838 Aged Dependent Relative visa - Subclass 838

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Aged Dependent Relative visa (subclass 838)
Stay	Permanent; stay indefinitely
Cost	From AUD6,600
Eligibility timing	In Australia at application and decision
Work rights	Work in Australia
Study	Study in Australia
Medicare	Eligible to enrol
Travel facility	Multiple travel for five years
Citizenship	May apply if eligible
Family sponsorship	May sponsor eligible relatives
Visa record	Digitally linked to passport
Application method	Paper application required
Key eligibility	Older, single, dependent, sponsored
Processing	Capped and queued; potentially lengthy

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Purpose

This permanent visa is for a single older person who relies on a relative living in Australia for financial support.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply and when the visa is decided.
• Be old enough to receive the Australian age pension.
• Have no partner.
• Have been dependent on your Australian relative for food, shelter and clothing for at least the three years before applying.
• Be sponsored by an eligible relative or their partner. The sponsorship must be approved.
• Hold a current visa without a no further stay condition.
• Be able to obtain an assurance of support when requested.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Repay, or have an approved arrangement to repay, any Australian Government debt.
• Meet immigration-history requirements; a previous cancellation or refusal may affect eligibility.

The visa will not be granted to an applicant under 18 if this is not in their best interests.

Sponsor requirements

Your sponsor must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
• Usually live in Australia.
• Complete Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia.

Stay and Rights

This is a permanent visa. You can:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely.
• Work and study in Australia.
• Enrol in Medicare.
• Attend free Adult Migrant English Program classes, if eligible.
• Sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia.
• Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

For citizenship purposes, permanent residence starts on the visa grant date.

Newly arrived residents may need to wait before accessing certain Australian Government payments and benefits.

Family Members

You may include or add family members before a decision is made. You must declare all family members, whether they are migrating or not.

For this visa, eligible family members are dependent children and stepchildren.

Family members applying with you must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when applying. Added family members must also be in Australia when added.

Family members may need to meet health and character requirements, including non-migrating family members in some cases.

Dependent children

A child may qualify if they are:

• Under 18; or
• Aged 18 to under 23 and dependent on you or your partner; or
• Aged 23 or over, dependent because physical or cognitive limitations prevent them earning a living.

For dependent applicants aged 18 or over, provide Form 47a Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over and evidence of at least 12 months' financial dependency.

For applicants under 18, obtain required parental consent using Form 1229, a statutory declaration, a relevant court order, or evidence that home-country law permits migration.

Cost

The visa costs from AUD6,600 plus an additional charge for each family member included.

You pay in two instalments:

1. Pay the first instalment when applying.
2. Pay the second instalment when requested.

Other possible costs include health examinations, police certificates and biometrics.

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application charge applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens lodging a valid application. The primary applicant must hold a valid passport from:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

Eligible family members may receive the lower charge based on the primary applicant’s or visa holder’s passport.

Processing

Demand exceeds available places. Applications are subject to capping and queueing, and processing may be lengthy.

Processing may take longer if:

• Forms are incomplete or incorrect.
• Required documents are missing.
• Further information is needed.
• Information takes longer to verify.

The Department cannot process an application unless the correct visa application charge is paid.

Documents

Provide:

• Passport identity pages showing photo, personal details, issue and expiry dates.
• National identity card, if available.
• Name-change evidence, if applicable.
• Four recent passport-sized colour photographs for each applicant.
• Evidence of your relationship to the sponsor, such as birth, marriage, adoption or family-status documents.
• Evidence of dependency for at least three years, such as bank statements, money transfers or rent receipts.
• Sponsor citizenship, permanent-residence or eligible New Zealand visa evidence.
• Documents for dependent children, where applicable.

Your sponsor must provide Form 40.

Do not arrange police certificates until requested. Send original police certificates when requested; submit certified copies of other documents.

All non-English documents must be translated into English. Australian translations must be completed by a NAATI-accredited translator.

How to Apply

1. Complete Form 47OF Application for migration to Australia by other family members in English.
2. Have your sponsor complete Form 40.
3. Pay the first instalment before submission using the ImmiAccount online payment function.
4. Include payment evidence, required forms and supporting documents.
5. Send the paper application by post or courier to the Parent, Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth, using the address on the form.

You cannot lodge or pay for this application in person.

Do not send original documents with the application, except original police certificates when requested. Keep copies of the completed application and supporting evidence.

Incomplete applications may be invalid and will not be processed.

After Applying

After receiving an acknowledgement letter, you can import the paper application into ImmiAccount. This allows you to:

• Upload documents.
• View messages and application status.
• Update personal details.
• Apply for a bridging visa.
• Withdraw the application.

To import the application, enter your application ID, date of birth and identity document number.

You must remain lawful in Australia while the application is processed. If your current visa expires, a bridging visa granted when you applied may begin.

Do not cancel your current visa. Cancelling it may make you unlawful and ineligible for a bridging visa.

Tell the Department about changes to your address, phone number, passport, family circumstances, or any application errors. Use Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers to correct mistakes.

Pay the second instalment when invoiced. The visa cannot be granted until it is paid.

Travel

You may travel in and out of Australia as often as you wish for five years from visa grant.

After the five-year travel facility expires, you need a Resident Return Visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident, unless you become an Australian citizen.

Check travel validity and visa conditions through VEVO.

Obligations and Important Warnings

• You and your family members must obey Australian laws.
• You must have a valid passport before the visa can be granted.
• Give accurate and truthful information.
• Failure to prove identity may lead to refusal and may affect future visa grants for up to 10 years, including for listed family members.
• The application fee is not refunded if the visa is refused.
• The Department will advise in writing of the decision and any review rights.