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Sponsored Family Stream

The sponsored family stream provides opportunities for Australian citizens and permanent residents to invite their relatives to visit them in Australia for up to 1 year. Whilst the Department may request a bond from your Australian relative, this stream is slightly more lenient in certain circumstances.

 

Genuine Temporary Entrant 

You must demonstrate to the Department that it is not your intention to stay in Australia indefinitely beyond the visa period. Depending on which country you are a citizen of and what your personal situation is at home, the Department may raise concerns with respect to your true intention.

If you are from an underdeveloped country, you would likely need to show evidence that you will return home after your planned visit to Australia. As many people have their applications refused for this reason, you would need to plan your trip in advance very thoroughly.

 

Means of Support 

You must also demonstrate that you have, or have access to, sufficient finances to fund your travel. If the Department deems that you cannot financially afford your trip, your application would likely be refused. If someone else is paying for your travel, this may potentially inflict complications, especially if the financier is your Australian partner.

 

Relevant Public Interest Criteria

All applicants must satisfy the following:

  • 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4005, 4011, 4013, 4014, 4020 and 4021.

Applicants under the age of 18 must also satisfy the following:

  • 4012, 4017 and 4018.

 

Relevant Special Return Criteria

5001, 5002 and 5010.

 

Stay Limitation with Sponsored Family stream

In some cases, you can apply for a visitor visa while you are in Australia on a different temporary visa. However, if granting a visitor visa will lead you to stay in Australia for more than 12 months in the last 18 months, the application is likely to be refused.

 

Touristic Visit

The purpose of your stay must be primarily for tourism or to visit people in Australia. You cannot apply under this stream if you intend to get medical treatment or engage in business activities whilst in Australia.

 

Sponsorship and Security

You must be invited to come to Australia and be sponsored by a relative who is a settled Australian citizen or permanent resident. If your relative is a permanent resident but does not live in Australia, they may not be able to sponsor you.

The relatives of your partner or children may also sponsor you even if they are not directly related to you by blood.

In some cases, the Department may ask your sponsoring relative for a bond. You must provide this for your visa to be granted. If you do not leave before your visa expires or you apply for another visa whilst you are in Australia, the bond will not be refunded to your sponsoring relative.

The amount of the bond can vary. In extreme cases, a relative may be requested to give as much as AUD$5,000 or more for this purpose. If you are a relative and are thinking about providing a bond, make sure you get independent legal advice so you understand your obligations as a sponsor.

 

Sponsored Family Visa Conditions

The following conditions must be imposed by the Department:

  • 8101: The holder must not engage in work in Australia.
  • 8201: While in Australia, the holder must not engage, for more than 3 months, in any studies or training.
  • 8503: The holder will not, after entering Australia, be entitled to be granted a substantive visa, other than a protection visa, while the holder remains in Australia.
  • 8531: The holder must not remain in Australia after the end of the period of stay permitted by the visa.

 

Eligibility to be a Sponsor

To be a sponsor, you must:

  • Be an Australia citizen or Permanent resident; and
  • Have been living in Australia for the last two (2) years; and
  • Be over 18 years old.

 

Sponsored Family Visitor Visa
Australian Visitor Visa
NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA

 

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