Aged Dependent Relative Visa – Subclass 114
The aged dependent relative Visa Subclass 114 visa allows the applicant to visit and stay in Australia indefinitely, subject to the condition that they have a close relative as a sponsor. The applicant is free to live in Australia as a permanent resident after visa issuance and free to work or even study as per his/her will. However, before applying, a couple of factors must be kept well in account and conditions that must be met. For a person to fully qualify for this visa, the following tidbits must be satisfied:
Primary Conditions for Subclass 114
The Subclass 114 Offshore visa is only valid for applicants who are:
- Living outside Australia at the time of application.
- Sponsored by the eligible relative/partner.
Applicant’s Eligibility Criteria for Subclass 114
For a person to be eligible for Subclass 114, he/she must:
- Be a member of the family
- Not be married or in a de facto relationship
- Be completely dependent on the respective sponsor. E.g should be a pensioner or disabled/over-aged
- Have no other source of support
- Be of valid age limit. The eligible age limit for men starts from 65, while 60 for women.
- Meet the health requirements
- Meet the character requirements
- Sign the Australian government statement
Sponsor’s Eligibility Criteria for Subclass 114
For the sponsor to stay eligible, he/she must:
- Be a permanent resident or settled Australian citizen
- Be or older than 18-years
- Reside in Australia (usually)
- Or someone who meets all the requirements above and is the cohabiting partner of the applicant.
Apart from that, the sponsor must also sign an Assurance of Support document with a mandatory bond paid. This is a necessary formality and a legal agreement made with the Australian government to help the applicant live in the country.
Valid Relationships for Subclass 114
Following are the relationships that fall under MoFU
Parent
SIbling
Child
Grandparent
Grandchild
Aunt
Uncle
Niece/Nephew
Step equivalents of the aforementioned relatives are also eligible to sponsor the applicant.
Evidence Needed to prove the relationship.
Following are the documents required to support the validity of the relationship. One or all of the documents can be requested, subject to the nature of the relationship.
Marriage certificates
Birth certificates
Adoption certificates
Death certificates
Family status certificates
The documents will concisely prove the connection between the applicant and the sponsor. Here, it’s necessary to mention that if the applicant is the aunt/uncle of the sponsor, the sponsor should provide the birth certificate of his/her parents which clearly shows the relation between the sponsor’s parents and their sibling applying for the visa. Similarly, the applicant must also provide his/her birth certificate to validate the relationship.
Alternative documents for Aged Dependent Relative Visa Subclass 114
Sometimes, some of the documents are lost or damaged due to unfortunate events, and therefore cannot be recovered immediately. So just in case the applicant is caught in a desperate position regarding the documents, he/she can use the following documents as an alternative:
Medical records
Health records
Taxation records
Wills/testaments/bonds
Social security records
Departmental records
Since none of the aforementioned documents concisely proves the sponsor-applicant relationship on its own, at least 2 or 3 documents should be provided together, each supporting the other one to prove the relation.
Other Proofs required for Aged dependent Relative Visa Subclass 114
Apart from sponsor-applicant MoFU proofs, the applicant must prove that:
He/she is not in a marital/de facto relationship.
As the Visa requires the applicant to be completely dependent on the sponsor, he/she cannot have a spouse or be in a de facto relationship. He/she cannot be eligible if found to be in any of the aforementioned relationships. To prove the validity of the claim, the following documents must be provided:
Divorce certificate
Death certificate of partner
Separation documents
Family status certificates
If none or any of the aforementioned documents is available at the moment e.g, the applicant has never been married or lost the documents due to any tragic event, alternative documents that prove the relationship status can be provided. Those include:
Social security records
Taxation records
Departmental records
He/she is completely dependant.
