Are your family members Australian citizens or permanent residents while you live overseas? Do you want to join them and live in Australia? The Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115) might be your best bet! However, obtaining this visa is no easy task. It involves a thorough awareness of the qualifying criteria and potential obstacles.
Don’t worry; in this article, I will explain everything you need to know to get the Remaining Relative Visa Australia (subclass 115). I will help you understand the eligibility requirements and get through the complex application process. And by the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll know exactly what to do to join your relative in Australia through Visa 115.
What is a Remaining Relative Visa?
The Remaining Relative visa, also known as visa subclass 115, is a permanent resident visa intended primarily for people with all their family members settled in Australia and are the sole person left in their native country. This visa is one of many family-sponsored visa options.
So, you can apply for this visa if all your family members live in Australia and you are the only one left in your home country.
You must be offshore (outside of Australia) when you apply for this visa and when the visa is approved.
If you are looking for a way to join your relatives in Australia as a permanent resident, this pathway is for you!
Benefits of the 115 Visa
The Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115) offers several benefits worth considering.
- It allows people who qualify to join their parents, siblings, or adult children in Australia to live there.
- The visa gives you permanent residency status, which means you can live, work, and study in Australia.
- The visa allows you to use Medicare, Australia’s public health system, which adds another layer of comfort and security.
- The visa provides you with a path to citizenship. You can apply for Australian citizenship once you have met the residency requirements.
- 115 Visa is a great way for you to get back together with your family members and live together in Australia.
Eligible Near Relatives for Visa 115
To be eligible for visa subclass 115, your close family member who resides in Australia must be either of the following:
- Parent
- Stepparent
- Brother or stepbrother
- Sister or stepsister
- Child or stepchild
Subclass 115 Visa Requirements
You must meet certain requirements to be eligible for a Remaining Relative Visa (visa 115).
- Your sponsor, who must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, is the key.
- To apply, you must meet a very specific set of family requirements. Your sponsor or their partner must be your brother, sister, child, parent, grandparent, or step equivalent. Also, you must be the last remaining family member overseas. This means your sponsor must not have any other close family members who live in another country.
- To qualify for visa 115, you must be willing and able to move to Australia.
- In addition to meeting the above requirements, you must also meet the Department of Home Affairs requirements for their health and character. This means you have to take a health exam to ensure you have no medical conditions that could endanger the Australian community. You must also submit police certificates from every country where you’ve lived for more than a year in the last ten years.
- It is also expected that if you need it, your sponsor must be able to help you. This includes giving you a place to live, money, and other help for the first two years after arriving in Australia.
How to Apply for a Remaining Relative Visa in Australia?
You must take several steps before your sponsor can bring you to Australia. These steps are outlined below.
- Before sending your visa application, you must pay the first installment fee through ImmiAccount. If you don’t have an account, you’ll have to create one because there’s no other way to pay.
- The next step is to send in a paper application for the visa, but you can’t do this online or in person. You’ll need to send the application by mail or courier. Before you send it, make sure to double-check the address. For paper applications, you must sign and date your original certificates and photocopies.
- After you’ve filled out your application and sent it, you’ll have to wait. Waiting is not a one-time thing but rather a two-step process. First, your application will be in a queue, and you’ll have to wait for the Department of Home Affairs to review it. After the queuing time, your application will be reviewed by the Department of Home Affairs. This is the second stage.
- Once you have made it through both stages, it’s time to pay the second installment fee. After you send in the fee, the Department will finally let you know what they’ve decided in writing.
The entire process can be long and complicated; reach out to IES Portal consultants to make the process an easy one.
Visa 115 Application Checklist
In my experience as the CEO of IES Portal, I know applying for visa 115 can be challenging if all necessary documents are not appropriately prepared. In this section, I will provide a detailed document checklist to make the application process easier.
- A valid passport: You must submit a copy of your passport pages. Depending on your situation, you may also need to submit a copy of your ID card or any certificates that show you have changed your name.
- Remaining Relative Visa Australia application form: Fill out this form with the correct information, as it will be used to decide if you are eligible for the visa.
- Form 40: For a relative visa, you will also need documents from your sponsor. Your sponsor must fill out form 40 and send it as part of your application.
- Sponsor documents: You must show proof of your relationship with your sponsor. This can include a birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, adoption papers, or a family book.
- Police certificate: You’ll also need to show that you have a good character. If requested by the Department of Home Affairs, you may also need to show police certificates.
- Partner documents: If you’re applying with your partner, you must show proof of your relationship, like a marriage certificate and identification and character documents.
