Orphan Relative visa (Subclass 837) - Australian Visa

Overview

From 23 July 2025, applicants for Child visa subclasses 101, 102, 802, 445, 117 and 837 can import their paper application into ImmiAccount. Some existing applications made outside of Australia before 1 April 2020 cannot be imported into ImmiAccount. For more information, see Update to ImmiAccount - new online services for paper-based Child, Other Family, Former Residents, and New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa applications.

Stay

Permanently

Cost

From AUD1,980.00

Processing times

For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.

With this visa the child can

stay in Australia indefinitely
work and study in Australia in line with Australian law
enrol in Australia's public healthcare scheme, Medicare
sponsor relatives to come to Australia
attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible
apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

See all conditions

Check your eligibility

The child must

be under 18 years of age, single and with no parent to care for them
have a relative who is a Australian citizen, or Australian permanent resident
be in Australia but not in immigration clearance when the application is made and when we make a decision

Help with your visa

If you are getting help with your visa, before you pay someone, read information on Who can help with your visa application.

About this visa

With this visa the child can

How long the child can stay

Include other children

Cost

Apply from

Processing times

The child's obligations

Visa label

With this visa the child can

stay in Australia indefinitely
work and study in Australia in line with Australian law
enrol in Australia's public healthcare scheme, Medicare
sponsor relatives to come to Australia
attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible
apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

Travel to and from Australia for 5 years

The child can travel to and from Australia as many times as they want for 5 years from the date we grant this visa. This is as long as the travel facility of this visa remains valid.

If the child wants to travel after the initial 5-year travel facility, they:

will need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return (RRV) visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident
can also consider Australian citizenship. If they become an Australian citizen, they won't require a visa to enter Australia. They will need to apply for an Australian passport and use it to leave and re-enter Australia. See more about eligibility requirements and current processing times for Australian citizenship.

To see when the child's travel facility ends, use VEVO.

How long the child can stay

This is a permanent visa. It lets the child stay in Australia indefinitely.

For citizenship purposes, the child becomes a permanent resident on the day we grant the visa.

Include other children

If the child has siblings who also want to apply, make a separate application for each sibling.

The child's dependent children can be included on their application when they apply or at any time before we decide the application.

Dependent children of the child who apply for the visa must meet our health requirement.

Family members who are not coming to Australia might also have to meet our health requirement.

Cost

The visa costs AUD1,980.00 for the main applicant.

There is also a charge for each of the child's dependent children who apply for the visa.

There might also be other costs for health checks, and .

Use the Visa Pricing Estimator to work out what your visa will cost. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

Apply from

The child must be in Australia when the application is made and when we make a decision.

The child can't validly apply for this visa if they are in Australia on another visa with a no further stay condition.

Processing times

The application might take longer to process if:

it is not filled in correctly
it does not include all required documents or we need more information from you
it takes us time to verify your information
you do not make full payment at the time of initial lodgement.

We cannot process the application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. If this happens, we will let you know and may return your application.

You should receive an acknowledgement of your application (and advice of any associated bridging visa) within approximately one (1) month after lodgement.

We will contact you using your authorised method if we need more information. Otherwise, we will contact you with the outcome of your application.

The child's obligations

The child and any of their dependent children who are granted the visa must obey all Australian laws.

Visa label

We will digitally link the child's visa to their passport. They will not get a label in their passport.

If we grant the visa, we will send a grant notification letter containing the visa grant number. Use this number to access the digital visa record.

Eligibility

Have a sponsor

The child must be sponsored by an eligible sibling or step-sibling, grandparent or step-grandparent, aunt, uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle.

We must approve the sponsorship before the visa can be granted.

If the sponsor and/or their spouse or de facto partner (if any) have a pending registrable offence charge, we will refuse the sponsorship and visa application.

If the sponsor and/or their spouse or de facto partner (if any) have a registrable offence conviction, we can only approve the sponsorship in very limited circumstances.

Learn more about measures for the protection of children.

Be this age

The child must be under 18 years old when they apply for the visa.

Have no parent who can care for them

We will not grant this visa unless the child has no parent who can care for them. This might be because both of their parents either:

are deceased
are permanently incapable of caring for the child
can't be found.

