each visa, some of these documents include:

• Copies of the applicant’s and sponsor’s passports
• Birth Certificate
• Marriage Certificate or Proof of Relationship (for Partner Visas)
• Evidence of Dependency (for Child Visas)
• Health and character assessments
• Financial evidence for contributory visas

Health and Character Checks

Meeting health and character requirements is essential for almost every Australian visa option, whether partner, student, tourist, or other. It includes gathering medical examinations and police clearance certificates from the authorities where the visa applicant has lived.

Lodge the Visa Application

Once all of the documents are gathered, the visa application is submitted online through the Department of Home Affairs portal by filling out all of the required information. Following that, the required visa fee is paid.

Wait for Processing

The processing time for a visa varies depending on the type of visa as well as individual circumstances. In addition, if there are any errors in the visa application, the processing time may be extended.

Click here to find out the average visa processing time for any visa option.

Visa Approval

Once the visa is approved, your family member can travel to Australia and live there temporarily or permanently, depending on the visa type.

Final Thoughts

The Australian government provides a variety of Family Visa Australia options to help you bring your loved ones to live and stay in the country with you. But we get it; the laws, visa options, and distinctive visa requirements can be too complex to go through.

That’s why it is advisable to consult a registered migration agent like Ozee Migration to simplify the process, avoid mistakes, and improve your chances of success. Our MARA agents can help you and your loved one to filter the right visa option and assist with complete documentation and submitting the visa application. Contact us today for expert advice and assistance!

Recommend Read: What is the Processing Time for Partner Visa in Australia?