Basic requirement

☉Dependent Child

The child must be the natural child, adopted child or step child of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and must be sponsored or nominated by that parent. A child applying outside Australia who was adopted after their parent became an Australian citizen or permanent residence or eligible New Zealand citizen cannot apply in this category and should consider applying in the adoption category.

Generally the child must be under 18, but may be under 25 if a full-time student and dependent on their sponsoring or nominating parent. The only exception to the age limit and full-time student requirement is where the child has a disability which stops them from working.
Application can be made outside Australia or in Australia.

☉Orphan relative

The child must be under 18 and have no parent to care for them. They must be sponsored or nominated by a relative who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. The relative must be ither the child’s brother or sister, grandparent, aunt or uncle, or niece or nephew (or step equivalents).
Application can be made outside Australia or in Australia.
An assurance of support must also be provided.

☉Adoption

The child must have been adopted or be in the process of being adopted by an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and must be sponsored by that person.
The child must be under 18.
Application can only be made outside Australia.

If the child is applying outside Australia, the child must be sponsored by the parent, relative or guardian (as applicable for the category). The sponsor gives a written undertaking to provide support for the child during their first two years in Australia, including accommodation and financial assistance as required to meet the child’s reasonable living needs.

If the application is made in Australia, the child must be nominated by the parent, relative or guardian (as applicable for the category). The nominator does not have to give a written undertaking, but is still expected to provide assistance to the child during their first two years in Australia.

The sponsor/nominator must be aged 18 years or over.
If the sponsor/nominator is an eligible New Zealand citizen, they will have to meet health and character requirements.
The sponsor or nominator must complete a sponsorship/nomination form.
The form should be lodged with the application.
The sponsor/nominator should include the following with the sponsorship/nomination form:

1. Evidence of their relationship with the child, and
2. Evidence that they are an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand.

If the child is being sponsored outside Australia. The sponsor must complete and sign the ‘Sponsorship undertaking’ part of the form. A sponsorship is valid for two years from the time it is signed by the sponsor. If there are any delays in processing the application, the sponsor may need to complete a new form.

If the child is being nominated in Australia, the nominator must complete and sign the ‘Nominator’s declaration’ part of the form.
An assurance of support is a commitment to provide financial support to the person applying to migrate so that migrant will not have to rely on any Government forms of support.

It is also a legal commitment by a person to repay to the Commonwealth of Australia certain recoverable social security payments made by Centrelink to those covered by the assurance. The assurance is in force for two years from the assuree’s arrival in Australia, or for those applying within Australia, the date of grant of permanent residence.
Assurances cover the main applicant and the family included in the application.
For an orphan relative
For an orphan relative application, an assurance of support must be provided. The DIMIA will advise when an assurance of support needs to be obtained.
Your sponsor and assurer do not have to be the same person.
The person giving an assurance of support must be:

• adult (over 18) Australian citizen, Australian permanent residence or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Usually resident in Australia
• Financially able to support the sponsored person/s and repay certain social security payments should they be made to the people covered by the assurance

It is unlikely that your assurer could provide an acceptable assurance of support if they have received the full rate of any pensions, benefits or allowances (other than family payments) from Centrelink during the past year.

An assurer must be able to show that their taxable income is sustained at a level which would allow them to provide financial support to the applicants whom they assurance and also that they would be able to repay any debt incurred by payment of social security payments during the first two years.

This is to ensure that people proposing to give and assurance of support have the financial capacity to do so.