Bringing Loved Ones Together Strategically
Australia's family visa system is highly complex, with pathways that depend on your location, your relationship history, and the specific needs of your family members. Immilex helps individuals and families understand the options and prepare the right application.
Understand Your Options for Family Visas
Family migration is more than just an application; it is a life-changing process built on evidence and sponsorship. Whether you are reuniting with a partner, bringing a child to Australia, or supporting an aging parent, the system requires a deep understanding of eligibility and processing timelines.
At Immilex, we assess your family’s circumstances to ensure the most efficient pathway is selected, minimising delays and increasing the certainty of a favourable outcome.
Core of Family Migration: Evidence & Sponsorship
- The Sponsor: An Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen must usually "sponsor" the applicant. This includes a legal commitment to provide support and accommodation for the first two years in Australia.
- Proof of Relationship: The Department applies high scrutiny to ensure relationships are genuine and continuing. This requires a robust evidentiary pack of financial, social, and household documents.
Partner and Spouse Visas
These pathways allow the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian to live and work in the country.
Subclass 820 & 801 (Onshore Partner)
A two-stage onshore visa for the de facto partner or spouse of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen who is in Australia.
Subclass 309 & 100 (Offshore Partner)
A two-stage offshore visa for the de facto partner or spouse of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen who is outside Australia.
Subclass 300 (Prospective Marriage)
A temporary visa for individuals outside Australia who intend to marry their Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen partner within 9–15 months.
Parent Visas
Permanent and temporary paths for parents and aged parents to join their children in Australia.
Subclass 173 & 143 (Contributory Parent)
Temporary (173) and permanent (143) contributory visa pathways for parents of settled Australians. Approximately 15-year processing queue in exchange for significant financial contribution (approx. AUD 47,000+).
Subclass 870 (Sponsored Parent)
A temporary visa for parents to stay in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, with a maximum cumulative stay of 10 years. Does not lead to permanent residency.
Subclass 103 (Parent Visa)
A permanent visa for parents of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. Subject to a 33-year processing queue.
Subclass 884 & 864 (Contributory Aged Parent)
Temporary (884) and permanent (864) visas for aged parents (67+) in Australia. Approximately 15-year processing queue in exchange for a significant financial contribution (approx. AUD 43,600).
Subclass 804 (Aged Parent)
A permanent onshore visa for aged parents (67+) of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. Subject to a 33-year processing queue.
Child and Adoption Visas
Pathways for children to live in Australia with their parents or relatives.
Subclass 117 & 837 (Orphan Relative)
Permanent visas for single orphan children who are relatives of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. Subclass 117 offshore; Subclass 837 onshore.
Subclass 101 & 802 (Child Visas)
Permanent visas for dependent children of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. Subclass 101 for offshore applicants; Subclass 802 for onshore applicants.
Subclass 102 (Adoption)
A permanent visa for children adopted overseas by an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen through a recognised adoption process.
Other Family Visas
Specialised streams for relatives with unique care or dependency needs.
Subclass 116 & 836 (Carer)
Permanent visas for individuals who migrate to or remain in Australia permanently to care for an Australian relative with a long-term medical condition. Subject to an approximately 25-year queue.
Subclass 115 & 835 (Remaining Relative)
Permanent visas for individuals whose only near relatives are settled in Australia. Subject to an approximately 25-year queue. Subclass 115 for offshore applicants; Subclass 835 for onshore applicants.
Subclass 114 & 838 (Aged Dependent Relative)
Permanent visas for single aged relatives (67+) who have been financially dependent on an Australian citizen or permanent resident for at least 3 years. Subject to an approximately 22-year queue.
Maintaining Compliance
Family migration relies on the "genuineness" of the relationship and the legal accountability of the Australian sponsor. Compliance here focuses on transparency and meeting entry requirements.
Bringing Your Family Together
From auditing relationship evidence through to managing the transition to permanent residency, we keep your family’s journey clear, organised, and aligned with your personal and relocation goals.
STEP 1
Planning Your Journey Together
We start with a clear conversation to understand your family’s unique story and create a simple, step-by-step plan to bring you together.
STEP 2
Gathering Your Meaningful Proof
We guide you through collecting the personal stories and documents that show the government your family's bond is genuine and lasting.
STEP 3
Handling the Hard Work for You
Our team manages the entire application and all government paperwork, making the process stress-free so you can focus on your future.
STEP 4
Ongoing Representation
We manage all correspondence with the Department, ensuring that requests for further information (RFIs) are handled with technical precision.
The first step toward bringing your family home is a clear strategy. Contact Immilex for a consultation and a migration roadmap tailored to your family's specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your relationship to the person in Australia, whether the pathway is onshore or offshore, and whether the visa is temporary, permanent or two-stage.
Many are. Subclass 309 leads to 100, and subclass 820 leads to 801. Home Affairs also notes that the permanent stage becomes relevant after the temporary stage, subject to eligibility.
Only if they apply for an onshore "Aged" Parent visa (like the 804 or 864) and meet the age requirements. Parents on a temporary 870 visa generally do not have bridging visa rights to stay for other PR applications.
Generally, you must prove you have lived together and shared a life to the exclusion of all others for at least 12 months, though some states allow for the registration of a relationship to waive this time requirement.
Parent visas are capped and queued, and demand is greater than the number of places available each year. That can make processing times lengthy.
No. Partner, child and parent visa applications (as of 22 April 2026) can be lodged online (except Subclass 173 and 864), and Other Family visas are generally paper applications.