Other
Subclass 461 — New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa
Important notice: General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice. For advice about your circumstances, book a verified practitioner.
Compiled from official Department of Home Affairs sources — practitioner verification pending.
For non-New Zealand family members of a New Zealand citizen living in Australia on a Special Category visa — live, work and study for five years at a time.
Government charge
$1,330.00
This is the government Visa Application Charge (VAC), payable directly to the Department of Home Affairs when you lodge. It is not a fee charged by this platform, and it is separate from any platform or practitioner fee. Always check the official source for the current amount.
Estimate for a family application
Total government fee (Visa Application Charge): $1,330.00
Worked out from the government's published fee list — an estimate only, not platform fees and not advice. Always check the official estimator ↗
Eligibility snapshot
In general terms, the subclass 461 (New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship) visa is a temporary visa for a person who is NOT a New Zealand citizen but who is a family member of someone holding a subclass 444 (Special Category) visa. The qualifying link is the relationship to that New Zealand citizen family member, so applicants are typically partners, dependent children, or other eligible family members of a subclass 444 holder. Broadly, the assessment usually looks at: a genuine and continuing qualifying family relationship; satisfying the relevant health requirement; satisfying the character requirement; and not having debts to the Australian Government (or arrangements being in place for them). Holders are generally able to live, work and study in Australia for the period the visa is granted, which is typically a multi-year stay rather than permanent residence. The exact criteria, who counts as an eligible family member, the visa period, and any conditions are matters that change over time and depend on individual circumstances. Check the official visa page for the current requirements, and a registered migration practitioner can advise on how the rules apply to a specific situation. General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice. This is an independent service and is not affiliated with the Department of Home Affairs or the Australian Government.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the subclass 461 visa in plain terms? A: In general terms it is a temporary visa for a family member who is not a New Zealand citizen but is connected to a person holding a subclass 444 (Special Category) visa. It typically lets the holder live, work and study in Australia for the period it is granted. It is not a permanent visa. Q: Who is usually eligible? A: Broadly, eligibility centres on being an eligible family member of a subclass 444 holder and meeting the standard health and character requirements. Whether a particular relationship qualifies depends on the rules in force and the individual facts, so check the official page and consider advice from a registered practitioner. Q: Does it let the holder work and study? A: As a general rule the visa allows the holder to work and study in Australia while it is valid. Specific entitlements, any conditions, and access to services such as Medicare can change, so the official page is the place to confirm current details. Q: How is it different from the subclass 444 visa itself? A: The subclass 444 is held by New Zealand citizens. The subclass 461 is the related pathway for their non-New-Zealand-citizen family members. The two are connected but have different applicants and criteria; a registered practitioner can explain which pathway fits a particular family's circumstances. General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Health and character checks
For this visa the Department strongly encourages applicants to undertake any required health examinations and character checks before lodging, noting that a complete application assists with quicker processing. Most visa applicants must meet Australia's health requirement, and family members included in an application may also need to, depending on the visa applied for. Where health examinations are required, the results are reviewed by a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth, who advises whether a significant medical condition is likely to threaten public health, result in significant healthcare and community service costs, or place demand on services that are in short supply. When giving this advice the officer can only consider the medical situation, not other personal circumstances such as whether a person holds private health insurance or has enough money to pay for treatment. For character, the requirements are set out under section 501 of the Migration Act 1958. Applicants are generally asked to declare all criminal conduct they have been charged with or convicted of in any country, answer all questions truthfully, and provide any requested information. After applying, applicants may be asked to provide a police certificate, complete Form 80, or supply other supporting documents. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Health cover and Medicare
In the majority of cases, visitors to Australia do not have access to Medicare and are responsible for the costs of hospital, medical and related health care they receive in Australia. The Department strongly recommends that people without Medicare eligibility make their own arrangements for private health insurance, regardless of whether it is imposed as a visa condition, so they are covered for any unplanned medical or hospital care. Medicare eligibility is governed by the Health Insurance Act 1973 and is generally restricted to Australian citizens, permanent visa holders, New Zealand citizens, and in certain circumstances applicants for permanent residence. Without that eligibility, a person is generally treated as a private patient and required to pay for treatment themselves. Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) is the private health insurance product commonly used by temporary visitors who cannot use Medicare. Government private health information notes that benefits, costs and eligibility can vary greatly between insurers and policies, so applicants are generally encouraged to check what a policy does and does not cover before buying. Some countries have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia, which may give visitors access to certain medically necessary treatment in the public system; details are available from Services Australia. Even where such an agreement applies, holding OVHC may still be worth considering because reciprocal cover is limited. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Government application costs
