Carer visa (subclass 116 offshore / subclass 836 onshore)
Carer visa (subclass 116 offshore / subclass 836 onshore)
Visa Cost
AUD 2,115
2025-26 financial year primary applicant first-instalment Visa Application Charge about AUD 2,115; a second instalment of about AUD 2,065 is also payable before grant (the carer's own second instalment can be reduced to zero if severe financial hardship can be shown). Accompanying family members add a surcharge (about AUD 1,060 for those 18 and over, about AUD 530 for those under 18). It falls in the 'Other Family' category, subject to an annual cap (about 500 places for the whole category). Offshore it is 116, onshore 836, at the same cost.
Processing Time
Extremely long: limited by the cap and queue, queued applications take about 7 years or more to be released for final processing (carers have priority within the 'Other Family' category, faster than 115/835 and 114/838)
Eligibility
- The relative cared for (the sponsor) must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 or over, settled in Australia.
- The person cared for (or a family member living with them) has a long-term or permanent medical condition, with a medical assessment score of 30 or above issued by Medibank Health Solutions/Bupa.
- The medical condition means they need substantial and ongoing (at least about 2 years) care or assistance.
- The person cared for cannot obtain reasonable care from other relatives or from Australian medical/welfare/community/aged care services.
- The applicant and the person cared for are in an eligible relationship (spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, and corresponding step-relatives).
- The applicant genuinely intends and is able to provide the substantial, ongoing care required.
- 836 (onshore) applicants must be in Australia at application and grant, holding a valid substantive visa (not a bridging or 771 transit visa) with no 'No Further Stay' condition.
- Meet health, character and sponsorship/Assurance of Support requirements.
Key Information
Validity / Stay / Residence
Permanent residence, allowing indefinite residence, work and study and Medicare; the travel facility is usually 5 years, with travel rights renewed via 155/157 on expiry.
Eligible Dependants
You can add family members such as dependent children to the application; onshore 836 applicants can obtain a bridging visa while waiting.
PR / Permanent Residence Pathway
This visa is permanent residence (PR). Once the carer visa is granted you are a permanent resident, and can apply for citizenship once eligible.
View provisional-to-permanent transition overview →Application Steps
Obtain the official medical assessment of the relative
Obtain the official medical assessment of the relative
A medical assessment of the relative cared for, issued by Bupa/Medibank Health Solutions (BHS), confirming a score of 30 or above and a need for ongoing care. This is the core prerequisite for the carer visa.
- The full medical records of the person cared for, provided by a registered Australian doctor
- BHS issues the assessment and a score (must be 30 or above)
- Confirm no other reasonable source of care is available
Prepare Form 47OF and sponsor's Form 40
Prepare Form 47OF and sponsor's Form 40
The carer visa falls in the 'Other Family' category and must be applied for on paper forms: the applicant completes Form 47OF and the sponsor (the relative cared for or their spouse) completes Form 40.
- The primary applicant completes Form 47OF
- Each family member aged 18 and over completes Form 47A
- The sponsor completes Form 40 Sponsorship
Pay first VAC instalment and lodge
Pay first VAC instalment and lodge
Post the forms, supporting materials and first-instalment visa fee receipt together to the Parent, Child and Other Family Processing Centre (both onshore and offshore go to the same processing centre).
- Pay the first instalment of about AUD 2,115
- Submit all materials and the payment receipt at the same time
- 836 applicants are usually granted a Bridging Visa A (BVA) after lodgement
Application is queued under the cap
Application is queued under the cap
Applications meeting the initial requirements enter a queue ordered by lodgement date, waiting for the annual places to be released (places are very few each year, with waits measured in years).
- Watch the official 'Other Family visa queue release dates' page
- 836 holders on a BVA can wait lawfully in Australia and usually apply for work rights and Medicare
Final processing: health, character, AoS
Final processing: health, character, AoS
After the queue is released the application enters final processing, at which point you must complete the health examination and police clearance and provide an Assurance of Support (AoS) as required.
- Complete the health examination using the HAP ID
- Submit police clearances from each country
- Arrange the AoS as required by Services Australia (an AoS is not mandatory for the carer category but may be requested)
Pay second VAC instalment and grant
Pay second VAC instalment and grant
After receiving the payment notice, pay the second instalment of about AUD 2,065 (carers can apply for a financial hardship concession); permanent residence is obtained on grant.
