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Pathway

Australia Remaining Relative Visa

Australia Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Australia's Remaining Relative visa is a permanent route for people whose only near relatives live in Australia.

Type
Permanent family residence
Sponsor
Only near relatives in Australia
Core requirements
No other near relatives, sponsor, support, health, and character
What to know
Very narrow and often slow
What it gives
If granted, the visa provides permanent residence, with indefinite permission to live, work and study in Australia.
Main limit
This is not a general sibling visa, a route for someone with "most" family in Australia, or a test based on emotional closeness.

Summary

The Remaining Relative visa is a permanent route for a person whose only near relatives are settled in Australia with qualifying status. Subclass 115 is for an applicant outside Australia; Subclass 835 is for an applicant in Australia.

This is one of Australia's narrowest family categories. It looks at the near relatives of both the applicant and the applicant's spouse or de facto partner. A single near relative living outside Australia—or living in Australia only temporarily or unlawfully—can prevent eligibility.

These visas are capped and queued. Home Affairs' information current to 31 May 2026 estimates about 22 years for a new Remaining Relative application. That figure can change and is not a guaranteed decision time.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

The applicant must be the remaining relative of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is usually resident in Australia. The sponsor must be an eligible parent, step-parent, sibling, step-sibling, or the eligible partner of that relative; the sponsor must be at least 18 and settled in Australia.

Home Affairs will not grant the visa if the applicant or their partner has a near relative who:

"Near relative" is a defined migration term and is broader than the person someone thinks of as close family. It can include parents, siblings, adult children and certain minor children, and the partner's family also matters. Build a full family tree before assuming the test is met.

The applicant must obtain an Assurance of Support when requested and meet health, character, identity, government-debt and immigration-history requirements. Subclass 115 generally requires the applicant to be outside Australia at application and decision. Subclass 835 requires onshore presence and lawful ability to apply.

What This Route Allows

If granted, the visa provides permanent residence, with indefinite permission to live, work and study in Australia. Medicare enrollment, sponsorship of eligible relatives and later citizenship may be possible under their own rules.

The visa normally includes a 5-year travel facility. After it expires, a permanent resident generally needs a Resident Return visa to re-enter after travel unless they have become a citizen.

What This Route Is Not

This is not a general sibling visa, a route for someone with "most" family in Australia, or a test based on emotional closeness. The presence of one disqualifying near relative can defeat the case even if every other relative is Australian.

It is not quick. A valid onshore application and bridging visa also do not create unrestricted travel rights or guarantee the applicant can remain on the same conditions throughout a multi-decade queue.

An Assurance of Support is not simply a family promise. It is a formal commitment concerning recoverable government payments, assessed separately from sponsorship.

Next Steps

  1. Build a complete family tree for both the applicant and any spouse or de facto partner.
  2. For every near relative, document country of usual residence and exact Australian immigration status.
  3. Confirm the proposed sponsor's qualifying relationship, age, settled residence and status.
  4. Check the location and current-visa rules for Subclass 115 versus 835.
  5. Review the 22-year published estimate and plan lawful interim residence, healthcare and travel independently.
  6. Follow Home Affairs' instructions on the Assurance of Support and final health or police checks when requested.
Compare your options

Other routes in Australia.

Sources