- Documents for dependents under 18: If you are applying with children under 18, you must show proof of your relationship with them, their identification documents, a parental consent form 1229, and a statutory declaration.
- Documents for dependents over 18: If you have dependents over 18 who are applying with you, you must show proof of their identity, their character (if necessary), a dependency form 47a, and other evidence that they depend on you.
Remaining Relative Visa Cost & Processing Time
- Cost
This visa costs up to AUD6,625.
This visa must be paid for in two installments. Pay the first installment when you apply and then the second when the Department of Home Affairs requests it.
You may also be charged for health exams, police certifications, and biometrics.
- Processing Time
The Department of Home Affairs can’t tell you how long this visa will take to process. There are limits on how many people can apply for this visa, and people have to wait in line.
Your application may take longer to complete if you do not fill it out properly, include all of the required papers, or if the Department of Home Affairs requires more information from you.
Reasons for 115 Visa Rejection
Over the years, I have seen several applicants denied a Remaining Relative Visa Australia (subclass 115) application for many reasons. These reasons are complicated and need careful attention to the details.
- You may be denied this visa if you don’t have enough proof of your relationship with your sponsor.
- Everyone who wants a subclass visa 115 must undergo a mandatory health check to ensure they are healthy enough to enter Australia. The authorities will deny your visa application if they consider you to be a threat to the public health of the country.
- The character requirements put in place by the Australian government are another thing that applicants must do. These rules ensure that people entering the country are good people who don’t threaten national security. But your application may be denied if you have a criminal record or a history.
- Your visa application may be denied if you don’t have an assurance of support. This means you and your sponsor can’t show that you have enough money to support your stay in Australia without needing help from the government.
- Providing false or misleading information in the visa application can also lead to rejection.
Remaining Relative Visa Facts and Statistics
The following are some important facts and statistics that you should know about remaining relative visas in Australia.
- There is an extra fee for each member of your family you include in the application. You can use the price estimator to calculate your costs here.
- Your application will not be processed until you pay the necessary visa application fee.
- Visas for family migration are in great demand. It might take a long time for this visa to be approved.
- After some time, you might become eligible for Australian citizenship
Best Way to Apply for Remaining Relative Visa
The process of getting a remaining relative visa in Australia can be a complicated one. I have seen people denied this visa because of a lack of proper information and other avoidable mistakes.
Use the consultants at the Immigration and Education Services (IES) Portal to streamline your application process. We are an experienced Australian immigration service provider, and we can make your application easier. Book an appointment with our consultants today, or visit our page to learn more about our services.
Subclass 115 Pros and Cons
The following are the benefits and drawbacks of remaining a relative visa to Australia; consider them the things you need to think about before applying.
Pros
- Family reunion: The best thing about the Subclass 115 visa is that it allows families to get back together in Australia. This can be important for older parents with no other family left in their home country.
- Access to benefits: Once you have the visa subclass 115, you can enjoy the same benefits as any other permanent resident, like education, healthcare, and jobs.
- Pathway to citizenship: The Subclass 115 visa is also a way for you to become an Aussie citizen. After you have lived in Australia for a certain amount of time, you can apply for citizenship.
Cons
- High costs: The fees and other expenses for the Subclass 115 visa can be high.
- Long waiting times: It can take a long time to process this visa, sometimes years. This can be tough and uncertain if you can’t wait to be together with your family.
- Limited eligibility: The Subclass 115 visa is only for people with no close family living outside Australia, except for their partner. This means some people might not be able to get a visa even if they meet other rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can sponsor him with the remaining relative Visa Australia (Subclass 115) if he’s the only family outside the country. To do this, you must be an Aussie citizen or resident and promise to support him financially for his first two years there. You must also prove that you have a strong and continuous relationship with your brother and that he financially depends on you.
Yes, she can, but there are requirements you both must meet. Your sister must be a permanent resident or citizen of Australia, and you must be the only family left outside the country.
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Conclusion
Getting a Remaining Relative visa in Australia (Visa 115) may seem complex, but it’s doable with the right information. The crucial part is ensuring you meet the criteria and submit the right documents to the Department of Home Affairs.
You must have a relative in Australia who is a citizen or a permanent resident; you must also prove that you don’t have any close family members living in any other country except Australia.
Note that Visa 115 application process is a long-term process requiring you to invest significant money and time. You must think about your future goals before you decide to apply.
If you hire the IES Portal, we can help ensure the process is seamless. Our consultants will guide you through every step of the application process and ensure you have all the right documents.
You must be patient because getting approval for the Subclass 115 visa can take a while. But if you do get it, you get to be with your family in Australia.
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