If you have a family member in Australia, you can be sponsored for permanent residence. Eligible members are partners, parents and children. Other relatives could apply in rare circumstances.

Join a family member

Family Visas

If you have a familial relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, you can apply for a visa to join your relative.

The relationships that are recognised for this purpose are: partner (spouse/de facto/same sex relationship), parent, child (including adoptions), and other relatives under certain circumstances. There is no automatic right for family members to migrate to Australia, each of them has to meet eligibility criteria.

PARTNER VISA 820/801 – 309/100

If you are in a relationship with an Australian citizen, Permanent Resident or eligible New Zealand citizen you may be able to obtain a partner visa.

Partners can include married and de facto partners, including same-sex couples. The Partner visa allows you to remain in Australia temporarily and then permanently if you meet The Australian government’s requirements after two years.

Requirements for the initial Partner’s visa stage include satisfying health and character checks and you must be sponsored by an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen to apply for the visa.

In order to qualify for this visa, the applicant must be able to prove that the relationship is a genuine and continuing. This is determined by considering the duration of the relationship and various aspects of the relationship including history of the relationship, social, financial, household nature and future plans. 

PROSPECTIVE MARRIAGE VISA 300

If you are offshore and in a relationship with an Australian citizen, Permanent Resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and you plan to marry, you can apply for the Prospective Marriage visa 300 to enter Australia. This is a temporary visa which leads to permanent residency if requirements are satisfied through a subsequent Partner visa application.

You must prove that you plan to marry within 9 months from when you are granted the visa to be eligible. You must also prove that you met your partner in person and you are in a genuine and continuing relationship in order to obtain the visa. Other requirements include meeting health and character checks. Same sex couples are also eligible for this visa as same-sex marriage has been currently recognised in Australia since 9 December 2017 with the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017.

PARENT VISAS

Parent visas enable local residents in Australia to apply for the reunification of parents living abroad

The child:

  • must be settled in Australia as an Australian citizen or permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
  • must be able to support the parent financially and must provide Assurance of Support.

The parent:

  • must have more children in Australia than in any other country
  • must be free of medical conditions and criminal convictions

There are different categories of Parent visas, depending on the Government visa fees and the processing times, and it is generally a permanent visa or a provisional visa leading to permanent residence:

  • Parent Visa (subclass 103)
  • Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa (subclass 173)
  • Contributory Parent Visa (subclass 143)
  • Aged Parent Visa (subclass 804)
  • Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) Visa (subclass 884)
  • Contributory Aged Parent Visa (subclass 864)

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of relative can I re-join in Australia?

If you are the partner, the parent or the child of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or New Zealand eligible citizen, you may apply for specific visas if you satisfy all the requirements. If  you are the sibling or other type of relative and you are the only relative left in your country, you have the option of a Remaining Relative visa, however a 50-year waiting period apply, because there are only few visas granted every year.

Are same-sex relationships eligible for Partner visas?

Yes, Australia recognises both de facto and married same-sex relationships.