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

• a registered migration agent
• a legal practitioner, or
• an exempt person.

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

Your Australian relative who needs care or their family member who lives with them and needs care must be assessed by and get a medical certificate from Bupa Medical Visa Services. The certificate must include a statement that the person has a medical condition and requires a certain amount of care for this.

We won't accept the visa application unless we have evidence this process has at least begun.

Provide accurate information. See what happens if you cannot prove your identity or do not provide true information.

We need proof of your identity. If you cannot prove your identity:

• we will refuse your visa application
• we might not grant you another visa for 10 years
• we might not grant any family members you listed on your application a visa for 10 years

Provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.

Also provide:

• a national identity card, if you have one
• proof of change of name

Documents that prove a change of name include:

• a marriage or divorce certificate
• change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
• documents that show other names you have been known by

Provide a medical certificate from Bupa Medical Visa Services that includes a statement that your Australian relative needs care or their family member who lives with them needs care because of a medical condition.

If your Australian relative who needs care or their family member who lives with them and needs care has begun the assessment process but have not yet been assessed, give us a letter from Bupa Medical Visa Services confirming this.

We will not accept the visa application unless we have evidence this process has at least begun.

You must also give us written evidence that your Australian relative who needs care or their family member who lives with them and needs care does not have reasonable access to care in Australia.

Provide Australian police certificates if you have spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since you turned 16. We only accept complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police. We do not accept standard disclosure certificates or national police certificates issued by Australian state or territory police. For immigration purposes, Australian police certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

Also provide:

• an overseas police certificate from every country, including your home country, where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16
• military service records or discharge papers if you served in the armed forces of any country

Complete and provide the following forms:

• Form 80 Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment
• Form 1221 Additional personal particulars information

To nominate someone to:

• receive your correspondence, use Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient
• provide immigration assistance, use Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person.

Send written notification or your forms with your paper application.

For every dependent under 18 years old who is applying with you, provide:

• identity documents
• proof of your relationship with them, like a birth or marriage certificate
• character documents, if applicable

To include your child who is over 18 in your visa application, they must be:

• over 18 years of age but not yet turned 23, and dependent on you or your partner, or
• over 23 years of age and unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations and dependent on you or your partner.

If your child is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you will need to provide evidence they are dependent on you due to disability.

Provide:

• identity documents
• documents about their other relationships, if applicable
• character documents

Provide:

• identity documents
• character documents
• documents about former relationships, if applicable

Provide either:

• your current marriage certificate, or
• proof you have been in a de facto relationship with your partner for at least 12 months before you apply, except in limited circumstances

Documents that prove your de facto relationship could include:

• joint bank account statements
• billing accounts in joint names
• joint leases or mortgages
• documents that show your partner lives or has lived at the same address as you

Provide 4 recent photos (45mm x 35mm) of anyone included in the application.

Photographs must be:

• 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

You can wear untinted prescription glasses. If you wear a head covering for religious reasons, you can show only your face.

Complete and submit with your other documents Form 47OF Application for migration to Australia by other family members.

The forms must be completed in English.

Pay for the application before it is submitted using the online portal payment function in ImmiAccount. Include evidence the application is paid for with your application. For other payment options see how to pay.

Applications for this visa can't be submitted in person. Send the application by post or courier to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth at the address on the form. Include all required documents and forms with your application.

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.

We can't provide you with updates on your application's progress within normal processing times. We will let you know if you need to provide anything further.

Tell us if you want to travel outside Australia while we process your application. We need to know because you must be in Australia when we decide on your application.

If you leave Australia, make sure you have a valid visa to return.

Learn about visa expiry.

If you did not send us all documents when you applied, send them to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth at the address on the form. We might also ask you to provide more information.

Make sure you stay lawful by holding a valid visa while we process your application.

When you applied for this visa, you were granted a bridging visa. If your current visa expires before we decide on your application, the bridging visa will start. You can stay in Australia on the bridging visa while we process your visa application.

Do not cancel your current visa. If you do, you will:

• be staying in Australia unlawfully
• not be eligible for a bridging visa

Learn more about visa expiry.

Pay the second instalment when we tell you to. We will send you an invoice for the instalment after you have met all other requirements for the visa.

You must pay the instalment or we can't grant the visa.

We might consider reducing your second instalment to nil if you can show us it is likely to cause you or the person you are caring for severe financial hardship.

We will not reduce the second instalment for anyone applying for the visa with you.

Send us a request in writing.

Let us know as soon as you can if you made a mistake on your application.

Complete Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers.

Let us know if you no longer want someone to:

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

Send written notification or your forms to the office your submitted your application.

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

Things you need to let us know about after you have applied include:

• changes to your phone number, address or passport
• changes to your marital or de facto status
• the birth of a child
• you want to withdraw your application

See what to do if your situation changes.