Sponsored family visa stream allows those who are sponsored by an eligible family member to temporarily come to Australia and visit their family and friends, or to go on a cruise. The application fee for this visa stream is AUD 145. The sponsor may be asked to pay a security bond usually between AUD 5,000 to AUD 15,000 per person.

Highlights

• The sponsor must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• This visa stream is usually granted for a stay of 3 months and, in few cases, for a stay up to 12 months
• This visa stream is not for the purpose of business or medical treatment
• Tourist visa holders are not allowed to work in Australia
• Tourist visa holders are allowed to study or train for up to 3 months in total
• The applicant must have health insurance and meet the health and character requirements
• This visa stream does not include family members, that is, each member of the family must lodge a separate application form
• This visa stream is generally granted with only one entry permitted
• Holders of sponsored family visa stream can’t extend this visa to stay longer beyond their visa period
• While in Australia, holders of this visa stream are not able to make a valid visa application for any new substantive visa except a protection visa
• The applicant must be outside Australia when applying for a visa and when the application is decided on by the Department of Home Affairs

Who Is Eligible to Be a Sponsor?

1. Sponsor must be a settled Australian citizen or permanent resident.
2. Sponsor must be a relative of the visa applicant, or another applicant where the other applicant is a member of the family unit of the visa applicant or vice versa. To be a relative, the sponsor must be an applicant’s:

• partner, parent or child
• brother or sister
• grandparent or grandchild
• aunt or uncle
• niece or nephew
• the step equivalent of the above

For example, the sponsor could be the uncle of the main visa applicant’s spouse.

3. Sponsor of a visa applicant can also be:

• a member of an Australian parliament
• a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory or the Northern Territory
• a mayor
• a government agency or instrumentality of the Commonwealth or a State or a Territory

4. Sponsor must be at least 18 years old.
5. If eligible, each person can sponsor only one visa applicant at a time.

Who Is Not Eligible to Be a Sponsor?

A sponsor can’t be:

• fiancé
• in-law
• cousin
• friend
• New Zealand citizen

Responsibilities of the Sponsor

The sponsor is responsible for:

• the visitor’s compliance with their visa conditions
• the visitor’s compliance with Australian employment laws and awards
• paying back any money the visitor owes the Australian government

There is no application fee to become a sponsor of the applicant for the visitor visa (subclass 600) sponsored family stream. The sponsor might be ask to pay a security bond between AUD 5,000 to AUD 15,000 per person which must be paid in full before the final decision is made on the visa application. The bond will be refunded if the visitor complies with the visa conditions and leaves Australia before the visa expires.

Sponsorship must last until the end of visitor visa. Sponsor can’t withdraw after the visa is granted. If the sponsor doesn’t comply with the sponsorship obligations, the visa might be cancelled. Sponsor must notify the Department of Home Affairs if there are any changes that could affect the visa application.

One may not be allowed to sponsor an applicant if in the last 5 years they sponsored someone who was granted a subclass 600 visa and did not abide by their visa conditions.

Required Documents

• Visa application forms
• Required forms signed by the sponsor, and their Australian passport or evidence of permanent residency and contact details
• Security bond by the sponsor if requested by the Department of Home Affairs
• Identity documents, including birth certificate and national identity card
• Passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival in Australia
• A passport-sized colored photo less than six months old (3.5cm × 4.5cm)
• Proof that you have reasons to return to your home country, such as an employer letter stating that you intend to return to your job, documents showing that you study in school or university, proof that you have immediate family member back home, and proof of your properties, assets, ongoing income, savings, and liabilities
• Military service record, and discharge or exception documents, if applicable

Note: All documents should be originally in English or officially translated into English

Please note that the above content is for general information only and must not be taken as immigration or travel advice. The content was up-to-date at the time of the last update but being current and accurate cannot be always guaranteed due to the frequent changes in immigration law. Please contact us for advice and information on the latest immigration laws in Australia.

Prepared by: Visa Zone Australia

Source of information: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

Access: 03 July 2020

Update: 01 August 2020