Australia offers a dependent visa program that allows eligible individuals to be sponsored
by their family members who are Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible
citizens. The dependent visa falls under the family stream of Australian visas. Here are
some key points about the dependent visa for Australia.
Sponsorship Eligibility
To sponsor a family member for a dependent visa, the sponsor must be
one of the following:
1. An Australian citizen
2. An Australian permanent resident
3. An eligible citizen who is currently a resident of Australia
Eligible dependent family members
The Dependent Visa program allows sponsors to sponsor the following
family members:
1. Spouse or de facto partner (including same-sex partners)
2. Dependent children (natural, stepchildren, or adopted children) who are unmarried and
under the
age of 18.
Financial Ability
1. The sponsor must demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to support the family
member being sponsored and any accompanying family members.
2. This is to ensure that the sponsored person will not be a burden on the Australian
government.
Health and character requirements
1. The sponsored family member and any accompanying family members must meet health and
character
requirements.
2. They may be required to undergo medical examinations and provide police clearance
certificates.
Sponsorship Process
1. A dependent visa permits a person to live and work in a foreign country as the dependent
of
The sponsor applies to sponsor the family member, and the sponsored family member applies
for
the visa.
2. The sponsor needs to demonstrate that they can financially support the
sponsored person and meet certain character requirements.
Partner Visas
1. If you are married or in a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent
resident,
or eligible New Zealand citizen, you may be eligible for a Partner Visa (subclass 820/801
for
onshore applicants or subclass 309/100 for offshore applicants) instead of a Dependent Visa.
2. For partner visas, the sponsor and the applicant must demonstrate that their
relationship
is genuine and ongoing. This includes providing evidence of shared finances, living
arrangements,
and social activities.
Child Visas
1. Dependent children can be sponsored under Child Visas (subclass 101 for offshore
applicants or
subclass 802 for onshore applicants) by their Australian citizen, permanent resident, or
eligible
New Zealand citizen parent.
2. For child visas, the child must be under the age of 18 at the time of
application. There
are certain exceptions for children who are 18 to 23 years old and are financially dependent
on
their parents due to a disability.
Processing Time
1. The processing time for dependent visa applications can vary depending on the specific
circumstances and the visa office's workload.
2. It's essential to check the most up-to-date
processing times on the official website of the Department of Home Affairs.