We will not grant this visa if the child's parents are capable of caring for them but don't want to.

Have consent to migrate to Australia

We will only grant this visa to a child younger than 18 years if either:

the child has the written consent of everyone who can legally decide where they live
the laws of the child’s home country allow them to leave their home country
it is consistent with any Australian child order about the child

Hold a visa

The child might not be able to get this visa if:

they do not currently hold a
they have not applied to get an Orphan Relative visa within 12 months of the previous substantive visa ceasing
the substantive visa they hold or last held was a subclass 771 Transit visa.

Meet the health requirement

The child and any of their dependent children who apply for the visa with them must meet our health requirement.

Dependent children who are not applying for the visa might also have to meet our health requirement.

Meet the character requirement

If the child is aged 16 years or older they must meet our character requirement.

We might also ask that other dependent children who apply for the visa meet the requirement.

Have paid back debt to the Australian Government

If the child owes the Australian Government money it must be paid it back or there must be a formal arrangement to pay it back.

Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused

We will consider the child’s immigration history when we make a decision on the application, which means the child might not be eligible for this visa if they have had a visa cancelled or refused.

In some circumstances, the child may still apply for a permanent visa if they have had a visa cancelled or an application refused, see Limitations on applications in Australia (129KB PDF).

If applying for a visa from outside Australia, see Can I go to Australia.

If immigration assistance is needed, see Who can help with your visa application.

Best interests of the child

We might not grant this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

Meet all these criteria? Check how to apply in our step by step guide.

How to apply

Step 1

Before you apply

Check the child's passport is valid. Tell us if someone is acting on the child's behalf.

Get help with your application

Only some people can help you with your application. If you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance they must be:

You can appoint anyone to receive documents on your behalf relating to your visa matter.

Step 2

Gather your documents

Provide documents to support the application.

Provide accurate documents

Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove the child's identity or don't provide true information.

Identity documents

Provide the pages of the child's current passport showing their photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.

Also provide:

a national identity card, if they have one
proof of change of name, if applicable.

Documents that prove a change of name include:

change of name documents from an Australian registry of births, deaths and marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
documents that show other names the child has been known by.

Travel documents

Provide a certified copy of the passport or travel document the child used to enter Australia. We also need copies of any passports the child has held since then.

Photographs

Provide 4 recent passport-size photos (45mm x 35mm) of the child and for any other dependant included in the application.

Photographs must be:

passport-size (45mm x 35mm)
less than 6 months old
good quality colour. We don't accept laser copies
a full-face view of your head and shoulders
taken against a plain light-coloured background

The child can wear untinted prescription glasses. If the child wears a head covering for religious reasons, they can show only their face.

Evidence the child has no parents who can care for them

You must provide evidence the child has no parents capable of caring for them.

Provide:

a death certificate or other official document
evidence such as a medical report, showing why the child's parents are unable to care for them

If the child's parents can't be found, provide evidence of:

how long they have been missing
what efforts have been made to contact or find them

Child's relationship to their relative

Provide evidence of the child's relationship to the sponsor such as:

a birth certificate
a marriage certificate
an adoption certificate
a family status certificate or family book, if officially issued and maintained

Character documents

Children over 16 years must provide police certificates from every country they have spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years, since turning 16.

For Australia, we only accept National Police Certificates applied for under Code 33 – Immigration/Citizenship. The Australian Federal Police issue these certificates. We don't accept standard disclosure certificates or certificates issued by Australian state or territory police.

For immigration purposes, police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date.

If anyone in the application served in the armed forces of any country, they must provide military service records or discharge papers.

Children over 16 years must complete and provide Form 80 Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment (596KB PDF).

Documents for dependants under 18

For every dependant under 18 years old who is applying with the child, provide:

identity documents
proof of the child's relationship with them, like a birth certificate
character documents, if applicable

Parental responsibility documents

Any applicant under 18 years of age must get consent to migrate to Australia. This must be from everyone who has a legal right to decide where the child lives.

They must complete either:

Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years (276KB PDF)
a statutory declaration giving consent for the child to stay in Australia on this visa.

Include an identity document with the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration. This could be a:

passport
driver’s licence.

Alternatively, you can show us:

an Australian court order that allows the child to migrate to Australia, or
that the laws of the child's home country allow them to leave their home country.

