Hong Kong stream

Organise health exams

We prefer that you have any health checks before you apply for the visa.

Find out the examinations you need and how to arrange them.

Get help with your application

Only some people can help you with your application. If you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance they must be:

• a registered migration agent
• a legal practitioner, or
• an exempt person.

You can appoint anyone to receive documents on your behalf relating to your visa matter.

Provide accurate information

Provide accurate information. See what may happen if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.

Main applicant Identity documents

Provide the pages of your current passport. This must show your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.

Also provide:

• a national identity card, if you have one
• proof of change of name, if applicable.

Documents that prove a change of name include:

• a marriage or divorce certificate
• change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
• documents that show other names you have been known by

Residence documents

You must prove you have been usually resident in a designated regional area of Australia. This must be for a continuous period of at least 3 years immediately before you apply for this visa.

We assess where a person is 'usually resident' by taking into account their physical residence. This is where the person eats, sleeps and has a home. We also assess the person's intention to make that place their home.

This evidence should include the date you consider you started living in Australia.

Your evidence might include but is not limited to:

• lease agreements
• rates notices
• utilities bills.

Work and study documents

You must prove that any work or study done in the 3 years before applying for this visa was in a designated regional area of Australia.

Your evidence might include but is not limited to:

• employment contracts
• work references
• payslips
• letters of completion from your educational institution.

Character documents

Provide an Australian police certificate if you have spent 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since turning 16. We only accept complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police.

We don't accept:

• standard disclosure certificates, or
• national police certificates issued by Australian state or territory police.

For immigration purposes, Australian police certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

Also provide:

• an overseas police certificate from every country where you spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. This includes your home country.
• military service records or discharge papers if you served in the armed forces of any country.

Complete and provide the following forms:

• Form 80 Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment
• Form 1221 Additional personal particulars information

Proof of functional English

Provide proof that all applicants aged 18 years and older have at least functional English.

If you can't provide proof of functional English

Applicants aged 18 years and older, who can't provide evidence of functional English, will need to pay the second instalment of the visa application charge when we ask for it.

Relationship documents

You need to provide proof if you are or have been married, widowed, divorced or permanently separated. Such proof may include a marriage certificate, divorce documents, death certificates, separation documents or statutory declarations.

If your partner or dependent children are not included in this application, tell us why. As an example, they may already hold Australian citizenship or be a permanent resident.

Partner documents

Provide:

• identity documents
• character documents
• marriage certificate, if applicable
• evidence of Australian citizenship, if applicable
• documents about other relationships, if applicable

For de facto relationships provide either:

• evidence that your relationship is registered by an Australian State or Territory or
• enough documents to prove you have been in a de facto relationship with your partner for at least 12 months before you apply.

For both married and de facto applicants you must give proof that you are in a genuine and continuing relationship. Evidence can include but is not limited to:

• joint bank account statements
• billing accounts in joint names
• joint leases or mortgages
• documents that show your partner has lived at the same address as you

Dependants under 18 documents

For every dependant 18 years old or younger who is applying with you, provide:

• copies of birth certificates or the family book showing the names of both parents of all your dependent children
• copies of adoption papers, if applicable.

Parental responsibility documents

You must get consent for any applicant under 18 years of age to migrate to Australia from anyone who:

• has a legal right to decide where the child lives, and
• is not coming to Australia with the child.

They must complete either:

• Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years
• statutory declaration giving their consent for the child to migrate to Australia on this visa

Alternatively, you can show us:

• an Australian court order that allows your child to migrate to Australia, or
• that the laws of your home country allow them to migrate

Include:

• an identity document that shows the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration, such as a passport or driver’s licence
• adoption papers or other court documents if applicable

You don't have to prove that your dependant under 18 years of age has functional English.

Note: If your child is likely to turn 18 while your application is being processed, you will need to give proof they are dependent on you. See the section 'Dependants over 18 documents' below for more information.

