Individual & Family

The Partner Visa allows spouses or de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens to live in Australia. The visa is granted in two stages: temporary and permanent residency. Applicants must prove a genuine and ongoing relationship and meet health and character requirements. Partner visas provide a pathway to Australian citizenship and allow applicants to live, work, and study in Australia while awaiting their permanent visa decision.

The Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300) is for individuals who intend to marry an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. This temporary visa allows the holder to enter Australia, marry their sponsor within 9 months, and then apply for a Partner Visa. Applicants must demonstrate a genuine and continuing relationship and meet eligibility requirements.

The Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143) is a permanent visa for parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. Applicants must be sponsored by their child and meet the Balance of Family Test, ensuring at least half of their children live in Australia. This visa provides access to Medicare, work, and study rights and allows holders to apply for Australian citizenship.

The NZ Family Relationship Visa (Subclass 461) is a temporary visa that allows family members of a New Zealand citizen to live and work in Australia. This visa is valid for five years and is available to partners, children, and dependent relatives of Special Category (Subclass 444) visa holders. It can be renewed onshore, provided the relationship continues.

The Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) is a points-tested permanent visa for skilled workers who do not need employer or state sponsorship. Applicants must have an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), meet the points threshold, and receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This visa allows holders to live, work, and study anywhere in Australia with a direct pathway to citizenship.

The Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) is a state-sponsored permanent visa that allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia. Applicants must be nominated by a state or territory government, meet the points requirement, and work in an occupation listed on the state’s skilled occupation list. Holders of this visa commit to living in the nominating state for a certain period.

The Skilled Regional (Subclass 491) Visa is a points-tested temporary visa for skilled workers nominated by a state or regional sponsor. This visa is valid for 5 years and provides a pathway to permanent residency (Subclass 191 Visa) after meeting residency and work requirements in a designated regional area.

The Graduate Temporary Visa (Subclass 485) allows recent graduates from Australian institutions to live, work, and study in Australia temporarily. It has two streams:
✔ Post-Study Work Stream – for graduates with higher education degrees.
✔ Graduate Work Stream – for graduates with skills in demand.
This visa provides valuable work experience and a pathway to permanent residency.

The Workplace Justice Visa (Subclass 408 – Government Endorsed Events Stream) supports temporary visa holders facing workplace exploitation in Australia. This visa allows applicants to remain in Australia, pursue their workplace exploitation claim, and work without restrictions. Applicants must provide a Workplace Exploitation Certificate from an approved government agency.

The Medical Treatment Visa (Subclass 602) is a temporary visa for individuals seeking medical treatment, organ donation, or medical consultation in Australia. The visa is also available to those supporting a patient receiving treatment or individuals unable to leave Australia due to medical conditions. The visa duration depends on the treatment period.

Visa applicants must meet character requirements under Section 501 of the Migration Act 1958. A visa may be refused or canceled if an applicant fails the Character Test due to a criminal record, past conduct, or security concerns. Character waivers may be granted in cases where there are strong mitigating circumstances, such as family ties, rehabilitation, or contributions to Australia.

Visa applicants must meet Australia’s health requirements, which assess whether a condition would cause significant costs to the healthcare system or limit resources for Australian citizens. In some cases, a health waiver may be granted under Public Interest Criteria 4007, allowing applicants with health conditions to remain in Australia if they demonstrate compelling and compassionate reasons.

The Australian Visa Character Waiver allows visa applicants who have failed the Character Test under Section 501 of the Migration Act 1958 to request reconsideration of their case. A visa may be refused or canceled due to a criminal record, past conduct, or security concerns. However, a waiver may be granted if the applicant can demonstrate compelling reasons, such as family ties, rehabilitation, or significant contributions to Australia.

The Skilled Regional Visa (Subclass 887) is a permanent visa for individuals who have lived and worked in regional Australia on an eligible provisional visa. Applicants must meet the residency and work requirements, demonstrate competent English proficiency, and fulfill health and character requirements. This visa allows holders to live, work, and study permanently in Australia.

The Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (Subclass 191) is designed for skilled workers who have held an eligible regional provisional visa (Subclass 491 or 494) for at least 3 years. Applicants must have lived, worked, and studied in a designated regional area and meet income requirements. This visa provides pathways to Australian citizenship and full work and travel rights.

