Australia Orphan Relative visa (Subclass 117)
This visa lets a child who is single come to Australia to live with a relative if their parents are deceased, can't care for them or can't be found.
- Route type
- Family
- Can bring
- children, parents from the official record
- Requirements
- 8 each quoted below
Who this route is for
Every item below is the government’s own wording, quoted from the official source. Whether you personally qualify depends on your full profile.
8 requirements quoted from the official source.
- Age Requirement
The child must be under 18 years old when they apply for the visa.
- Australian Government Debt Cleared
If the child or any member of their family owes the Australian Government money it must be paid it back or there must be a formal arrangement to pay it back.
- Best Interests Of The Child
We might not grant this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18. Meet all these criteria? Check how to apply in our step by step guide.
- Character and security
If the child is aged 16 years or older they must meet our character requirement . We might also ask that other dependent children who apply for the visa meet the requirement.
- Have Consent To Migrate To Australia
We will only grant this visa to a child younger than 18 years if either: the child has the written consent of everyone who can legally decide where they live the laws of the child's home country allow them to leave their home country; or it is consistent with any Australian child order about the child
- Have No Parent Who Can Care For Them
We will not grant this visa unless the child has no parent who can care for them. This might be because both their parents either: are deceased are permanently incapable of caring for the child can't be found. We will not grant this visa if the child's parents are capable of caring for them but don't want to.
- Health Requirement
The child and any of their dependent children who apply for the visa with them must meet our health requirement . Dependent children who are not applying for the visa might also have to meet our health requirement.
- Sponsor Required
The child must be sponsored by an eligible sibling or step-sibling, grandparent or step-grandparent, aunt, uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle. We must approve the sponsorship before the visa can be granted. If the sponsor and/or their spouse or de facto partner (if any) have a pending registrable offence charge, we will refuse the sponsorship and visa application. If the sponsor and/or their spouse or
- Eligibility summary
The child must be sponsored by an eligible sibling or step-sibling, grandparent or step-grandparent, aunt, uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle. We must approve the sponsorship before the visa can be granted. If the sponsor and/or their spouse or de facto partner (if any) have a pending registrable offence charge, we will refuse the sponsorship and visa application. If the sponsor and/or their spouse or
- Official Rights Text
stay in Australia indefinitely work and study in Australia in line with Australian law enrol in Australia's public healthcare scheme, Medicare sponsor relatives to come to Australia attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program , if eligible apply for Australian citizenship , if eligible.
- Official source basis
The child must be sponsored by an eligible sibling or step-sibling, grandparent or step-grandparent, aunt, uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle. We must approve the sponsorship before the visa can be granted. If the sponsor and/or their spouse or de facto partner (if any) have a pending registrable offence charge, we will refuse the sponsorship and visa application. If the sponsor and/or their spouse or
- Report summary
The child must be sponsored by an eligible sibling or step-sibling, grandparent or step-grandparent, aunt, uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle. We must approve the sponsorship before the visa can be granted. If the sponsor and/or their spouse or de facto partner (if any) have a pending registrable offence charge, we will refuse the sponsorship and visa application. If the sponsor and/or their spouse or
- Visa Subclass
The official page identifies this route as subclass 117.
Who you can bring
What the source prices
- Official Cost Text
From (concessions apply in limited circumstances) Cost concessions From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application. See About this visa .
checked 2026-07-26
- Official Stay Text
Permanently
- Processing time
For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool . This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.
From here to a yes
Straight answers
01Who qualifies for the Subclass 117 to Australia?
This visa lets a child who is single come to Australia to live with a relative if their parents are deceased, can't care for them or can't be found.
02Can I bring my family?
Every answer is quoted from the official immi.homeaffairs.gov.au page for this route, last read 2026-07-26.
We checked 16 points against the official source; 16 are quoted on this page. The other 0 are either not addressed by the source or not yet backed by a quote — we would rather show you the edge of the record than fill it with a plausible guess.
See the 0 open points
Not stated in the official source — the official source names no exclusion for this route.
Where every quote comes from
Official government source immi.homeaffairs.gov.auLast read 2026-07-26 Every quote on this page is from this Australia government page.Other family routes to Australia
25 other family routes to Australia.
Family routes in other countries
201 other countries publish at least one family route. Nearest first.
Does the Subclass 117 fit your numbers?
That depends on your income, savings and family — the parts of the story only you know. The free 3-minute check scores your profile against every Australia route at once, this one included. Then the full Australia report takes you the rest of the way.
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