Aged Dependent Relative Visa (Subclass 114 and 838)

The Aged Dependent Relative visa is a permanent visa for a single older person who relies on a relative living in Australia for financial support. The relative in Australia must usually be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. Subclass 114 is the offshore visa, while Subclass 838 is the onshore visa.

Subclass 114 requires the applicant to be outside Australia when the application is lodged and when the visa is granted. Subclass 838 requires the applicant to be in Australia when the application is lodged and when the visa is granted.

Applications for these visas are part of the Other Family category and are subject to capping and queueing, which means waiting times can be very long. As at 28 February 2026, Home Affairs had released Aged Dependent Relative applications with a queue date up to 30 June 2013 for final processing.

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Benefits Of The Aged Dependent Relative Visa

Being an Aged Dependent Relative visa holder (Subclass 114 or 838), you can:

  • Stay in Australia permanently
  • Work and study in Australia
  • Enrol in Medicare
  • Apply for Australian citizenship if eligible
  • Travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the date your visa is granted.

Eligibility Criteria

For Visa Applicants 

You must generally:

  • Be a single older person
  • Be sponsored by a relative or the relative’s partner living in Australia
  • Meet the age requirement for an aged visa
  • Have been wholly or substantially dependent on your relative in Australia for basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing for a reasonable period, usually 3 years, or be dependent because of a disability that prevents you from working
  • Meet health and character requirements
  • Have an Assurance of Support, if required.

For Sponsors

Your sponsor must generally:

  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Be settled and usually resident in Australia
  • Be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
  • Be eligible to sponsor under Home Affairs requirements using Form 40.

Sponsorship Obligations

The sponsor must complete Form 40 – Sponsorship for migration to Australia. Home Affairs requires the sponsor to confirm the sponsorship and provide the supporting details needed for the application. Sponsorship and Assurance of Support are separate legal requirements, and whether an Assurance of Support is required is determined under the visa rules.

Dependency Requirements

To qualify for this visa, you must show that you have been wholly or substantially dependent on your relative in Australia for your basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing for a reasonable period, usually 3 years, before the application is lodged. In some cases, dependency may also be established where the applicant is unable to work because of disability.

Age

You must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia to qualify for the aged dependent relative visa subclasses.

Family Members in the Visa Application

You may be able to include eligible members of your family unit in your visa application where permitted by the migration rules. For paper other-family applications, Home Affairs uses Form 47OF, and a completed Form 47A is required for each member of the family unit aged 18 or over of you and/or your partner.

Health and Character Requirements

You and any family members included in the application must meet Australia’s health and character requirements. Home Affairs may ask for medical examinations, police clearances, and other supporting documents depending on the circumstances of the application.

Australian Values Statement

Applicants aged 18 years or over may be required to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws as part of the migration process, where applicable under Home Affairs requirements.

Debts to the Australian Government

You must not have any outstanding debt to the Australian Government, or you must have made acceptable arrangements to repay that debt before the visa can be granted.

Visa Application Charges

The current Home Affairs pricing page lists the Aged Dependent Relative visa (Subclass 114) base application charge as AUD 5,280. Charges can change, and any additional charges depend on the application, so the official pricing page should be checked before lodgement.

Visa Processing

Aged Dependent Relative visas are subject to capping and queueing in the Other Family stream. Home Affairs publishes queue release information rather than a simple standard processing time, because only a limited number of these visas can be granted each program year.

FAQs About Aged Dependent Relative Visa (Subclass 114 and 838)

The Aged Dependent Relative visa is a permanent visa for a single older person who depends on a relative in Australia for financial support. Subclass 114 is the offshore visa and Subclass 838 is the onshore visa.

You may be eligible if you are a single older person, are dependent on a relative in Australia for your basic needs, meet the age requirement for an aged visa, have an eligible sponsor, and satisfy health and character requirements. The relative in Australia must generally be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.

Applications are made by paper form using Form 47OF, and the sponsor must complete Form 40. Home Affairs says other family visa applications, including aged dependent relative visas, must be submitted on paper.

There is no simple fixed processing time. These visas are in the Other Family category and are subject to capping and queueing, so waiting times can be very long. Home Affairs says it cannot give exact processing timeframes for these visas.

For an Aged Dependent Relative visa, the key documents usually include identity documents, evidence of your relationship to your sponsor, evidence your sponsor is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, proof of your financial dependency, a completed Form 40, and a completed Form 47A for each member of the family unit aged 18 or over.

You do not need to apply separately for permanent residency through this visa pathway, because Subclass 114 and Subclass 838 are already permanent visas.

This question does not really fit this visa category, because the main applicant must be a single older person. If eligible members of the family unit are included and the visa is granted, the visa itself is permanent, so work rights generally attach to permanent residence.

Subclass 114 is for applicants who are outside Australia when they apply and when the visa is granted. Subclass 838 is for applicants who are in Australia when they apply and when the visa is granted. Both are permanent visas in the same family category.

The current Home Affairs pricing page lists the base application charge for Subclass 114 as AUD 5,280. Additional costs can apply depending on the application, so the official pricing page should always be checked before lodgement.

The best source is the official Department of Home Affairs website, especially the Subclass 114 and 838 visa pages, the Other Family visa queue page, and the required forms 47OF and 40.

Visa Class

Australian immigration department in an effort to bring family members together have introduced family visa in Australia. This entitles partners, parents, children and other family members to migrate to this country subject to certain pre-conditions. These visas are essentially sponsored by Australian citizens, permanent residents of this country, and eligible New Zealand citizens.

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