Australia family-sponsored visa requirements: The complete guide

If you want to visit relatives in Australia, the Visitor visa (subclass 600) Sponsored Family stream may be a good option, especially for longer stays or if you’re not eligible for other digital visas.

This is a different option from the ETA (subclass 601) and eVisitor (subclass 651), which are designed for eligible travellers making short visits to Australia.

Apply for eVisitor Visa

In this guide, you’ll find details on:

What is the Sponsored Family stream (subclass 600)?

The Sponsored Family stream is a temporary visitor visa under subclass 600. It’s designed for people who want to travel to Australia to see relatives and who have an eligible local sponsor.

Your sponsor must be a family member who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. The Department of Home Affairs may ask your sponsor to provide an Australian visa family sponsorship letter and a security bond.

Restrictions for this type of visa include the following:

Who can be a sponsor for an Australian family visa?

Only Australian citizens or permanent residents, who are 18 or older, and are settled in Australia, can act as sponsors.

If they meet these requirements, the following relations can act as a sponsor:

Step-equivalents of these relationships are also eligible. The rules can also cover some relatives included in the same family application, provided the relationship meets the official requirements.

Who cannot be a sponsor?

You cannot sponsor an applicant in this stream if you are their fiancé, in-law, cousin, or friend.

Authorities look closely at the sponsor’s background and previous sponsorship history. If a sponsor previously supported a visitor who didn’t comply with visa conditions, the sponsor may be barred from sponsoring another visitor in the same subclass for 5 years.

Core requirements for applicants from the United States

For US applicants, like other foreign citizens, the application still has to show that the visit is genuine and temporary.

You must have enough funds to support your stay and leave Australia. You can add proof of this to your application in the form of financial documents, such as recent bank statements.

The documents you should prepare for your application include:

You must submit your own individual application through the official government digital portal, ImmiAccount.

Financial capacity and security bonds

The security bond is one of the most important features of this type of visa. Authorities may ask your sponsor to lodge a bond as security that you'll comply with visa conditions.

The security bond amount for an Australian family visa is decided on a case by case basis, but is generally between AUD 5,000 and AUD 15,000 per person. However, immigration officers have discretion to set another amount if they consider it appropriate.

Important: The bond does not guarantee that the visa will be granted. It's refunded after you leave Australia, provided you have not breached visa conditions. It can be forfeited if visa conditions are broken or you overstay.

Health and character requirements

Even if you have a valid sponsor, as the applicant, you must still meet Australia’s general visa requirements on health and character.

You might be asked to complete a health examination, depending on the supporting information you share, how long you’re staying, and your country of origin.

Even if you meet all other requirements, entry can be refused if you have criminal convictions or charges in Australia or overseas.

The genuine visitor requirement

Australian authorities only accept applications from “genuine visitors”. This covers travellers who intend to stay temporarily in Australia, for reasons like tourism or to see family and friends.

If there are signs you plan to stay longer than allowed, work without permission, or use a visitor visa for a purpose it was not designed for, your visa could be refused or cancelled.

Concerns can also arise if your application includes inconsistent information, weak evidence of ties to your home country, or a travel history that suggests you may not follow visa conditions.

That means your application should clearly support a temporary visit. Common helpful evidence includes:

Step-by-step application process for the Sponsored Family stream visa

VisitAustralia provides a guided application process for the eVisitor visas. To go through the subclass 600 Sponsored Family stream, you need to apply through the official government portal.

eVisitor Visa Application

Common reasons for family visa refusal or delay

A Sponsored Family stream application is not automatically approved for all applicants with a sponsor. Sponsorship is only one of the criteria, and so you must also meet all the visa requirements individually. Some of the most common problem areas include:

One practical point matters a lot here: the Department specifically says applicants must provide true information and can face refusal and future restrictions for bogus or misleading documents. (Immigration and citizenship Website)

Can U.S. travellers use ETA or eVisitor instead?

Sometimes, yes, but not for the same purpose as a family sponsorship case.

For ordinary short visits, most U.S. citizens use an ETA (subclass 601) instead of subclass 600.

It allows you to visit Australia for multiple short stays over a 12-month period, with up to 3 months per visit.

The Sponsored Family stream is a different visa path within subclass 600 and may be more suitable when formal sponsorship is part of the case. In most cases, United States citizens get an ETA for tourism visits.