The Sponsored Family stream is the part of the Visitor visa (subclass 600) where a relative in Australia sponsors your visit. Your sponsor must be a settled Australian citizen or permanent resident. They complete Form 1149, and Home Affairs may ask them to pay a security bond. The visa costs AUD250. It is slower than the Tourist stream and comes with stricter conditions, so it suits fewer people than you might think.
Independent guide — not a government service. Australian Visa Online is an independent information resource. We are not affiliated with the Australian Government or the Department of Home Affairs, and we do not lodge applications on your behalf. Facts on this page were checked against Home Affairs pages on 28 October 2026 unless another date is shown.
Applying from a country where you live but don't hold citizenship? See applying for a visitor visa while living in another country. Parents visiting a child in Australia have extra options. Our visitor visa 600 for parents guide compares them. This page covers the Sponsored Family stream for every eligible relative, and what the sponsor has to do.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Official position (checked 28 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Who it is for | People "sponsored, usually by a family member", visiting family in Australia |
| Cost | AUD250 for each applicant |
| Sponsor | A settled Australian citizen or permanent resident, at least 18 |
| Sponsor form | Form 1149 (Application for sponsorship for Sponsored Family Visitors) |
| Sponsor fee | None: "There is no application fee to become a sponsor" |
| Security bond | Only if asked. Usually AUD5,000 to AUD15,000 per person |
| Stay | Standard 3 months. Up to 12 months in limited circumstances |
| Entry | Generally single entry, with 6 months after grant to enter |
| Processing | 50% decided in 40 days, 90% in 3 months |
| Conditions | 8101, 8201, 8503 and 8531 must be imposed |
Should you use this stream at all?
Home Affairs itself tells applicants to check the Tourist stream first:
"You should check if a Visitor (subclass 600) visa in the Tourist stream might better suit you. The Visitor visa (subclass 600) lets you holiday in Australia to see family and friends and does not need a sponsor."
Here is how the two compare (checked 28 October 2026):
| Tourist stream (outside Australia) | Sponsored Family stream | |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor needed | No | Yes, plus Form 1149 |
| Visa charge | From AUD250 | AUD250 |
| Stay | Generally 3 months, up to 12 in certain circumstances | Standard 3 months, up to 12 in limited circumstances |
| Entry | Single or multiple entry | Generally single entry |
| Processing (90%) | 33 days | 3 months |
| Condition 8503 (No Further Stay) | Discretionary on an unsponsored grant | Mandatory |
When the Sponsored Family stream can make sense (our view): your relative in Australia is a settled citizen or permanent resident, and is ready to back your visit formally, with a bond if asked. It shows a direct promise from family in Australia that you will follow the rules and leave on time.
When the Tourist stream is usually the better fit: you want the chance of multiple entries or a faster decision. On an unsponsored Tourist grant, condition 8503 is discretionary, not automatic. The Tourist stream also lets you visit family, with an invitation letter from them instead of a sponsor.
Who can sponsor you
The sponsor must meet three official rules:
- "You must be a settled Australian citizen or permanent resident."
- "Usually, you must have lived in Australia for the last 2 years. In compelling compassionate circumstances, we might reduce this time."
- "You must be at least 18 years old."
How the sponsor must be related to you
You (the visitor) must be the sponsor's:
- spouse or de facto partner
- parent or child
- brother or sister
- grandparent or grandchild
- aunt or uncle
- niece or nephew
- or "the step equivalent of the above"
A member of the Australian parliament, a mayor or a government agency can also be a sponsor.
Who can't sponsor you
"As the sponsor you cannot be a: fiancé or fiancée; in-law*; cousin*; friend; New Zealand citizen."
The official page marks in-laws and cousins with an asterisk. Read the official page if that applies to your family.
Two cases come up a lot:
- A New Zealand citizen in Australia can't sponsor you in this stream. You can still apply in the Tourist stream, which needs no sponsor.
- A friend can't sponsor you. A friend can write an invitation letter for a Tourist stream application.
When a sponsor can't sponsor again
A sponsor can be limited if someone they sponsored before broke the rules. Home Affairs refers to cases where "the visa has expired, the previous applicant did not comply with a condition of that visa, and 5 years has not elapsed since it was granted."
The security bond
The bond is the part of this stream that worries most families. The official words:
"You must be able to pay a security bond if we ask for one. Bonds: are usually between AUD 5,000 and AUD 15,000 per person (but we can ask for any amount); must be paid in full before we make a final decision on the visa application; will be refunded if your visitor complies with their visa conditions and leaves Australia before their visa expires"
What that means:
- Not every sponsor is asked. The wording is "if we ask for one".
- It is per person. Two parents could mean two bonds.
- There is no fixed amount. "Usually" AUD5,000 to AUD15,000, but Home Affairs "can ask for any amount".
- It is paid before the decision. Have the money ready before you apply.
- You get it back if the rules are kept. It is refunded when the visitor follows the visa conditions and leaves before the visa expires.
The sponsor's responsibilities
Sponsoring is a real promise. Home Affairs says: "As sponsor, you are responsible for ensuring: the visitor complies with their visa conditions; you repay any money your visitor owes the Australian Government."
Form 1149 and the documents
What the sponsor provides
- Form 1149. "Your sponsor must complete Form 1149 - Application for sponsorship for Sponsored Family Visitors."
- Proof of being settled (our advice). Keep evidence of their citizenship or permanent residence, and of their time living in Australia, ready in case Home Affairs asks.
What you (the visitor) provide
- Proof of your relationship. The official examples are "birth certificates; passport pages showing names of parents; family register; marriage certificates."
