Do I Qualify for the Aged Dependent Relative Visa (838) in 2026? Full Checklist
Check every Subclass 838 eligibility test for 2026, including sponsorship, dependence, health, character, family and presence in Australia.
Only applicants who satisfy every published requirement can be eligible for the Aged Dependent Relative visa (Subclass 838) in 2026. The Australian Government Department of Home Affairs’ official Aged Dependent Relative visa (Subclass 838) page contains 11 items. For self-assessment, the checklist below separates nine core eligibility tests from two additional decision checks covering immigration history and the best interests of a child.
As at August 2026, Home Affairs states that all listed criteria must be met and that the sponsorship must be approved. This checklist provides general information, not personalised legal advice, and cannot predict how the Department will assess an individual application.
Do I pass the nine core Subclass 838 eligibility tests?
The core tests are cumulative. Tick a box only where you can support the statement, and treat an uncertain answer as something that remains unresolved.
1. Do I have an eligible relative or a relative’s partner as sponsor?
An eligible relative, or a partner of that relative, can sponsor you. However, a proposed sponsor alone is not sufficient: Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship.
- [ ] I have a proposed sponsor who is an eligible relative or a relative’s partner.
- [ ] I understand that Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship.
2. Am I old enough to receive the Australian age pension?
The stated age test is whether you are old enough to receive the age pension in Australia.
- [ ] I am old enough to receive the Australian age pension.
3. Have I depended on my relative in Australia for the required period?
The dependence must be on your relative in Australia and must relate to basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing.
- [ ] For at least the last three years before I apply, I have depended on my relative in Australia.
- [ ] That dependence has related to my basic needs, such as food, shelter or clothing.
- [ ] If my dependence relates to disability, the disability prevents me from working.
Disability preventing work is one possible reason for dependence, but the published test is not limited to that explanation.
4. Do I have no partner?
This eligibility condition applies directly to the applicant.
- [ ] I have no partner.
5. Is my current visa free of a no further stay condition?
Your current visa must not include a no further stay condition. Home Affairs identifies VEVO as the official source for checking visa conditions.
- [ ] My current visa does not include a no further stay condition.
6. Can I obtain an assurance of support?
You must be able to obtain an assurance of support. Home Affairs says this assurance covers you and any family members who accompany you on the visa, and that it assures the Department you will not have to rely on government assistance after entering Australia on this visa.
- [ ] I am able to obtain an assurance of support.
- [ ] The assurance can cover me and any family members who come with me.
- [ ] I understand that Home Affairs will notify me when the assurance is required.
7. Do I and every applying family member meet the health requirement?
You and every family member applying for the visa with you must meet the health requirement. Home Affairs may also ask other family members to meet it.
- [ ] I meet the health requirement.
- [ ] Every family member applying with me meets the health requirement.
- [ ] I understand that Home Affairs might also require another family member to meet the health requirement.
8. Do I and every applying family member meet the character requirement?
You and every family member applying with you must meet the character requirement. Home Affairs may also ask other non-migrating family members to meet it.
- [ ] I meet the character requirement.
- [ ] Every family member applying with me meets the character requirement.
- [ ] I understand that Home Affairs might also require a non-migrating family member to meet the character requirement.
9. Has any debt to the Australian Government been resolved?
If you or a family member owes money to the Australian Government, the debt must have been repaid or an approved repayment arrangement must be in place.
- [ ] Any amount I or a family member owes to the Australian Government has been repaid, or an approved repayment arrangement is in place.
If any of these nine core tests is unanswered or uncertain, you do not yet satisfy the complete published core eligibility screen.
Could a previous refusal, cancellation or my age still prevent a grant?
Home Affairs identifies two further decision checks. These require careful treatment because a prior immigration event is not necessarily an automatic bar in every case, while the child best-interests rule can prevent grant.
10. Has a visa cancellation or application refusal affected my immigration history?
Home Affairs considers an applicant’s immigration history when deciding the application. A previous visa cancellation or refused application may therefore affect eligibility, although a permanent visa application may still be possible in some circumstances.
- [ ] I have checked whether any previous visa was cancelled or application refused.