- Pay the second instalment after receiving the official letter
- In cases of severe financial hardship, the carer's own second instalment can be reduced to zero on application
- PR on grant, with the right to work, study and use Medicare
Required Documents
| Document Name | English Name | Required | Description | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 47OF - Application for migration to Australia by other family | Form 47OF - Application for migration to Australia by other family | The main application form for Other Family category migration, which must be used for the carer visa. | Complete on paper; the details must match the passport; download the latest version. | |
| Form 40 - Sponsorship for migration to Australia | Form 40 - Sponsorship for migration to Australia | Completed by the relative cared for (or their spouse/de facto partner) as sponsor, undertaking to provide accommodation and financial support. | The sponsor must be an Australian citizen/PR/eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 or over, settled in Australia. | |
| Medibank Health Solutions / Bupa medical assessment (rating 30+) | Medibank Health Solutions / Bupa medical assessment (rating 30+) | The most critical carer visa material, proving the person cared for has a long-term medical condition, scores 30 or above, and needs ongoing care. | Issued by BHS; an ordinary hospital diagnosis cannot be used instead; the assessment has a validity period. | |
| Detailed medical records and treating doctor's reports | Detailed medical records and treating doctor's reports | Supporting the medical assessment, setting out the condition, its course, and the type and duration of care needed (at least about 2 years). | Issued by a registered Australian doctor, with content consistent with the BHS assessment. | |
| Evidence relative cannot obtain care elsewhere | Evidence relative cannot obtain care elsewhere | Prove the person cared for cannot obtain reasonable care from other relatives, the community, or government welfare/aged care services. | Can be accompanied by a statement from a social worker/medical institution and an explanation of why other relatives cannot provide care. | |
| Evidence of the qualifying family relationship | Evidence of the qualifying family relationship | Prove the applicant and the person cared for are in an eligible relationship. | Notarial birth certificate, household register and family relationship certificate, NAATI-translated. | |
| Statement of willingness and ability to provide care | Statement of willingness and ability to provide care | Prove the applicant genuinely intends and is able to provide the substantial, ongoing care required. | Can be accompanied by a personal statement explaining your understanding of the condition and care needs. | |
| Sponsor's identity and residency evidence | Sponsor's identity and residency evidence | Prove the sponsor is an eligible Australian citizen/PR/New Zealand citizen settled in Australia. | Passport/PR evidence and proof of address. | |
| Evidence of substantive visa (subclass 836 onshore only) | Evidence of substantive visa (subclass 836 onshore only) | Onshore 836 applicants must prove they held a valid substantive visa at lodgement with no 'No Further Stay' condition. | Provide the current visa grant notice/VEVO record; a transit visa (771) does not qualify. | |
| Police clearance certificates | Police clearance certificates | Meet character requirements; where you have lived in any country for a cumulative 12 months after age 16, that country's clearance is required. | The Chinese police clearance must be notarised and translated; submit it as directed at the final processing stage. | |
| Health examination via HAP ID | Health examination via HAP ID | The applicant and accompanying family members must pass the Australian-standard health examination. | At the queue-release/final-processing stage, have the health examination at a designated clinic using the HAP ID. | |
| Assurance of Support documents | Assurance of Support documents | An Assurance of Support may be required at final processing, administered by Services Australia; an AoS for the carer category is usually not mandatory but may be requested. | The sponsor need not be the assurer; another person can be the assurer or it can be joint; arrange it as advised by Services Australia. | |
| Passport and recent photographs | Passport and recent photographs | Basic identity verification materials. | A colour scan of the passport bio-data page + a white-background passport photo. |
FAQ
Can the carer visa still be applied for now? How long is the wait?
What does the person cared for's medical score of '30' mean? What if it is not reached?
How to choose between onshore 836 and offshore 116?
Can you get permanent residence immediately after the application is approved?
Can the second-instalment visa fee be reduced?
Common Refusal Reasons
- The Australian relative cared for did not pass the assessment of a medical condition requiring long-term assistance, issued by an approved medical provider (Bupa/medical opinion)
- The relative cared for actually has other family members or community/welfare services in Australia that can provide reasonable care (negating 'no reasonable alternative care')
- Insufficient evidence of the relationship with the relative cared for or of sponsorship eligibility
- The Other Family category is capped and queued; refused because core conditions are no longer met during the long queue (e.g. the person cared for dies/circumstances change)
- Health or character requirements not met; location mismatch as 116 must always be offshore and 836 always onshore
Can you appeal after a refusal? See the Visa Refusal & Review (ART) Guide.