- Identity documents. Your passport pages with your photo, details and dates.
- Genuine visitor documents. Proof of money for your stay, your plans in Australia, and reasons to return home, such as a job, study, family or property at home. Our guide on how much money you need for a visitor visa explains the funds evidence.
- Translations of any document not in English.
"You do not need to have any documents certified unless we ask you to." For the full document list, see our Visitor visa 600 documents checklist.
Tip (our advice): for a relationship that goes through another person, like an aunt or a grandparent, upload the documents that link each step. For example, your birth certificate, your parent's birth certificate and your aunt's birth certificate together show the link.
How long you can stay, and entry
- Stay: "The standard length of stay for this visa is 3 months. We may grant a stay of up to 12 months in limited circumstances."
- Entry: "Generally we grant this visa with only a single entry permitted and with a 6 month validity period. This means that you have up to 6 months after the grant date to enter Australia."
With a single-entry visa, if you leave Australia, you need a new visa to come back.
Visa conditions
Clause 600.612 of the Migration Regulations says "conditions 8101, 8201, 8503, and 8531 must be imposed" on this stream:
| Condition | What it means |
|---|---|
| 8101 | No work. "The holder must not engage in work in Australia." |
| 8201 | No more than 3 months of study or training |
| 8503 | No Further Stay. "You cannot apply for a new visa in Australia because your visa will have condition 8503". It can be waived only in limited circumstances |
| 8531 | You must not stay after your permitted stay ends |
Condition 8503 is the big one. Plan to leave on time. You can't switch to another visa while you are in Australia unless the condition is waived.
Health insurance
For this stream, Home Affairs says "we strongly recommend you take out adequate health insurance". It is not listed as a must, but a hospital bill in Australia can be large. Older visitors should read the policy's waiting periods for existing conditions (our advice).
Processing time
The Home Affairs processing times tool showed this for the Sponsored Family stream on 28 October 2026:
| Share of applications | Decided within |
|---|---|
| 50% | 40 days |
| 90% | 3 months |
That is slower than the Tourist stream (21 and 33 days). The tool is "a guide only and not specific to your application". Apply early, and don't book flights until the visa is granted in writing. Compare all streams in our subclass 600 processing time guide.
How to apply, step by step
- Check the sponsor rules. Settled citizen or permanent resident, usually 2 years in Australia, aged 18 or older, and the right family link.
- Sponsor completes Form 1149 and gathers proof of their status.
- Visitor gathers documents: relationship proof, identity, money, plans and ties to home.
- Apply online in ImmiAccount and pay the AUD250 charge. Each person applies separately.
- Be ready for a bond request. If Home Affairs asks, the bond must be paid in full before the final decision.
- Wait for the written decision, then book travel.
Fees at a glance
| Item | Amount (checked 28 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Visa charge | AUD250 per applicant |
| Becoming a sponsor | No fee |
| Security bond | Only if asked. Usually AUD5,000 to AUD15,000 per person, refundable if the conditions are met |
| Other possible costs | Health checks, police certificates, biometrics |
From 1 July 2026, a lower charge applies to eligible Timor-Leste citizens in this stream.
If the visa is refused
Home Affairs tells you in writing why it refused the visa and whether you can ask for a review. Refusals of visitor visas lodged outside Australia are reviewable only in limited cases, mainly where an Australian relative sponsored you or you applied to visit a close citizen or permanent resident relative. Your refusal letter says whether review is open to you. See visitor visa 600 refused: what next.
Key takeaways
- A settled Australian citizen or permanent resident relative, aged 18 or older, can sponsor your visit with Form 1149.
- Fiancé(e)s, in-laws, cousins, friends and New Zealand citizens can't sponsor in this stream.
- A bond of usually AUD5,000 to AUD15,000 per person may be asked for. It is paid before the decision and refunded if the rules are kept.
- The visa costs AUD250, and 90% were decided within 3 months (checked 28 October 2026).
- Condition 8503 is mandatory. Home Affairs suggests checking the Tourist stream first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can sponsor me for a Sponsored Family visitor visa?
A settled Australian citizen or permanent resident who is at least 18 and is your spouse or de facto partner, parent or child, brother or sister, grandparent or grandchild, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew, or the step equivalent. They usually must have lived in Australia for the last 2 years.
How much is the bond for a Sponsored Family visa?
There is a bond only if Home Affairs asks for one. Bonds "are usually between AUD 5,000 and AUD 15,000 per person (but we can ask for any amount)". It is paid before the decision and refunded if the visitor complies and leaves before the visa expires.
How long does the Sponsored Family stream take?
The Home Affairs tool showed 50% of applications decided in 40 days and 90% in 3 months, checked on 28 October 2026. It is a guide only.
What is the fee for a Sponsored Family visitor visa?
AUD250 for each applicant (checked 28 October 2026). There is no fee to become a sponsor. Health checks, police certificates and biometrics can cost extra.
Can a New Zealand citizen sponsor a family visitor?
No. The official page says the sponsor "cannot be a … New Zealand citizen". The visitor can apply in the Tourist stream instead, which needs no sponsor.
Can I extend a Sponsored Family visa in Australia?
Generally no. Condition 8503 (No Further Stay) is mandatory on this stream, so you can't apply for a new visa in Australia unless it is waived in limited circumstances.
Is the Sponsored Family stream better than the Tourist stream?
For most visitors, no. Home Affairs suggests checking the Tourist stream first. It needs no sponsor, can give multiple entry, and was faster when we checked (90% in 33 days against 3 months).