The government Visa Application Charge is the fee paid to the Department of Home Affairs to make a valid subclass 461 application. The Department lists this charge as from AUD1,330.00. Additional Visa Application Charges may apply for family members included in the same application. Because the amount depends on who is included, the Department's own visa pricing estimator is the reference point for working out a likely total. Beyond the Visa Application Charge, applicants may also face other government-related costs, such as health examinations and police certificates where these are required. These are separate charges. All of these are official government costs and are entirely separate from any fee charged by an independent service or platform for assistance. Figures can change over time, so the Department's own pricing tools are the reference point for current amounts. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Visa length, travel and timing
The subclass 461 is a temporary visa. It is usually granted for five years, taking effect from the date it is granted, and holders can generally live, work and study in Australia during that period. It also allows travel to and from Australia as many times as the holder wants during the five years. From 23 July 2025, applicants for the New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (subclass 461) visa can import their paper application into ImmiAccount, part of a change that also covers paper-based Child, Other Family and Former Resident visa applications. Processing times are not fixed. The Department publishes an indicative guide based on recently decided applications and notes it is a guide only. Lodging a complete application, including any required documents, assists with quicker processing. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Visa conditions that may apply
The Department of Home Affairs lists two conditions that may be attached to a New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (subclass 461) visa. Which conditions actually apply to any particular grant are set out in that person's own visa grant letter and can also be checked online through VEVO. Condition 8303 (described by the Department as "not be disruptive") generally requires the holder not to become involved in activities that are disruptive to, or that involve violence threatening harm to, the Australian community or a group within it. It is a standard behaviour condition drawn from Schedule 8 of the Migration Regulations 1994. Condition 8501 ("maintain adequate health insurance") generally requires the holder to keep adequate health-insurance arrangements for the whole time they are in Australia. Unlike many temporary visas, the Department describes this visa as allowing full work and study during its five-year term, so it does not carry work-limitation or study-limitation conditions of its own. Holders and any family unit members still have a general obligation to comply with every condition listed in the grant letter and to follow Australian law. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Who this visa is generally for and what decision-makers look at
The subclass 461 visa is generally for a person who is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen but who is a member of the family unit of a New Zealand citizen. The New Zealand family member must hold, or be eligible to be granted, a Special Category (subclass 444) visa, and must not be an "eligible New Zealand citizen". The relationships generally recognised are that of partner (spouse or de facto), or a dependent child or step-child. The Department describes three broad situations in which a person may apply: as a member of the family unit of a New Zealand citizen who holds or will be granted a subclass 444 visa; as a current or former 461 holder in Australia whose qualifying family relationship has since ended; or as a former 461 holder outside Australia in the same position who also shows either at least two years spent in Australia on a 461 visa in the previous five years, or substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia, and who has not been absent for a continuous period of five years or more without compelling reasons. Unlike skilled and points-tested visas, the official material for this visa does not require a points test, a skills assessment or occupation list, an English-language test, or a formal sponsor or nominator. The focus is instead on the qualifying family relationship together with general integrity requirements. Decision-makers generally consider whether the applicant can prove their identity; whether a partner relationship is genuine and ongoing, or a child is genuinely dependent; the health requirement; the character requirement (generally for applicants aged 16 and over); signing the Australian Values Statement (generally for those aged 18 and over); any outstanding debt to the Australian Government; the applicant's immigration history, including any earlier visa refusal or cancellation; and, for applicants under 18, the best interests of the child. Applicants inside Australia generally need to hold a substantive temporary visa (with a limited stated exception) or to have held one within the previous 12 months, and a "No further stay" condition on a current visa may prevent an application. This describes the general criteria only and is not an assessment of any individual's circumstances. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Including family members and what the visa allows after grant
