Health and Character Checks for Subclass 115 in 2026: What to Expect
How health, character and biometrics checks work for a Subclass 115 application, who must be assessed, and when the Department asks.
For a Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 115), health checks, character checks and biometrics are not documents you assemble before you lodge — they are steps the Department of Home Affairs asks you to complete after your application is in the system. The Australian Department of Home Affairs' official Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 115) page, as at the July 2026 official page, states that you and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet the health requirement and the character requirement, and that the Department might also ask other family members to meet them. Biometrics sit alongside these: the Department may ask for fingerprints and a photo, and will tell you if it does.
This article is general information about how those requirements are framed, not personalised advice about any individual's circumstances; the criteria that apply to you are those set out in the current legislation and the Department's published requirements, and anyone facing a specific health or character issue should check those directly or seek advice from a qualified professional.
What do the health, character and biometrics checks actually cover?
The three checks are separate requirements with separate triggers, even though they tend to be requested during the same stretch of processing.
| Check | What it covers | How it is triggered |
|---|---|---|
| Health | Whether you and applying family members meet the health requirement; policy guidance refers to health examinations such as a chest X-ray and blood tests | The Department tells you if health examinations are needed |
| Character | Whether you and applying family members meet the character requirement; police certificates are one form of character document | The Department asks for character documents, including police certificates, when required — you should not arrange police certificates until asked |
| Biometrics | Fingerprints and a photo | The Department may ask, and will tell you if you need to provide them |
Under the Migration Regulations 1994, these sit within the public interest criteria: health (PIC 4005), character (PIC 4001), biometrics (PIC 4009 and 4010), false or misleading information (PIC 4020 and 4021), and, for applicants who were 18 or over at the time of application, no criminal record (PIC 4019). These criterion numbers are set out in the Migration Regulations 1994 and the Department's policy guidance (PAM3), so their current wording and status should be confirmed against the legislation and the Department's latest published guidance.
Who has to be assessed — including family members who are not migrating?
The requirement is not limited to the main applicant. The official page sets it out in two layers:
- Applying family members. You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet the health requirement and the character requirement.
- Other family members. The Department might ask that other family members also meet the health requirement, and might ask that other non-migrating family members meet the character requirement.
Under subclause 115.226A of the Migration Regulations 1994, non-applying family members must meet public interest criteria 4001 to 4005 unless the Minister considers it unreasonable to require the assessment. Policy guidance also describes the consequence in blunt terms: the main applicant cannot be granted the visa unless the family members who are applicants meet the public interest and special return criteria, and the family members who are not applicants also meet the public interest criteria. In practice, a relative who has no intention of moving to Australia can still affect the outcome.
When do the health exams and police certificates happen?
After lodgement, not before. The step-by-step guidance for this visa is consistent across all three checks:
- Health: "We will let you know if you need health examinations."
- Character: "We might ask you for character documents, including police certificates. Do not arrange for police certificates until we ask you to."
- Biometrics: "We might ask for biometrics (fingerprints and photo). We will let you know if you need to provide them."
There is a useful sequence signal further down the same guidance: the Department sends the invoice for the second instalment of the visa application charge after you have met all other requirements for the visa. So the checks are cleared before that invoice arrives, not after.
Two other timing points matter for a Subclass 115 application. You must apply on paper and be outside Australia when you apply, and you must be outside Australia when the decision is made. The guidance also says not to arrange travel to Australia until the Department tells you in writing that the visa has been granted.
How do the checks apply to a partner, children under 18, and older dependants?
The official page sets out document expectations by relationship, and character documents appear in each of them:
- Partner: identity documents, character documents, and documents about other relationships if applicable, plus evidence of the marriage or of a de facto relationship of at least 12 months before applying.
- Dependants under 18: identity documents, proof of your relationship with them (such as a birth or marriage certificate), and character documents if applicable.
- Dependants 18 or over: identity documents, documents about their other relationships if applicable, character documents, and proof of dependency. A child can be included as a dependent child if they are under 18; or 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.
The visa cannot be granted if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
What happens if someone does not meet a requirement?
Health and character are eligibility criteria, not box-ticking formalities. The official page's list of refusal grounds does not treat them lightly, and the Regulations require each applicant — and, as noted above, relevant non-applying family members — to satisfy them.
Policy guidance indicates that where a health issue arises, a health waiver may be considered in some circumstances, and that where an assessment is unfavourable, the applicant is normally given an opportunity to comment before a decision is made. Those are procedural descriptions drawn from policy guidance rather than guarantees: policy does not have the force of law, and whether any waiver or further comment opportunity applies depends on the criteria in force and the facts of the case. The official page is also explicit that the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused.
What else is assessed alongside health and character?
Health, character and biometrics do not sit on their own. The same eligibility list includes repaying any debt owed to the Australian Government, having no history of a cancelled visa or refused application that counts against you, signing the Australian values statement if you are 18 or over, obtaining an assurance of support when the Department asks for it, and the best interests of any applicant under 18. If you cannot prove your identity, the official page warns that the application will be refused and that neither you nor listed family members might be granted a visa for 10 years — which is why identity documents are treated as a separate, non-negotiable part of the application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book health examinations before lodging a Subclass 115 application?
No. The Department of Home Affairs tells you if health examinations are needed, and the step-by-step guidance for this visa places health exams in the "after you apply" stage. Booking early does not speed up the request, and results obtained too far ahead may no longer be usable.
When should I get police certificates for a Subclass 115 application?
Only after the Department asks you to. The official page states directly that you should not arrange for police certificates until asked, because they are one form of character document and are requested when the Department needs them for its assessment.
Are biometrics required for every Subclass 115 applicant?
The Department may ask for biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) and will tell you if you need to provide them. It is a request-driven step rather than something you arrange on your own initiative.
Can a family member who is not migrating affect my application?
Yes. The Department might ask that other non-migrating family members meet the character requirement, and subclause 115.226A of the Migration Regulations 1994 requires non-applying family members to meet public interest criteria 4001 to 4005 unless the Minister considers it unreasonable to require the assessment.
Do my partner and children need their own character documents?
Yes. The document checklists for this visa require character documents for a partner, character documents if applicable for dependants under 18, and character documents for dependants aged 18 or over.
What if a family member has a health condition that may not meet the requirement?
Health is an eligibility criterion for everyone covered by the application, and policy guidance refers to a health waiver being considered in some circumstances. Because that guidance is not law and outcomes depend on the individual assessment, the current published requirements and the criteria in force are the reference point.