The applicant must prove that he/she has been dependent on the sponsor for basic financial needs for quite a while and will continue to be dependent in the future. To prove the claim, the following documents must be provided with the application:
Reasons for financial dependency
Previous support duration
Level of support required
Documented evidence of the previous transactions made from sponsor to the dependant relative
Extent of Dependability
It also plays a huge role in the issuance of Subclass 114 Visa. As stated, the applicant must have reasonable evidence and an argument to support the “dependability” claim. Therefore, the judgment will be made based on the following factors:
Reliance extent
The applicant must:
Not be able to afford the basic cost of living without the sponsor’s support
Show that the amount provided in the form of income/benefit is not sufficient to fulfil the financial needs
Have a majority of income coming from the sponsor in case of multiple income sources e.g at least 40-50%
Dependency period
The applicant must have been dependent on the sponsor for a reasonable period, which is at least 3-years before the date of the application. However, this condition can be softened subject to specific conditions.
For example, if the sponsor has been sending money to both parents/partners in the past, however, one of them has been indirectly receiving it, whilst the direct receiver has passed away, the evidence must be provided to prove dependency. In such cases, a death certificate of the deceased partner (who has been directly receiving funds from a sponsor) can be used.
Continued dependence
To stay eligible for the Visa, the applicant must be dependent on the sponsor at the time of application as well as the time of issuance of the visa. The concerned department can also ask for additional documents amidst the process if they have any suspicions.
What is a settled Sponsor for Aged Dependent Relative Visa Subclass 114?
The sponsor is considered a permanent/settled resident of Australia if he/she:
Have had a reasonable period of residency in the country. This also includes periods of temporary residence as well e.g on a student visa or skilled independent visa
Has been at least 2 years in Australia before application lodgement with less than 4 months of accumulation outside Australia.
Has evidence of being settled in Australia (if spent more than 4-months outside the country)
Evidence required
If the sponsor is present in Australia
The sponsor can use the following documents to prove his/her residency in Australia if he/she has been accumulated outside the country for more than four months in the 2-years duration and is residing in Australia at the time of application:
Evidence of sponsor’s or the sponsor’s partner employment
Documented evidence of house ownership or lease agreement
Evidence of his/her children attending school
Bank statement
Evidence for the reason of prolonged absence from the country
Evidence of the sponsor’s children being Australian citizens
If the sponsor is outside Australia
If the sponsor has been absent for more than 4-months from Australia 2 years before application and is also accumulated outside Australia at the time of application, the following documents should be provided as evidence:
Evidence of the sponsor being posted by a registered Australian company/organization for a finite period
Evidence from the sponsor’s employer for extended employment outside the country on an ongoing basis. In the meantime, the wages should be paid by the Australian registered company or organization, with the taxes provided to the Australian government.
Ownership of a residence that proves that sponsor intends to reside in Australia
If the sponsor is not employed, the aforementioned documents of the sponsor’s partner must be provided
Evidence of the children attending school, if any
Evidence of advance arrangements being made to provide education to the children, if they are pre-school aged
Bank statements
Evidence of sponsor’s children being Australian citizens
While applying Aged Dependent Relative Visa Subclass 114
The applicant must collect all the documents that may be required or will be required whilst or after applying. The important ones include character and health documents, I’d card, sponsor documents.
The applicant must keep all the additional evidence ready if the concerned authorities request it amidst processing. Although the chances are rare, it is important to eradicate the suspicions that may result in visa rejection.
Processing time for Aged Dependent Relative Visa Subclass 114
Unlike other visas, the processing time of age-dependent subclass 114 is unpredictable and long. As it works on a first-come-first-get methodology, the applicants applying late will be kept in a queue, subject to new places coming available. Moreover, it also depends upon certain factors like:
- If the forms are filled incorrectly
- If the information provided is not reliable or sufficient. The authorities will request additional evidence, as stated.
- If the processing fees are cleared before processing
For further information about the Age-Dependent Subclass 114 visa, kindly visit the official website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs. If you are an applicant, talk to your concerned agent before and during the application process for a smooth and less stressful experience.