Carer visa (subclass 836)

Subclass 836 Carer Visa

The Subclass 836 Carer Visa allows you to live permanently in Australia to provide care for an Australian relative or their family member who has a long-term medical condition and lacks reasonable access to care within Australia.

Overview

• Stay: Permanently
• Cost: Starting from AUD 2,115

Processing Times

Processing times vary and depend on the demand for Other Family visas, which typically exceeds the available spots each year. Processing can be lengthy, and specific application timeframes are estimated by the visa processing time guide tool.

Benefits of the Subclass 836 Carer Visa

With this visa, you can:

• Stay in Australia as a permanent resident
• Work and study in Australia
• Travel freely to and from Australia for five years (renewal required after five years)
• Enrol in Australia’s public healthcare scheme, Medicare
• Sponsor eligible family members for Australian visas
• Apply for Australian citizenship if eligible

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for this visa, you must:

• Be in Australia when applying and when the visa is decided.
• Be a carer: You must be willing and able to provide substantial and ongoing care for an Australian relative or their family member residing with them who requires care.
• Have an eligible sponsor: Your sponsor must meet the requirements set by the Australian government.
• Hold or have held a substantive visa (excluding subclass 771) at the time of application.
• Meet health and character requirements for both you and any accompanying family members.

Additional requirements include having repaid any outstanding debts to the Australian government, not having had previous visa cancellations or refusals, and, if over 18, signing the Australian Values Statement.

Family Inclusion

You can include immediate family members in your application. Each family member must meet health and character requirements, and additional charges apply.

Application Cost and Financial Considerations

• Initial Cost: Starting from AUD 2,115 for the main applicant, with additional charges for family members.
• Payment Stages: Payment is made in two instalments, with the first instalment due at the time of application. In cases of severe financial hardship, applicants may apply for a reduction of the second instalment.

Travel and Residency

This permanent visa allows indefinite residency in Australia. For the first five years, you can freely travel in and out of Australia. After this period, you may need to apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) or consider Australian citizenship for unrestricted travel access.

Important Obligations

Visa holders and accompanying family members must comply with all Australian laws. This visa is digitally linked to your passport, eliminating the need for a physical label.

Processing Queue and Prioritization

Due to high demand, Subclass 836 visa applications are subject to capping and queuing, which may impact processing times.