115 Visa – Remaining Relative Visa
The Remaining Relative visa (subclass 115) allows people to move and stay permanently in Australia with their only remaining close family members who have settled in Australia as an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. The applicant should be the only person who is left in their home country and they don’t have any other family members left in their home country. The close relative meaning in this visa is your partner or your partner’s parent, brother, sister, stepbrother or stepsister, child or stepchild who has turned 18 years old and is not a dependent child. Those near relative people can be your sponsor and they must agree to give you support, accommodation and financial assistance for the first two years of your residency in Australia. You will be eligible for this visa if you have met these requirements.
Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 115) Requirements
- You must be sponsored by an eligible parent or step-parent, sibling or step-sibling or an eligible partner of your relative.
- Your sponsor should be the only near relative who lives in Australia.
- Have someone who will provide you with an assurance of support.
- Meet health and character requirements.
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused.
- If you are aged 18 years or over, you are required to sign an Australian values statement. The statement is included in your visa application form.
You may not be eligible for this visa if you or your partner has a near relative who lives outside Australia or you or your partner have a near relative who lives in Australia on a temporary visa or unlawfully, this temporary visa includes bridging visa.
Your sponsor must not be the holder of, or sponsor someone else for a Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835 or subclass 115), Preferential Family visa (subclass 104) or Family visa (subclass 806). That’s why it is important to ensure if your sponsor is also eligible for sponsoring you for this visa.
Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 115) Application Process
When you apply for a Remaining Relative visa (subclass 115) you should be outside Australia and also when you receive the decision. Once you have applied for this visa, there will be an assessment in 2 stages, first The Department of Immigration will check your eligibility and either add the application to the queue or will refuse the application.
Second, if you are eligible The Department of Immigration will continue to do an assessment and make a decision. If you want to bring other members of your family unit, you may include them in your application when you apply for this visa and you can add them to your application at any time before the decision is released.
During the processing time of your application, you are not allowed to move to Australia until the visa is granted.
Remaining Relative Visa Subclass 115 Processing Time
There is no exact period for this visa’s processing time. The amount of time is subject to current queue release dates, but just note that as of March 2025, the approximate processing time for the Remaining Relative Visa is 27 years for new applications.
But it might take longer if you fill in the application incorrectly or you don’t include all the documents that are needed, that’s why it’s important to know all the information before you apply for this visa.
The application can’t be processed if the applicant doesn’t pay the visa charge correctly.
Remaining Relative Visa Subclass 115 Cost
The cost of the Remaining Relative visa is as follows:
- AUD 5,280 for the main applicant
- AUD 2,640 for additional applicant aged 18 and older
- AUD 1,325 for additional applicant aged under 18
The above fee is for the first instalment. The first instalment should be paid when you apply. The second instalment is AUD 2,065 and can be paid when the Department of Immigration is asks you to pay the second payment.
The above fee is as of July 2025. Please note that the visa fee might increase in July every year.
What You Can Do As An 115 Visa Holder
If you are granted the Remaining Relative Visa, you will automatically become a permanent resident in Australia and this visa allows you to:
- Stay in Australia indefinitely.
- You can work and study in Australia.
- You may apply for Australian citizenship if you are eligible for this.
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for 5 years from the date of visa grant.
- Enroll in Australia’s public healthcare scheme, Medicare.
- You may sponsor your relatives to come to Australia.
This visa is valid only for 5 years, therefore you need to apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) in order for you to be able to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
You may apply for a Resident Return Visa before your permanent visa expires.
Frequently Asked Questions For Subclass 115 Visa
ONE derland Consulting managing director and also registered migration agent, Indah Melindasari, B.Com (MARN 0961 448) is here to answer your questions!
- Who can be considered as my near remaining relative?
- Your near remaining relative is your parent or your partner’s parent (including biological and step-parent), sibling or step-sibling; child (including stepchild) who has turned 18 and is not a dependent child; or child (including stepchild) who has not yet turned 18 years of age and is not in your or your partner’s daily care and control.
- Who is eligible to be my sponsor?
- Your sponsor must be 18 years of age or older, an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, and must be settled in Australia. Your sponsor can be your parent, sibling or step-sibling or one of their partners’.
- They must provide you with support, accommodation and financial assistance for your first two years of residency in Australia.
- Your sponsor and his/her partner must never have held or sponsored someone else who was granted a Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835 or subclass 115) or Preferential Family visa (subclass 104) or Family visa (subclass 806).
- Can I work on my Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115)?
- Yes, this visa allows you to work in Australia
- How long can I stay in Australia holding a Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115)?
- This is a permanent visa. You can stay in Australia indefinitely.
- Should I apply the visa offshore?
- The visa application should be made offshore. The applicant should be outside Australia when applying for this visa and when the Department gives the decision.
- Can I include the family members?
- Yes, you can. The family members would need to meet the character and health requirements as well.
- How long is the processing time for this visa application?
- There is no exact period for this visa’s processing time. If you do not fill the application correctly, it may take a longer time for the Department to give you the decision.
Obtaining 115 Visa in Simple Four Steps
First step: Check your eligibility
The first thing you need to do before you apply for a Remaining Relatives Visa (subclass 115) is to check your eligibility.
You need to make sure you as a close relative and your sponsor have met all the criteria and requirements for this visa.
Second step: Apply and Pay the 1st instalment for Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115)
Once you have met all the criteria and requirements, you need to start preparing documents and apply for Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115). When applying, you need to be outside Australia, as well when the decision is made.
This application is a paper-based application and has to be posted (with correct pre-paid postage) or couriered to the Parent, Child and Other Family Processing Centre. You will pay the second instalment once requested.
Third step: Assessment for Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115)
- 1st stage – The application will be checked for the eligibility and will either be added to the queue or will be refused.
- 2nd stage – Once added to the queue, You will be notified about the outcome of your visa application by the Immigration Department.application will continue to be assessed when a place becomes available and decision will be made. You will need to pay the 2nd instalment upon request by the Department.
Fourth step: Grant of Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115)
Processing time varies. Applications for this visa are subject to availability and queuing process.
Once your Remaining Relative Visa (subclass 115) is granted, you will be allowed to stay in Australia as a permanent resident, work and enroll for public health scheme Medicare.
You will be notified about the outcome of your visa application by the Immigration Department.
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