Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 115)

Features

This visa allows someone outside Australia whose only near relatives are living in Australia to live in Australia as a permanent resident.
The Remaining Relative visa requires the applicant to be the remaining relative of their parent, brother, sister, step-parent, step-brother or step-sister who must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

Eligibility

• Your (and your partner’s) relatives in Australia must be your only near relatives.
• You must have someone who will provide an assurance of support.

Length of stay

Permanently

Processing time

Current estimated processing time for Remaining Relative and Aged Dependent Relative visa applications that meet the criteria to be queued is approximately 50 years.

Who could get this visa

You might be eligible for this visa if:

• your (and your partner’s) only near relatives live in Australia
• an eligible near relative or their partner will sponsor you and all family members included as applicants in your application
• you have someone who will provide an assurance of support
• you and your family members meet health and character requirements

You should not apply for this 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to be successful, because the visa application charge will not usually be refunded if your application is refused or withdrawn.

Who is your near relative

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.

We do not consider how much contact you have with near relatives when we make a decision about whether you are a remaining relative.

Who is your sponsor

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:

• 18 years of age or older; and
• settled in Australia
  • an Australian citizen
  • an Australian permanent resident or
  • an eligible New Zealand citizen

When you might not be eligible for this visa

Do not apply for this visa if:

• you or your partner have any near relatives, who are usually living outside Australia, or are only living in Australia on a temporary visa, Bridging visa or unlawfully.
• your sponsor (or their partner) was the holder of, or sponsored someone else for, a Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835 or subclass 115), Preferential Family visa (subclass 104) or Family visa (subclass 806).

Health

You must meet certain health requirements. The results are usually valid for 12 months. Do not arrange a health examination until we ask you to.
This also applies to all the members of your family unit included in your application, whether they are migrating or not.

Character

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 we ask you to.
This also applies to all members of your family unit listed in your application, whether they are migrating or not.

Sign the Australian Values Statement

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.

Debts to the Australian Government

You must have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government or have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government before this visa can be granted.