Family members can generally be included in the one application, but only when it is first lodged. The people who may be included are members of the family unit, typically the applicant's partner and dependent children or step-children. Each person included must generally meet the health and character requirements, and the Department assesses every applicant individually. Children are generally included as dependants where they are under 23 years of age at both application and grant; a child aged 23 or over may still be included where they cannot support themselves because of a physical or cognitive limitation. Family members cannot be added to a 461 application after it has been lodged, so anyone to be included generally needs to be part of the original combined application. After grant, the Department describes this as a temporary visa that lets the holder live, work and study in Australia for five years from the grant date. It is granted with multiple entry, so the holder can travel out of and back into Australia as many times as they wish while it is valid; time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa. On healthcare, the Department states that holders are personally liable for their healthcare costs in Australia and recommends maintaining health insurance. Some countries have a reciprocal health-care agreement with Australia, which Services Australia administers, so a person's entitlements depend on their own circumstances and should be checked rather than assumed. This visa is temporary and does not by itself grant permanent residence. The Department notes that a holder may apply for a further subclass 461 visa if still eligible, or explore other options if they no longer qualify or wish to pursue permanent residence. Holders also have ongoing obligations, including meeting all visa conditions, following Australian law, and telling the Department about relevant changes such as a new passport, a change of address, a change in relationship status, or the birth of a child. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Why applications are refused and reviewing an unfavourable decision
Refusals of applications of this type generally trace back to a published criterion not being met. Common factual reasons include being unable to prove identity; insufficient evidence that a partner relationship is genuine and ongoing, or that a child is genuinely dependent; the New Zealand family member not holding, or not being eligible for, a subclass 444 visa; not meeting the health requirement; not meeting the character requirement; outstanding debts to the Australian Government without repayment arrangements; and an immigration history that includes an earlier visa refusal or cancellation. Other applications fail on validity or status grounds, for example an incomplete application, the correct charge not being paid, a "No further stay" condition on a current visa, or, for an onshore applicant, not holding (or having recently held) an eligible substantive temporary visa. For an applicant under 18, a decision-maker may also refuse where a grant would not be in the child's best interests. If a decision is unfavourable, the Department states that its written decision will say whether a review right exists. Merits review of many migration decisions is generally undertaken by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), which can look again at the facts and either affirm, vary, or set aside the decision, or send it back to the Department for reconsideration. Where review is available, strict time limits apply and the period is stated in the decision letter; the Tribunal states it has no power to extend the time to apply for a review, so acting promptly matters. An application fee generally applies to migration reviews, and the ART publishes the current amount; a reduction may be available in cases of financial hardship, and part of the fee may be refunded where the outcome favours the applicant. This is a neutral description of the process only and is not a prediction about any particular application. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
What the application generally costs
The government Visa Application Charge (VAC) for this visa starts from AUD1,330.00 for the main applicant. The Department also lists additional charges for family members who make a combined application with the main applicant: AUD675.00 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over, and AUD325.00 for each additional applicant under 18. These are the amounts published by the Department and are separate from any professional or service fee a person may choose to pay for help with an application. As a general rule, the visa application charge can be payable in two instalments, a first instalment when the application is made and a second instalment before grant, although either instalment may be nil; the Department's published cost for this visa reflects the first-instalment charges above. Because family members must be included when the application is first lodged and cannot be added afterwards, a person who is not included generally needs to make their own application rather than being added later as a subsequent entrant. The Department states it does not usually refund the visa application charge, even if the application is refused or withdrawn. Where payment is made by credit card or PayPal, a surcharge may apply; the amount depends on the payment method chosen and is calculated and confirmed at the time of payment. Applicants should also allow for other, separate costs that are not part of the visa application charge. These can include health examinations, police certificates from Australia and from other countries lived in, biometrics, translation of non-English documents by an accredited translator, and certified copies of documents. The Department's Visa Pricing Estimator can help estimate the visa charge itself but does not include these other costs. Throughout, the government Visa Application Charge is distinct from any platform or practitioner service fee; only the charges published by the Department are government charges. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Official forms associated with this visa
Departmental forms that commonly come up for subclass 461, linked to the department’s own files. Whether a form applies to you depends on your circumstances — the note beside each is general only.
- 147.PDF — Form 147 - Application for a New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship\ (subclass 461) visa ↗Application form for the New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (subclass 461) visa.
- 80.PDF — Form 80 - Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment ↗Personal particulars and character — commonly requested by the department.
- 956.PDF — Form 956 - Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person ↗If you appoint a registered migration agent or legal practitioner.
- 1022.PDF — Form 1022 - Notification of changes in circumstances ↗To notify a change in circumstances after lodgement.
- 1023.PDF — Form 1023 - Notification of incorrect answer(s) ↗To correct an incorrect answer after lodgement.
Official information and lodgement
Applications are lodged through your own ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website — never through this platform.
Visit the official Home Affairs page ↗Important notice: General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice. For advice about your circumstances, book a verified practitioner.
Compiled from official Department of Home Affairs sources — practitioner verification pending.