If you plan to marry, are married to, or are in a committed relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to obtain a partner-based visa for immigration to Australia.
The Australian citizen/permanent resident will act as a sponsor for your visa. This means that your sponsor will provide a written statement pledging to support you for your first two years in Australia, including accommodation and financial assistance to meet reasonable living needs. Family migration applicants are assessed on an individual basis by the Australian immigration authorities, and are assessed against Australia's health and character requirements.
Spouse Visa If you are married to an Australian citizen or permanent resident or have been in a defacto relationship (common law) with one for at least 12 months, you may be eligible for a Spouse Visa for immigration to Australia.
Fiancé Visa If you intend to marry an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to obtain a fiancé(e) visa for immigration to Australia.
Interdependent Partner Visa If you are in a genuine interdependent relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident and wish to enter and remain permanently in Australia, you will need to obtain an Interdependent Partner visa. This provision includes same sex couples.
Parent Visa If you are the parent of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen you may be able to qualify for this type of visa if your child is willing and able to sponsor you.
Contributory Parent Visa The contributory parent category has 3,500 places and normally a shorter waiting period than the already-mentioned parent visas.
Family Relationship Visa. The Australia Family Relationship visa is intended for the temporary stay of unmarried people of secondary school age to have an extended holiday of up to 12 months, with an opportunity to learn about Australia while staying with relatives or close family friends.
Remaining relative This visa is for people who are the only members of their family left outside Australia, apart from young children. If you are married, your spouse must also be without close relatives, either in your present country, or in any other overseas country.
Carer If you plan to migrate to Australia on a Carer Visa, you must have a relative in Australia who needs you to look after them. They must need your care because they cannot care for themselves – either because of illness, or mental or physical disability. This need for personal care must be likely to continue for at least two years.
Resident return visas A Resident Return Visa (RRV) is for permanent residents, or former citizens who have lost their citizenship, to return to Australia.
Former resident visas To be eligible under the Former Resident category, you must have either: spent 9 out of your first 18 years in Australia as an Australian permanent resident, be under 45 at time of application, have never become an Australian and have maintained close ties with Australia; or have completed at least 3 months continuous Australian defence service or were discharged before completing 3 months service on the basis that you become medically unfit because of that service.
Aged Dependant Relatives This visa allows elderly relatives to reunite with family in Australia. If you are an elderly person, you need to have been largely supported, financially, by your Australian relative for the last three years. Your relative needs to be an Australian citizen or to have been a permanent resident in Australia for the last 2 years.
Aged Parents Migration Visa This visa is for the parents of Australian citizens or legal residents to reunite with their children in Australia. If you have children living in Australia, you may be able to join your family and see your grandchildren growing up. To apply for this visa, one of you - if you are a couple - must be over the legal age for retirement in Australia.
Working-Age Parents Migration Visa This visa is for the working-age parents of Australian citizens or legal residents to reunite with their children in Australia. If you have children living in Australia, you may be able to join your family and see your grandchildren growing up.
Orphan Child Migration This visa is for children under 18 who have no parent to care for them overseas, but they do have family in Australia. Their Australian relatives need to be grandparents, brothers or sisters, aunts or uncles, or a niece or a nephew (or the step equivalents).
Adoption Migration Visa This visa is for citizens or legal residents of Australia to bring a child under 18 years of age into Australia for adoption. The Australian adoption papers must have been completed before you apply for the child to migrate, or be in process.