New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary) visa (subclass 461)

The Subclass 461 visa is a temporary visa for a person who is not an Australian citizen or a New Zealand citizen, but who is a member of the family unit of a qualifying New Zealand citizen. It lets the holder live in Australia for 5 years.

To apply, you must generally be a member of the family unit of a New Zealand citizen who holds, or is eligible to hold, a Special Category visa (subclass 444), and that New Zealand citizen must not be an eligible New Zealand citizen or an Australian citizen. You also must not be an Australian citizen or a New Zealand citizen yourself.

Yes. The Subclass 461 visa allows you to work in Australia during the visa validity period. The application form also states it has no work restrictions.

Yes. The Subclass 461 visa allows you to study in Australia. The application form states it has no study restrictions.

No. Subclass 461 is a temporary visa, not a permanent visa. It is generally granted for 5 years.

Yes, where they qualify as members of the family unit. Form 147 allows for secondary applicants who are members of the family unit of the primary applicant.

The New Zealand citizen is the qualifying family member whose status supports the application. There is no formal sponsorship or nomination requirement for this visa, but the applicant must provide evidence of the family relationship and the New Zealand citizen’s eligibility.

It can be. Form 147 states the visa may include condition 8501, which requires the holder to maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while in Australia. Applicants should not assume Medicare coverage unless they are separately eligible.

Holding Subclass 461 does not automatically give permanent residency. Any future permanent residency pathway would depend on meeting the requirements of a separate visa category. The official Subclass 461 materials describe it as a temporary visa only.

Processing times vary. Home Affairs publishes global visa processing times as an indication only, and actual timing depends on the application details and supporting evidence.

Yes. The visa allows travel to and from Australia while it remains valid, and Form 147 says it permits unlimited travel during the visa period.

The visa is granted for 5 years. Home Affairs materials describe it as a temporary visa, but they do not describe it as a simple “extension” process on the visa page itself. In practice, further stay would usually depend on making a valid new application if eligible, rather than extending the same grant.