Family visas: bringing the people who matter to Australia.
Partners, parents, children, and close relatives. Australia's family program covers them all, each with its own rules and waiting times. Here is every family visa in one place, with an honest guide to which one fits your situation.
Bringing family to Australia, the right way.
Australia's family migration program lets citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens sponsor close family members to live here. The category covers partners, parents, children, and certain other relatives, and each pathway has its own rules, costs, and waiting times.
Two things shape almost every family application: the relationship you're sponsoring and where the applicant is when they apply. Most family visas need an eligible sponsor in Australia who takes on real obligations, and many are capped each year, which is why parent visas in particular can involve long waits. We'll give you an honest read on timing before you commit.
Genuine relationship is the heart of every family visa. Whether it's a partner, parent, or child visa, the evidence that the relationship is real and continuing is what carries the application. We help you build that evidence properly from the start, because fixing a thin application later is far harder.
Browse the full list.
Each visa below links to a detailed page covering eligibility, requirements, and how we can help. Not sure which fits? Book a consultation and we'll point you to the right one.
Which family visa fits your situation?
Use this as a starting point, not a decision. The right pathway turns on the relationship, where the applicant is, and your own circumstances. Walk down the questions that match you.
If your partner is already in Australia, the onshore Subclass 820 / 801 [Partner] visa usually applies. If they are overseas, it is the offshore Subclass 309 / 100 [Partner] visa. Planning to marry first? The Subclass 300 [Prospective Marriage] visa (the fiancé visa) covers the nine months before the wedding. Compare all three on partner visas explained.
Parent pathways split on cost against waiting time. The lower-cost Subclass 103 [Parent] visa carries a very long queue; the contributory parent route is faster but costs substantially more. Most parent options also turn on the balance-of-family test, which generally asks whether around half of the children live in Australia. See parent visas explained for the trade-off and realistic timing.
For a dependent child of an Australian parent, the Subclass 101 / 802 [Child] visa applies - the 101 when the child is offshore, the 802 when they are onshore. Dependency, not just age, is the deciding factor. See the child visa page.
If an Australian relative has a long-term medical condition and needs ongoing care, the Subclass 116 / 836 [Carer] visa may fit (836 onshore, 116 offshore). If your only close family is in Australia and you have no near relatives elsewhere, the Subclass 115 / 835 [Remaining Relative] visa may apply (835 onshore, 115 offshore) - though waiting times here are very long. Other streams sit under aged dependent, orphan and more.
Parent visas: the cost trade-off, illustrated. The two main parent routes trade money against time. The non-contributory Subclass 103 [Parent] visa is the lower-cost option (its government charge is in the order of a few thousand dollars, depending on your circumstances), but the queue runs many years. The contributory parent route moves faster, and as a rough guide its contribution can run roughly AUD $50,000 or more above the 103 across the full process, depending on your circumstances. These are illustrative comparisons of government charges only, not a fixed price and not a quote - our professional fee is separate and depends on your matter, and we quote it in writing. See parent visas explained and fees and how we quote.
Questions about this category.
Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)
Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.
Not sure which family visa fits?
Family applications succeed on the strength of their evidence. Book a consultation and we'll map out the right pathway for your situation.