A child cannot satisfy the criteria for this visa if they:

• turn 18 while your application is being processed, and
• are not dependent on you.

Dependants over 18 documents

Family members included in your application do not need an eligible visa unless they are no longer considered a member of the family unit. In this case, they must hold an eligible visa granted on the basis they were a member of your family unit.

Dependants over 18 without an eligible visa

If your child is over 18 years of age and does not hold an eligible visa, they must meet additional requirements to be included in your application.

If your child is:

• 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

If your child is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you will need to provide evidence they are dependent on you due to disability.

Provide:

• identity documents
• documents about their other relationships, if applicable

You must also provide proof your child is dependent on you.

• proof of your relationship with the dependant such as a birth certificate or adoption papers
• a completed Form 47a Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over
• proof of financial dependency such as bank statements, money transfers and rent receipts
• if your child is aged 23 or is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you must also provide a report from a qualified medical practitioner. This must state they are dependent on you or your partner due to total or partial loss of their bodily or mental functions.

Note: A child cannot satisfy the criteria for this visa if they:

• turn 23 while your application is being processed, and
• do not meet these requirements.

Tell us you are getting help

To nominate someone to:

• receive your correspondence, use Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient, or
• provide immigration assistance, use Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person.

Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.

Prepare your documents

Provide accurate information

Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.

Apply for this visa online in ImmiAccount

1. Log in or create an ImmiAccount
2. Attach your documents
3. Pay the first application charge. We will not process your application until you pay this first instalment of the visa application charge.
4. Note your transaction reference number (TRN)

Status updates

We do not give updates on applications under assessment.

You can check if we need more information from you in ImmiAccount.

Travel after you apply

If you are in Australia, you don't have to tell us if you want to leave Australia while we process your application. This is because you can be outside Australia when we make a decision.

But if you leave Australia, make sure you have a valid visa to return. To see if you can return on your current visa, check VEVO.

Learn about visa expiry.

Health exams

We will tell you if you need health examinations.

Biometrics

We may ask for biometrics (fingerprints and photo). We will tell you if you need to provide them.

Attach more information

If you did not attach all documents when you applied, attach them as soon as you can in ImmiAccount.

We may ask you to provide more information, but we are not obliged to do so. We may make a decision on your application without asking for more documents.

Stay lawful

If you are in Australia, make sure you stay lawful by holding a valid visa while we process your application.

If you made a valid application for this visa in Australia, you are usually eligible for a bridging visa. The bridging visa will come into effect if:

• your current visa expires before we decide on your application, and
• you do not hold another substantive visa.

You can stay in Australia lawfully if you hold a substantive or bridging visa while we process your visa application.

Do not ask to have the visa you currently hold cancelled. If we cancel your visa:

• you will be staying in Australia unlawfully
• your bridging visa will cease.

Learn more about visa expiry.

Pay the second instalment

If you need to pay a second instalment, pay it when we send you the invoice.

Add family

You can add members of the family unit to your application. This can be after you apply, but must be before we decide on your visa.

Complete Form 1436 - Adding an additional applicant after lodgement, pay using ImmiAccount and attach the form and supporting documents to your ImmiAccount.

Family members who apply for the visa must meet our health and character requirements.

Family members who are not coming to Australia have to meet our character requirement. They may also have to meet our health requirement.

Newborn child

If your child is born after you submit your application but before we decide on your visa, you must tell us as soon as possible.

Find out what to do your child is born after you apply.

Mistakes on your application

You must tell us as soon as possible if you made a mistake on your application.

Complete Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers and attach it in ImmiAccount.

Help with your application

Let us know if you no longer want someone to:

• receive your correspondence - complete Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient
• provide immigration advice - complete Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person.

Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.

For more information see Who can help you with your application.

Tell us if things change

Things you need to tell us about after you have applied include:

• changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
• changes to your marital or de facto status
• the birth of a child
• if you want to withdraw your application.

See how to tell us if your situation changes.