Tell us you are getting help

To nominate someone to:

receive your correspondence, use Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
provide immigration assistance, use Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person (308KB PDF).

Send written notification or your forms with your paper application.

Prepare the documents

Translate

Have all non-English documents translated into English.

Provide original and translated documents in your application.

Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:

full name
address and telephone number
qualifications and experience in the language they are translating

These details must be in English.

Certify

Do not certify police certificates. Send us the originals.

Have all other documents certified. This includes:

non-English documents
English translations

Keep

Keep a copy of the completed application.

Send

Send us:

original police certificates
certified copies of all other documents
as much information as possible to help us decide your application
each document only once, even if you are using to show more than one thing
all documents with your application, if you can

Step 3

Apply for the visa

You must apply for this visa on paper.

Provide accurate information

Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.

Apply on paper

Complete the following 2 forms and send them together by post or courier to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth.

You must pay the application charge before you post your application. See how to pay.

We will not process your application until you pay the application charge. Your application should also include evidence of payment of the application charge. You must also include all the relevant supporting documentation.

We cannot consider your application if you submit it at any other office or in any other way, as it will not be valid. You cannot submit applications for this visa in person.

You must complete the forms in English.

By post (with correct prepaid postage):

Department of Home Affairs Child and Other Family Processing Centre Locked Bag 7 NORTHBRIDGE WA 6865

By courier:

Department of Home Affairs Child and Other Family Processing Centre Wellington Central 836 Wellington Street WEST PERTH WA 6005

If any of the above steps are incomplete, your application may be invalid. We do not process invalid applications. We will notify you if this is the case, and if requested, return your application.

Do not send original documents with your application, only send certified copies. Keep a copy of your completed application for your own records, including any supporting documents.

Step 4

After applying

Importing your paper application

After you or someone else has submitted your paper application, import it into your ImmiAccount. You can do this after you get your acknowledgement letter.

Importing your application into ImmiAccount gives you access to online services, making it easier to manage your application.

You can use our online services in ImmiAccount to:

attach supporting documents to your application
view messages
update your details
view your application status
apply for a Bridging Visa (BV)
withdraw your application.

Follow these steps to import your application:

Create a new ImmiAccount or log into your existing ImmiAccount. Our website has instructions on how to use ImmiAccount.
Once you log in, import your application by entering your:
- application ID
- date of birth
- identity document number (Passport, ImmiCard or Titre de Voyage number).

For more information, see Apply and Manage your application in ImmiAccount.

You can import any new and existing applications for this visa made in Australia.

Status updates

We can't provide updates on the progress of the child's application within normal processing times. We will let you know if we need anything further.

Travel

Tell us if the child wants to travel outside Australia while we process the application. We need to know because if the child made the visa application in Australia, we can't grant the visa if they are outside Australia when we make our decision.

If the child leaves Australia, make sure they have a valid visa to return.

Learn about visa expiry.

Health exams

We will let you know when to arrange the child’s health examinations.

Biometrics

We might ask for . We will let you know if you need to provide them.

Send more information

If you did not include all necessary documents when you applied, provide them as soon as you can.

We might also ask you to provide more information.

If you have imported your application into ImmiAccount, to provide any additional documents upload them into ImmiAccount

If you can’t use ImmiAccount, to provide any additional documents attach them to a completed Child and Orphan Relative Visa Processing Centre online form.

Stay lawful

Make sure the child stays lawful by holding a valid visa while we process their application.

When the visa application was made, the child was granted a bridging visa associated with the application. If their current visa expires before we make a decision, the bridging visa will start. The child can stay in Australia on the bridging visa while we process their new visa application.

Learn more about visa expiry.

Add family members

You can add the child's dependent children to their visa application any time before we make a decision.

Newborn children

Find out what to do if your child is born after you apply.

Mistakes on the application

Let us know as soon as possible.

Complete Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers (168KB PDF).

If you have imported your application into ImmiAccount, you can use it to upload the completed form.

If you can’t use ImmiAccount, attach the completed form to a completed Child and Orphan Relative Visa Processing Centre online form.

Help with your application

Let us know if you no longer want someone to:

receive your correspondence - complete Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
provide immigration advice - complete Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person (308KB PDF).

