残留親族ビザ

What this visa is for#

The Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835) is a permanent visa in the Other family stream. It is for applicants whose only near relatives live in Australia. It is a long-queue visa.

This visa sits in the family area of the migration program, but its category is recorded as partner and its stream is Other family. It is designed for a narrow group of family situations, where a person’s close family links are mainly in Australia rather than overseas.

The subclass 835 is an onshore visa. That means the application is lodged while the applicant is in Australia. A person usually needs to stay aware of their visa status during the long processing period, because a pending application does not make the queue move faster.

Because this is a permanent visa, a granted applicant becomes a permanent resident from the date of grant. Permanent residence can carry rights and obligations that differ from those on temporary visas, including work and study settings and access to some services, subject to the usual government rules.

Who it is generally for#

This visa is for people who have only near relatives living in Australia. In broad terms, it exists to cover families where the applicant does not have the usual close family network remaining outside Australia.

This visa is for people who are in Australia at the time of application and who are applying in the Other family stream rather than through a partner, parent, skilled, student or visitor pathway. It is used in cases where the family relationship pattern is the main feature of the application.

This visa is for people whose family circumstances need to be shown with clear documentary evidence. That can include records about parents, siblings, children and other close family members, and records showing where those relatives live.

It is also a visa for people who can manage a long wait. The queue for remaining relative visas is well known to be lengthy, so applications in this area often involve keeping documents current and keeping the Department updated over time.

What it costs#

The government visa application charge for the subclass 835 is:

• Main applicant: $5,160
• Additional applicant 18 or over: $2,580
• Additional applicant under 18: $1,290

These are the government charges for lodging the visa application. The government charge is the same no matter who lodges it, whether that is the applicant, a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner.

Professional fees are separate. A registered migration agent or lawyer may charge for checking documents, preparing the application, managing correspondence and answering Department requests. Those professional fees are set by the agent or law practice, not by the government, so they can vary a lot from one provider to another.

Government charges are indexed and usually change on 1 July. Before lodging, it is sensible to check the current charge on the Department website or in the latest legislative update, because the amount payable on the day of lodgement is what matters.

Other costs can also come up during processing, depending on the documents involved. These often include police certificates, health examinations, translations and replacement civil documents, but they are not part of the visa application charge listed above.

How long it takes#

This is a long-queue visa. That is the key timing point to understand.

For this visa type, processing is not usually measured in a few months. The main delay is often the queue itself, not how fast a person uploads a single document after lodgement. Even a well-prepared application can sit in the queue for a long time before active processing begins.

Time can then be added by practical issues such as expired police clearances, out-of-date passports, missing identity documents or changes in family circumstances that need to be reported and documented. If the Department asks for more information, the overall timeline can become longer again.

Published processing information can change, and queue-managed visas can move differently from more common visas. For that reason, it is better to think of this as a visa with a long waiting period rather than a visa with a short, fixed service standard.

What the process involves#

The process starts with checking the current Department requirements, forms and document lists for the Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835). As an onshore application, it is important to understand where the applicant needs to be at lodgement and at decision time, because onshore visas often have location rules attached to them.

The application stage usually involves gathering identity documents, civil status documents and evidence of family relationships. Common examples include passports, full birth certificates, marriage or divorce records where relevant, and records that help show where near relatives live.

The next part is preparing evidence in a way the Department can follow. That usually means making sure names, dates of birth and places line up across documents. If a document is not in English, a translation may be needed.

After lodgement, the application generally enters a long queue. During that period, the Department may not contact the applicant for a long time. That silence does not necessarily mean there is a problem, it can simply reflect queue order and processing priorities.

If the Department later asks for more information, the request usually comes with a deadline. At that point, applicants often need updated police certificates, health checks or newer identity documents if older ones have expired.

Throughout the process, the Department needs current contact details. If an address, email, passport or family circumstance changes, that update usually needs to be given promptly so notices are not missed and the file stays accurate.

For applicants who use a registered migration agent or lawyer, the representative may help organise documents, monitor deadlines and handle communication. For applicants who lodge without a representative, the process still uses the same government criteria and the same government charge.

What commonly goes wrong#

Incomplete evidence is one of the most common problems. Family visas often depend on a chain of documents that all fit together, and a missing birth certificate, name-change record or proof of where a relative lives can slow the file down or trigger a request for more information.

Documents can also expire during the long wait. Passports, police certificates and some other records may no longer be current by the time the Department reaches the application. When that happens, fresh documents may be needed, which can add time.

Names and dates often do not match across older records. A small difference in spelling, a different order of names, or a wrong date on one certificate can create confusion. If the record trail is messy, the Department may need more evidence to confirm identity and family links.

People sometimes forget to tell the Department about a change of address, phone number or email. That can lead to missed requests, missed deadlines or important notices going to an old contact point. In a long-queue visa, contact details can change more than once, so this matters.

Another practical issue is assuming a bridging visa carries the same rights as the substantive visa held before lodgement. It may not. Work rights, study rights and travel conditions can differ, so a person needs to check the conditions on the visa actually in effect at that time.

Travel is another area where mistakes happen. An onshore application can be affected by leaving Australia at the wrong time or without the right travel permission attached to the current visa status. The visa application itself and any bridging arrangements need to be understood as separate things.

Some applicants also assume that old documents already held by another government agency will be automatically available to the Department. Usually, the Department assesses what is provided in the migration file, so it is important to upload clear and complete copies when asked.

Finally, people sometimes treat the long queue as a reason to ignore the application for years. That can backfire. Even where the queue is lengthy, passports expire, relationships change, children turn 18, and contact details change, all of which can affect what documents are needed later.

Frequently asked questions#

Can I apply for the Remaining Relative visa 835 while in Australia?#

The subclass 835 is an onshore visa, so it is lodged while the applicant is in Australia. Onshore visas can also have rules about where the applicant must be when the decision is made, so the current Department instructions need to be checked carefully.

Is the Remaining Relative visa a permanent visa?#

Yes. The subclass 835 is a permanent visa if granted. Permanent residence starts from the date of grant and is different from holding a temporary substantive visa or a bridging visa.

How much is the government fee for the Remaining Relative visa 835?#

The government visa application charge is $5,160 for the main applicant. It is $2,580 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over, and $1,290 for each additional applicant under 18. These charges are separate from any professional fees charged by a registered migration agent or lawyer.

Why does the Remaining Relative visa take so long?#

This visa is in a long queue. That means much of the wait is due to queue management and program settings rather than a single missing document. Extra delays can also happen if updated police checks, health exams or replacement documents are needed later.

Can a migration agent or lawyer speed up the government queue?#

A registered migration agent or Australian legal practitioner cannot change the government charge or move an application ahead of the queue just by lodging it. Their role is usually about preparing documents, explaining process steps and helping manage communication and deadlines.

About this page. This is general information about how the Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835) works. It is not immigration assistance and it is not advice about your situation. Under section 280 of the Migration Act 1958 only a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner can give you that. Charges are indexed and most change on 1 July, so check any figure against immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you rely on it, and check any agent's registration on the OMARA register.