Who Pays the Assurance of Support Bond for a 115 Visa in 2026?
The bond is paid by the assurer — the person who gives the Assurance of Support — not by the person applying for the visa. On the Australian Department of Home Affairs' official page for the Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 115), the requirement is worded in terms of the applicant: the applicant "must be able to obtain an assurance of support." The assurance itself is a promise to the Australian Government that the visa holder will not have to rely on government assistance after entering Australia, and it covers the applicant and any family members who come to Australia on the same visa.
Who pays the bond, and what does the assurer commit to?
Under the Migration Regulations 1994, the assurance of support requirement for this visa is a criterion that must be satisfied at the time of decision: the Minister must be satisfied that the assurance of support relating to the applicant has been accepted by Services Australia (clause 115.225). The Home Affairs page describes what the assurance is for — it assures the department that the visa holder will not have to rely on government assistance after arriving — and says the department will let the applicant know when it has to be provided.
Departmental PAM3 procedural guidance describes the assurer as the person who lodges the assurance with Centrelink and pays the bond, and describes the assurer as needing to show income and assets. The practical split is therefore straightforward: the applicant has to obtain an assurance, while the assurer puts up the money and carries the commitment.
Does the assurer have to be the same person as your sponsor?
Sponsorship and assurance of support are two separate criteria on the official page. A sponsor for this visa must be an eligible parent or step-parent, sibling or step-sibling, or an eligible partner of the applicant's relative, and the sponsorship must be approved. The sponsor must be at least 18 and a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and completes Form 40 (Sponsorship for migration to Australia).
| Sponsor | Assurer | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can do it | Eligible parent or step-parent, sibling or step-sibling, or the eligible partner of your relative | The person whose assurance is accepted by Services Australia |
| Key conditions | Aged 18 or over; settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen; sponsorship approved; Form 40 | Assessed on income and assets; assurance accepted by Services Australia |
| Money | Gives the sponsorship | Lodges the assurance and pays the bond |
| Timing | Sponsorship forms part of the application | Provided when Home Affairs asks for it |
The Home Affairs criteria do not state that the assurer must be the sponsor, and the visa page does not tie the bond to the sponsorship relationship. What the criteria do say is that the assurance must be accepted by Services Australia, so acceptance rests with that agency and with the official current published rules. This is general information about how the published criteria are structured rather than personalised advice; the official current rules are what apply.
Does one assurance cover the whole family?
Yes — the assurance is written to cover more than one person. The Home Affairs page states that the assurance is for the applicant and any family members who come to Australia on the visa. Under clause 115.325 of the Migration Regulations 1994, a secondary applicant must be included in the main applicant's assurance of support or have their own.
That directly affects the size of the commitment. Departmental guidance describes the bond amount as being worked out from how many people the assurance covers and the assurer's circumstances, so if an applicant lists a partner and two children on the same application, the assurance has to cover all four people and the bond is set accordingly.
When does the bond have to be paid?
Not on the applicant's own schedule. Home Affairs says it will let you know when you need to provide the assurance of support, and the step-by-step guide repeats that you provide it when the department asks. That fits its place in the criteria: clause 115.225 is satisfied at the time of decision, after the other requirements have been met, rather than at the moment the application is lodged.
How much is the bond?
Neither the Home Affairs visa page nor the visa criteria sets a single fixed figure. Departmental PAM3 guidance describes the amount as being determined by the number of people covered by the assurance and the assurer's circumstances, which means it varies from case to case. Any figure should be read from the official current published guidance rather than assumed from someone else's case.
What happens if no one can give an assurance of support?
The requirement is not optional. "You must be able to obtain an assurance of support" is listed among the eligibility criteria, and clause 115.225 means that, at the time of decision, the Minister must be satisfied that Services Australia has accepted the assurance. Departmental guidance lists an assurance that is not provided, or that is insufficient, among the common reasons this visa is refused. The Home Affairs page also notes that the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays the assurance of support bond for a subclass 115 visa?
The bond is paid by the assurer, the person who gives the assurance of support, not by the visa applicant. The Home Affairs criteria place the obligation on the applicant to be able to obtain an assurance, while departmental guidance describes the assurer as the person who lodges it and pays the bond. Acceptance by Services Australia is what turns the assurance into a satisfied criterion under clause 115.225.
Can the applicant pay the bond themselves?
The visa criteria are written as the applicant needing to obtain an assurance that Services Australia accepts, and departmental guidance describes the assurer as the person who lodges the assurance and pays the bond. The official visa page does not address whether an applicant can also act as their own assurer. