The Remaining Relative visa is a permanent pathway for someone whose only close family are already settled in Australia, with no other near relatives left anywhere else.
There are two pathways: subclass 115 for applicants outside Australia, and subclass 835 for applicants already in Australia.
This visa has a genuinely strict test: broadly, you need to have no near relatives — such as parents, siblings or children — living outside Australia, other than your relative who is settled here. If you have close family living anywhere else in the world, this pathway generally won't be available to you.
The Department looks closely at your entire family picture, in Australia and overseas, when assessing this.
As a permanent visa, either the 115 or 835 pathway generally allows you to:
Because eligibility hinges entirely on your family's location and immigration status, you'll need to provide clear evidence about where your near relatives live and their immigration status in those countries. If you have a spouse or de facto partner, their family circumstances are considered too, since the "no other near relatives" test looks at the combined family picture.
This category is subject to capping and queuing arrangements, and like the Aged Dependent Relative visa, processing can take a considerable amount of time.
I can assist with:
The information on this page is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute migration advice for your individual circumstances.
Visa requirements and processing arrangements can change. Meeting the general requirements described above does not guarantee that a visa application will be approved.
Professional advice should be obtained based on your individual circumstances before lodging an application.
