Australian Visa for family members

Who can request visa to Australia for family members?

Family members or “secondary applicant” are:

- Partner (husband or wife) including same-sex partner,

- Child depending on you or your partner,

- Other relatives depending on you or your partner.

Confirmation of relation for Australian Visas of family members. If you are in an officially registered marriage, you must apply a notarize copy of the marriage certificate, which has been issued by an official registration body. If you are in an informal marriage, you must confirm that this relationship is not fictitious and has been during 12 months before the application for Visa for family’s member is submitted, other than any occurrence with acceptable reasons.

De facto relationship: confirming the history of the relationship

You and your partner must provide an application stating all the points listed below:

- how, when and where you first met;

- how did your relationship develop;

- how do you support each other financially, physically and emotionally, and when did such allegiance begin;

- when and why any breakup happened, how long it lasted and how you communicated during this time;

- your plans for the future. 

Note: an application is written in any form, but it must be signed personally by the person who drew it.

There are four big categories of confirmations which you must provide:

- financial aspects of the relationship: joint tenancy of a house or joint housing rent, letters addressing to both of you at the same address, detailed information about financial obligations, including bank statements, as well as any joint obligations;

- the nature of joint household: any joint liability for children, the order of household, including the work that you do around the house;

- social context: confirmation of the fact that you and your partner are perceived as a couple in your social circle, you are sent common invitations, you have common friends, you must also provide a characterization of your relationship based on points of your friends and family, confirmation of joint travel and participation in sports events, social and cultural activities;

- obligations to the partner and the duration of the relationship: confirmation of the duration of the relationship, your wish for the long-lasting relationship (for example, whether your partner is listed in your last will), as well as correspondence and phone bills those confirm that you did not sever the relationship even during the breakup.

Documents for a child for an Australian Visa for  family members

There is necessary to provide certified copies of the birth certificate for each child or adoption documents. If you want to include an adopted child in the application, you need to provide documents confirming that you are legally responsible for the child.

Note: You can include a child in your application who was born after you submitted the application, but before your application is considered.

Documents for other relatives for an Australian Visa for  family members

You need to fill out a family member visa application Form 47A for each dependent aged 18 and older, regardless of whether they migrate with you or not. This form cannot be submitted electronically. This form and all supporting documents must be sent by mail or by courier to the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre.

You also need to provide:

- a certified copy of your relative's birth certificate and documents confirming your relationship;

- documents confirming that your relative lives with you;

- documents confirming that your relative has been dependent on you for at least the last 12 months;

- if your relative is divorced, divorce papers.

Family members of the main applicant must meet the established requirements for:

- place of residence;

- proficiency in English;

- health status;

- reputation, as well as the «Australian Declaration of Values».

Documents for an Australian Visa for  family members in cases of «Guardianship or adoption»

If you indicated in your application of a minor child (under age 18), whose other parent is not migrating with you or  there is another person who has the right to determine where that child lives, you need to provide the following

- documents certifying that the child may travel to Australia from the country of citizenship legally

For example: A court decision on your sole guardianship

- documents confirming that all persons who can determine the place of residence of the child give the consent for the child to receive a visa. Such a document can be:

- a notarized application or other official document signed by the second parent (or another person who can determine the place of residence of the child) for the consent to the child's visa

- a document confirming that the second parent is deceased, for example, a certified copy of the death certificate

- a document confirming that the issuance of a visa does not contradict the current regulations of the authorized bodies in relation to the child

For example: An original or a certified copy of the decision of the Court of Australia that you make the sole decision on where the child will live.

When specifying an adopted child in the application, you need to provide documents proving that you were in a registered or unregistered marriage with the second parent of the child, as well as one of the following documents:

- the current court decision on determining the place of residence under the Family Act, 1975, Australia

- a valid special order under the Family Act, 1975, Australia, on the basis of which you are responsible for the welfare, health and upbringing of the child — also called a «supervision order» or a valid document of guardianship or custody, joint or otherwise, issued by the Commonwealth, state, territory or in another country.