Criteria | Processing Time | Cost | Duration & Conditions | Permanent Residency
If you are married or in a de-facto relationship with a New Zealand citizen either living in Australia or offshore, the Subclass 461 visa may be a suitable option for you. The Subclass 461 visa is also available to other eligible family members of New Zealand citizens.
You need to be an eligible family member of someone living in Australia on a Subclass 444 or be traveling to Australia with a family member who will be granted a Subclass 444 on arrival.
This visa allows you to live and work in Australia for up to five years and can be renewed as long as you continue to meet the criteria for the grant of the visa.
In order to be eligible for a 461 Visa, you must meet the following criteria:
Current processing time varies dependent on current demand. As of October 2023, the Department’s website states that 90% of 461 visa applications are processed within 13 months.
Migration Downunder current experience, is that the processing and grant of a 461 visa are being done within a six-month time-frame.
Each year, the government fee for a Subclass 461 visa will increase.
As of 1 July 2023, the fee is AUD$420 for the main applicant. To check the Government visa application charge please access https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/visa-pricing-estimator
Once your 461 Visa application is granted, you will be entitled to:
You can renew your visa, even if your relationship with the Special Category visa holder has ended provided that:
There are no direct or automatic pathways into permanent residency from a Subclass 461 visa. However, dependent on your skill set there may be options to meet the criteria for another type of permanent visa stream, such as a skilled visa and/or employer sponsored visa.
Eligibility is the most important step in determining whether a person may meet the legal criteria for a visa application and one consultation could save you money.
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