Visa for relatives: which visa a brother, sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew can use

Relatives may qualify for Remaining Relative, Aged Dependent Relative, Orphan Relative or Sponsored Family visitor visas, depending on the relationship and eligibility tests.

For wider relationship-based options, see Australian family visas.

What is a relatives visa?

“Relatives visa” describes several routes, not one visa available to every family member. Relationship alone does not establish eligibility: Remaining Relative has near-relative restrictions, Aged Dependent Relative requires dependency, and Orphan Relative concerns children without a parent able to care for them.

A visit is separate from settlement; the Sponsored Family visitor stream has its own eligible-relative list.

Which visa for which relative?

Ask about a relative’s visa options — enquiry form

Home Affairs publishes a 26-year estimate for Remaining Relative and Aged Dependent Relative visas, not an individual decision date. Its Other Family processing information was updated on 6 October 2026; as at 31 August 2026, applications with queue dates up to 30 June 2013 had been released for final processing for both categories.

Brother or sister

A visa for a sibling may be possible through Remaining Relative, but having a brother or sister in Australia is not enough. The applicant must be the remaining relative of the sponsor or the sponsor’s partner.

The guides to sponsor a relative to Australia and who is a relative for visa purposes provide related routing. Compare assurance of support obligations with the separate sponsored family stream visit option.

Grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew

Grandparent, aunt or uncle: Aged Dependent Relative depends on age, dependency, partnership status and eligible sponsorship—not the family label alone. There is no automatic entitlement to a visa for a grandparent.

Grandchild, niece or nephew: The applicant may qualify for an orphan relative visa if under 18 when applying and no parent can provide care because the parents are deceased, permanently incapable or cannot be found. Capable parents who do not want to provide care do not satisfy that test.

For Orphan Relative subclass 117, the sponsor can be an eligible sibling, grandparent, aunt or uncle, including the specified step relationships. The child must be outside Australia at application and decision.

Cousins, in-laws and friends: why there is no sponsor route

This exclusion is limited to the Sponsored Family visitor stream: cousins, in-laws and friends are not included in its published eligible-relative list. It is not a statement about eligibility across all Australian visas.

Remaining Relative visa

Subclass 115 and 835 distinguish offshore and onshore applications. Subclass 115 requires the applicant to be outside Australia at application and decision; subclass 835 requires presence in Australia at both stages.

Key requirements include:

1. An eligible parent, step-parent, sibling, step-sibling or eligible relative’s partner as sponsor.
2. The sponsor or their partner being settled in Australia, at least 18, and an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
3. No near relative of the applicant or their partner usually living outside Australia, or living in Australia unlawfully or on a temporary visa unless an eligible New Zealand citizen.
4. An assurance of support.

The sponsor and their partner must also satisfy restrictions on previously holding or sponsoring specified family visas. The dated queue estimate above applies.

Aged Dependent Relative visa

The Aged Dependent Relative visa requires pension age, no partner and dependency on the Australian relative for basic needs for at least 3 years before applying.

For subclass 114, all applicants must be outside Australia at application and decision. Subclass 838 requires presence in Australia, outside immigration clearance, at both stages and no “no further stay” condition.

Before applying:

1. Establish age, partnership status and dependency.
2. Identify an eligible relative or relative’s partner as sponsor.
3. Check the subclass location requirements.

Assurance of Support for relatives

An Assurance of Support is a legal commitment to repay government welfare payments made to the visa holder or accompanying family members. The assurer undertakes that repayment commitment; sponsorship is a separate obligation.

Remaining Relative applicants must be able to obtain an assurance. Its assurance period is 2 years.

Visiting instead

The Sponsored Family visitor stream lists siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and their step equivalents among eligible relatives. Its published relationship list should not be treated as eligibility for permanent settlement.

Before you lodge

For broader family routing, including Carer, use the Home Affairs family visa finder.

An application prepared by an Australian migration lawyer is more likely to succeed because near-relative restrictions, dependency evidence and application-location requirements can be assessed before lodgement. Enquiries from this site go to Australian Migration Lawyers.