Fact Sheet 32 - Family Stream Migration: Other Family
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The family stream of Australia's Migration Program enables the reunion in Australia of close family members such as spouses, fiancé(e)s interdependent partners, dependent children and adopted children. It also includes certain other family members such as parents, orphan relatives, carers, aged dependent relatives, and remaining relatives.
This fact sheet covers the migration arrangements for Other Family, which includes aged dependent relatives, remaining relatives and carers.
General information on the family stream is also available.
See: Fact Sheet 29 - Overview of Family Stream
Migration
Aged dependent relative
An aged dependent relative is a person who is old enough to be granted an Australian age pension, who is single and remains dependent on an Australian relative.
For men the qualifying age for an Australian age pension is 65 and for women it is gradually being increased from 60 to 65.
The relative in Australia must be a child, adopted child, parent, brother or sister, grandchild, uncle or aunt, niece or nephew (or step-relative equivalent) of the applicant.
The aged dependent relative must demonstrate that they are wholly or substantially dependent on the Australian relative for financial support for the basic needs of food, shelter and clothing. The support must have been provided for a reasonable period (normally three years).
Remaining relative
A remaining relative is a person who has no close family ties outside Australia and is the brother, sister, child or step equivalent of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
An applicant and spouse (if any) must not have any near relative, other than a near relative who is usually resident in Australia AND is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen. A near relative is a parent, sibling, non-dependent child or their step equivalent.
A person who has previously been granted a Subclass 104 (Preferential Family) visa, Subclass 115 (Remaining Relative) visa, Subclass 806 (Family) visa or Subclass 835 (Remaining Relative) visa cannot sponsor an applicant for a remaining relative visa. A person who has previously sponsored a successful applicant for a Subclass 104 (Preferential Family) visa, Subclass 115 (Remaining Relative) visa, Subclass 806 (Family) visa or Subclass 835 (Remaining Relative) visa cannot sponsor another person for a Remaining Relative visa.
Carer
A carer is a person willing and able to give substantial, continuing and direct assistance to an Australian relative (or member of their family unit) who has a medical condition that impairs their ability to attend to the practical aspects of daily life.
An Australian relative may be the spouse of the person, or child, adopted child, parent, brother or sister, grandparent, grandchild, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew or step equivalent.
The need for assistance must be likely to continue for at least two years. It must also be shown that the assistance being offe
An assessment of the Australian relative's medical condition must be made by Health Services Australia (HSA). Evidence that the Australian relative has arranged a medical examination with HSA must be provided with the application.
Sponsorship
All applicants in the Other Family category, whether they apply within or outside Australia, must be sponsored.
The sponsor must be either an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and would usually be 18 years of age or older.
Assurance of Support
An Assurance of Support (AoS) is a legal commitment by a person to repay to the Australian Government any recoverable social security payments made by Centrelink to those covered by the assurance.
An AoS is also a commitment to provide financial support to the person applying to migrate, so that they will not have to rely on any government forms of support.
The assurance comes into effect from the day the assuree (migrant) arrives in Australia, or the grant of a relevant visa to remain in Australia.
All applicants for Aged Dependent Relative and Remaining Relative visas require an AoS. However, an AoS bond is only payable for adult applicants.
On 1 July 2004, Centrelink assumed responsibility for all AoS assessments. More information is available about the
AoS.
See: Fact Sheet 34 – Assurance of Support
Capping visa classes
A number of visa classes in the family stream can be subject to capping. This means that once the number of visas set by the Minister for a visa class for that program year has been reached, no further visas can be granted in that class in that program year.
The Other Family visa categories may be subject to capping.
See: Fact Sheet 21 – Managing the Migration Program
Further information is available on the department's web site.
See: www.immi.gov.au
The department also operates a national telephone service inquiry line.
Telephone: 131 881
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm (recorded information available outside these hours) for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia.
Fact Sheet 32. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra.
Revised 1 January 2008.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2007.