The Partner Visa (Subclass 309 & 100) is for individuals in a genuine and ongoing relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. The Subclass 309 is a temporary visa, leading to the Subclass 100 permanent visa. Applicants must provide evidence of their relationship and meet health and character requirements.

The Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 173) is a temporary visa that allows parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents to live in Australia for up to 2 years. This visa provides a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 143 visa. Applicants must meet the Balance of Family Test and be sponsored by their child in Australia.

The Contributory Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 884) is a temporary visa for aged parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents. It allows holders to live in Australia for up to 2 years and provides a pathway to the permanent Subclass 864 visa. Applicants must be old enough to receive an Australian Age Pension and meet sponsorship and health requirements.

The Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) is a permanent visa for aged parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. This visa requires an Assurance of Support and applicants must meet the Balance of Family Test. The visa allows parents to live permanently in Australia with access to Medicare and social benefits.

The Parent Visa (Subclass 103) is a permanent visa for parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. Applicants must meet the Balance of Family Test and have an eligible sponsor. This visa allows parents to live permanently in Australia, with access to Medicare and Australian social benefits. Processing times can be long due to high demand.

The Sponsored Parent Visa (Subclass 870) allows parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents to stay in Australia for up to 5 years without meeting the Balance of Family Test. This visa does not provide permanent residency but allows multiple entries during its validity. Applicants must have an approved sponsor and meet health and character requirements.

The Adoption Visa (Subclass 102) is a permanent visa for children adopted overseas by Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. This visa allows adopted children to live permanently in Australia with their adoptive parents. The adoption must be finalized before the child turns 18, and the adoption process must comply with Australian adoption laws.

The Child Visa (Subclass 101) is a permanent visa for children under 18 years old who are the biological, adopted, or stepchildren of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. This visa allows children to live permanently in Australia and access education and healthcare services. Applicants must have an eligible sponsor (parent or guardian).

The Child Visa (Subclass 802) is for dependent children of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens who are already in Australia. This visa provides permanent residency and access to education and healthcare. The child must be under 18 or a full-time student under 25 and financially dependent on the sponsoring parent.

Schedule 3 applies to partner visa applicants who do not hold a substantive visa when lodging their application. It allows applicants to apply onshore instead of offshore. To qualify, applicants must meet compelling and compassionate reasons for remaining in Australia, such as having an Australian child or facing significant hardship if separated from their partner.

The Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) allows individuals to visit Australia for tourism, business, or family visits. Depending on the stream, visitors can stay for up to 12 months. Applicants must demonstrate genuine temporary intent, financial stability, and meet health and character requirements.

The ETA (Subclass 601) is an electronically linked visa for eligible passport holders that allows multiple visits to Australia for up to 3 months per visit within a 12-month period. This visa is fast-tracked and is available to select nationalities. Applicants must meet character and security requirements.

The eVisitor Visa (Subclass 651) is a free visa for passport holders from eligible countries, allowing multiple short visits (up to 3 months per visit) within 12 months. This visa is ideal for tourism or short-term business visits. Applicants must apply from outside Australia and meet character requirements.

An Invitation Letter for a Tourist Visa is a crucial document that helps strengthen a Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) application. This letter, written by an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible visa holder, provides details about the visitor’s purpose, duration of stay, financial support, and accommodation. While not mandatory, it can significantly improve the chances of visa approval by demonstrating a genuine reason for travel and adequate support in Australia.

The Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417) allows young adults from eligible countries to travel and work in Australia for up to one year. This visa offers an opportunity to explore the country while working to fund their stay. Applicants must be aged 18–30 or 35 (depending on nationality), meet financial, health, and character requirements, and hold a passport from an eligible country. Visa holders can apply for a second or third-year extension after completing eligible work such as farming, tourism, or hospitality.

Similar to the Subclass 417 visa, the Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) allows young individuals from specific countries to work and travel in Australia for up to 12 months. However, additional requirements apply, such as evidence of functional English, educational qualifications, and country-specific quotas. The visa provides an option to apply for a second or third-year extension after completing eligible specified work.