Age Dependent Relative Visa (Subclass 838)

Visa Eligibility

• You must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply and when DoHA decides on your application. Any family members who apply for the visa with you must also be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply.
• You must be sponsored for this visa by an eligible relative or relative’s partner. DOHA must approve the sponsorship.
• You must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia.
• You must have been dependent on your relative in Australia for basic needs like food, shelter and clothing for at least three years before you apply for the visa. You could be dependent on your relative due to a disability that prevents you from working.
• To be eligible for this visa, you must have no partner.
• The visa you currently hold must not have an any further stay condition on it.
• You must be able to obtain an assurance of support. An assurance of support assures us that you will not have to rely on government assistance after you enter Australia on this visa. The assurance is for you and any family members who come to Australia with you on this visa.
• You must meet all the health and character requirements.
• You must not have any debt to pay to the Australian government.
• With under 18 applicants, it must be in the best interest of them.

Note: If you have had a visa cancelled or previous application refused, you may not be granted a visa.

Visa Benefits

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Australia’s public healthcare scheme: Medicare
• sponsor your relatives to come to Australia
• apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible

Notes for Sponsors

• Your sponsorship covers the main visa applicant and any family members who apply for the visa with them. You can sponsor more than one relative for this visa.
• There is no cost to apply to sponsor a visa applicant, but you must agree to financially support the main visa applicant and their dependents for their first two years in Australia.
• Sponsorship obligations last for two years from the date when the applicant first enters Australia on the visa.
• You might be asked to provide an assurance of support for the visa applicant. An assurance of support is a legal commitment to repay the Australian Government any welfare payments made to a visa holder or their family members who come to Australia with them.
• To sponsor your relative for this visa, you or your partner must be settled in Australia, 18 years of age or older, and either: an Australian citizen OR an Australian permanent resident OR an eligible New Zealand citizen.

General Notes

• You can include members of the family unit in your application when you apply. You can also add them to your application at any time before DOHA makes a decision. For this visa, your family members are your dependent child and stepchild.
• DoHA assess applications for this visa in 2 stages:
  • Check eligibility and either add the application to the queue or refuse it.
  • Continue assessing the application when a place becomes available and make a decision

Visa Processing Time

The processing time for the visa subclass 838 is at least 24 years.

To avoid unwanted processing delays, make sure to fill out your application form thoroughly and accurately. Submit all the necessary documentation and respond promptly to any information requests from DOHA.