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Remaining relative visa
(subclass 115) (offshore)
The Australian Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 115) is a permanent visa designed for individuals whose close family members (such as a parent, brother, sister, step‑brother or step‑sister of the applicant) are Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens.
It is designed for applicants and their spouses (if any), who have no remaining near relatives (such as a parent, brother, sister, step‑sibling, or non dependent child of the applicant or spouse). This visa therefore allows applicants to migrate to Australia and join their family members. This visa can be applied only through a paper application.
Benefits of Subclass 115 Visa
Once granted, Subclass 115 visa allows you to:
- Stay in Australia indefinitely, without any time limits on your residency.
- Work and study in Australia without restrictions.
- Enrol in Australia’s public healthcare scheme, Medicare, to access medical services.
- Apply for Australian citizenship if you meet the eligibility criteria.
These privileges provide you with the opportunity to establish a stable life in Australia and contribute to the community. Make sure to comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws during your stay.
Travel to and from Australia for 5 years
If granted, your visa allows you to travel to and from Australia as many times as you wish within a period of 5 years from the date it is granted. This travel facility remains valid as long as the visa is valid.
Should you wish to travel after the initial 5-year period, you will need to apply for and obtain a Resident Return Visa (RRV) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
Additionally, you may consider applying for Australian citizenship. As an Australian citizen, you won’t require a visa to enter Australia. Instead, you will need to apply for an Australian passport and use it for travel purposes.
To check the expiration date of your travel facility, you can use the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service.
How long the child can stay
Subclass 115 visa grants you permanent residency in Australia, allowing you to reside in the country indefinitely.
For citizenship eligibility, your permanent residency commences either upon your entry to Australia with 115 visa, or if you had previously been in Australia and held a permanent visa before departing, upon the grant of this visa.
Include family
You can include your family members in your visa application when you initially apply or add them later before a decision is made.
Ensure you provide details of all family members, regardless of whether they are migrating.
Family members applying with you must satisfy our health and character requirements.
Additionally, family members not migrating may still need to meet health and character requirements.
Visa cost
The Subclass 115 Remaining Relative Visa (Onshore) costs at total fee of AUD $7,190, with additional charges for each family member included in the application. The fee is paid in two instalments: the first fee of $5,125 is at application submission and the second instalment fee of $2,065 is when requested by the Department.
Additional costs may include health exams, police certificates, and biometrics.
For more details, refer to the official immigration guidelines.
See related: Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835)
Apply from
You must submit your application for Subclass 115 visa while you are outside of Australia. Additionally, you must remain outside of Australia while the Department of Home Affairs processes your application and when they make a decision regarding its outcome.
Processing times
The processing times for Other Family visas can be lengthy due to the high demand exceeding the number of available places each year. To get an estimate of processing times, you can use the visa processing time guide tool, which provides information on recently decided applications. However, please note that this tool offers only a general guide and may not be specific to your application.
Your application might take longer to process if:
- It is not filled in correctly.
- It lacks necessary documents, or we require additional information from you.
- The verification of your information takes longer than usual.
If the correct visa application charge is not paid, we cannot process your application. In such cases, we will inform you and, if necessary, return your application.
It’s important to note that applications for this visa are subject to capping and queueing, which means that processing priorities are determined based on various factors.
Your obligations
You are required to arrive in Australia before the date indicated in your grant letter, typically set at 12 months from the date of visa grant. It’s essential that both you and your family members comply with all visa conditions and adhere to Australian laws during your stay.
For details regarding specific conditions attached to this visa, please refer to our visa conditions page.
Eligibility for Remaining relative visa 115
Have a sponsor
You need to have sponsorship from an eligible parent or step-parent, sibling or step-sibling, or an eligible partner of your relative.
Not have other near relatives
Your visa application will be denied if either you or your partner have a close relative residing outside Australia, or if the close relative is living in Australia is on a temporary visa (excluding Eligible New Zealand citizens) or unlawfully. Temporary visas encompass bridging visas as well.
Have assurance of support
You need to be capable of obtaining an assurance of support. This assurance ensures that upon entering Australia on this visa, you and any accompanying family members will not need to depend on government assistance. We will inform you when it’s necessary to provide the assurance of support. You can learn more about assurances of support on our website.
Meet the health requirement
You and any accompanying family members must meet the health requirement when applying for this visa.
Meet the character requirement
You and any family members applying for the visa with you must meet the character requirement.
Have paid back your debt to the Australian Government
If you or any family members owe the Australian Government money, you or they must have either paid it back or have an approved arrangement in place to repay it.
Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
The Department will assess your immigration history as part of the decision-making process for your application. If you have previously had a visa cancelled or refused, you may not be eligible for this visa. However, there are certain circumstances where you may still be able to apply for a permanent visa despite past visa issues.
Sign the Australian values statement
If you are 18 years of age or older, there are specific requirements you must meet:
- You must have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet.
- You must sign an Australian Values Statement affirming that you will respect the Australian way of life and adhere to Australian laws.
Best interests of the child
Your visa may be refused if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
Conditions
8502 - Not arrive before person specified in visa
You must not enter Australia before the person specified in the visa has entered Australia. Typically, this refers to the main visa holder or other relevant individual, such as your sponsor in the case of a Partner visa.
8515 - Must not marry or enter into a de facto relationship before entry
Before entering Australia, you must not marry or enter into a de facto relationship.
If your contact details change, refer to the appropriate procedure.
Failure to disclose an engagement, marriage, or de facto relationship that existed prior to visa approval may result in visa cancellation.