- [ ] If there is a previous cancellation or refusal, I understand that it may affect eligibility and requires case-specific assessment.
The possibility of applying in some circumstances is not an automatic exception to the immigration-history review.
11. If I am under 18, is the best-interests-of-the-child requirement addressed?
Home Affairs will not grant the visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
- [ ] I am 18 or older, or I am under 18 and understand that the visa will not be granted if it is not in my best interests.
Must I be in Australia to apply?
You must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance:
- when you apply; and
- when Home Affairs decides your application.
Any family member applying for the visa with you must also be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply.
The published location rule therefore does not allow an applicant to lodge a Subclass 838 application from overseas.
Which family members can I include in the application?
For Subclass 838, your family unit is your dependent child and stepchild. You can include them when you apply or add them to the application at any time before a decision is made.
You must provide details of all family members, whether they are migrating or not. Family members applying with you must meet the health and character requirements. Non-migrating family members may also be asked to meet those requirements.
What does the visa allow if it is granted?
A granted Subclass 838 visa is a permanent visa that:
- lets you stay in Australia indefinitely, with permanent residence starting on the grant date;
- allows you to work and study in Australia;
- allows you to enrol in Medicare, Australia’s public healthcare scheme;
- allows you to sponsor relatives;
- allows access to free Adult Migrant English Program classes if you are eligible; and
- allows you to apply for Australian citizenship if you are eligible.
What are the travel arrangements after the visa is granted?
The initial travel validity is five years from the date the visa is granted. During that period, you can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want.
To re-enter Australia as a permanent resident after the initial five-year travel validity, you need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return visa. If you later become an Australian citizen, you do not need a visa to enter Australia; Home Affairs states that you must apply for an Australian passport and use it to leave and re-enter the country.
Why might processing take a long time?
Home Affairs says demand for Other Family visas is greater than the number of places available each year. As a result, processing can be lengthy, and applications are subject to capping and queueing.
The official processing-time guide is based on recently decided applications and is only an indication, not a prediction for an individual case. Incorrect forms, missing documents, requests for further information and verification delays can also extend processing. Home Affairs states that it cannot process an application if the correct visa application charge is not paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many eligibility items are listed for Subclass 838 in 2026?
The current Department of Home Affairs page contains 11 separate items as at August 2026. For self-assessment, nine are core eligibility tests, while the final two address immigration history and the best interests of an applicant under 18. All applicable requirements must be satisfied.
Must my dependence be caused by disability?
No. A disability that prevents work is one possible reason for dependence. The published test is dependence on a relative in Australia for basic needs for at least the last three years before the application.
Can I include a partner in my Subclass 838 application?
No. The applicant must have no partner. The family unit for this visa is a dependent child and stepchild.
Does the sponsor have to be the relative on whom I depend?
No. The sponsor may be an eligible relative or a partner of that relative, while the dependence is on your relative in Australia. Home Affairs must still approve the sponsorship.
Can I apply for Subclass 838 from outside Australia?
No. You must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, both when you apply and when the application is decided. Any family member applying with you must also be in Australia and not in immigration clearance when you apply.
Can I add a child or stepchild after lodging the application?
Yes. You can add a family member at any time before Home Affairs makes its decision. Details of all family members must be provided whether they are migrating or not, and family members applying with you must meet the health and character requirements.
Does a previous visa cancellation or refusal automatically disqualify me?
Home Affairs does not describe every cancellation or refusal as an automatic bar. It considers the full immigration history and may find that the previous event affects eligibility, although a permanent visa application may still be possible in some circumstances.
Is Subclass 838 permanent, and can I leave Australia?
Yes. It is a permanent visa that allows indefinite residence. Its initial travel validity lasts five years from the grant date, after which a granted Resident Return visa is required to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
What is an assurance of support?
It is an assurance that you must be able to obtain for the visa. Home Affairs says it covers you and accompanying family members and assures the Department that you will not have to rely on government assistance after entering Australia on the visa.
How long will processing take?
Home Affairs says processing can be lengthy because demand exceeds the available places, and applications are subject to capping and queueing. The processing-time guide is not specific to an individual application, and document or verification issues may cause further delays.