For more information see Who can help you with your application.

If you have imported your application into ImmiAccount, you can use it to upload the completed form.

If you can’t use ImmiAccount, attach the completed form to a completed Child and Orphan Relative Visa Processing Centre online form.

Tell us if things change

Things you need to let us know include:

changes to your phone number, address or passport
changes to your relationship status
the birth of a child
you want to withdraw the application.

See how to tell us if the situation changes.

Step 5

Visa outcome

The child must be in Australia when we make a decision.

We will advise of our decision in writing. Keep a copy of the decision.

If we grant the child's visa, we will tell you the:

visa grant number
date the visa starts
visa conditions.

If we refuse the child's visa we will tell you:

why we refused the visa
whether there is a right to a review of the decision.

We will not refund the application fee if we refuse the application.

When you have this visa

In Australia

Leaving Australia

In Australia

The child's obligations

The child and family members must obey all Australian laws.

See how long the child can stay

This is a permanent visa. The child can stay in Australia indefinitely.

For citizenship purposes, the child's permanent residence starts on the day they were granted the visa.

Access Support Services

It is important to be aware of your rights and the supports that are available to you in Australia.

On this visa, you can stay in Australia permanently and have the rights provided to every Australian resident including being free from abuse and exploitation. See Rights and protections | Attorney-General's Department.

Your sponsor cannot cancel your visa, withdraw their sponsorship or otherwise influence your residency status in Australia. If you believe you may be a victim of abuse or exploitation, support is available. The following is a list of support services, which can provide help and further information:

Kids Helpline - Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800 Phone Number (1800 551 800)
Lifeline - Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14 - Crisis Support. Suicide Prevention. Phone number (13 11 14)
1800Respect - Home | 1800RESPECT Phone number (1800 737 732)
The Salvation Army - Additional Referral Pathway (ARP) . For support if you think you are experiencing exploitation. Phone number (1800 000 277)
Life Without Barriers - Forced Marriage Support | Life Without Barriers For support if you feel pressured to get married. Phone number (1800 403 213)
MyBlueSky - MBS | Home
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) - (AFP) can help keep you safe from exploitation or forced marriage. You don’t have to give your name to make a report to the AFP. Phone number 131 237 (131 AFP).

For more information on exploitation and how to get help visit Modern Slavery.

Phone Triple Zero (000) if it is an emergency or if you or someone else is not safe.

Tell us if things change

We need to know about:

changes to the child's passport
the birth of a child
change of name

See how to let us know if there is a change in the child's situation.

Travel to and from Australia for 5 years

The child can travel to and from Australia as many times as they want for 5 years from the date we grant this visa. This is as long as the travel facility of this visa remains valid.

If the child wants to travel after the initial 5-year travel facility they:

will need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return (RRV) visa so they can re-enter Australia as a permanent resident
might also want to consider Australian citizenship. If they become an Australian citizen, they will not require a visa to re-enter Australia. See more about eligibility requirements and current processing times for Australian citizenship.

For more information see Resident Return (RRV)

To see when the child's travel facility ends, use VEVO.

Work and study

The child may be able to work or study in Australia from the date we grant this visa. They are protected by Australian workplace law. For further information refer to the Fair Work Ombudsman’s webpage, Visa holders and migrant workers – workplace rights and entitlements.

Bring a family member

You cannot add dependants to this visa after we have made a decision.

To find out more about what visa a family member could apply for, see explore visa options.

Become an Australian citizen

After a certain time, the child might be eligible for Australian citizenship. Find out more about becoming a citizen.

For citizenship purposes, the child's permanent residence starts on the day they are granted the visa.

Leaving Australia

Before you leave

Check the child's travel documents

The child must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.

Check if the child needs a Resident Return visa to return to Australia as a permanent resident in VEVO.

At the border

Leave the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. The child might be able to leave the airport faster using the SmartGate.

After you leave

Prove the child has been to Australia

To get proof of your travel in and out of Australia Request your international movement records.

Official Information

For complete eligibility requirements, application process, processing times and costs, visit the official Department of Home Affairs page.

View on Home Affairs

Important Disclaimer

The information on this page is intended as a general guide only. Always verify the latest details on the official Department of Home Affairs website or seek help from a registered migration agent.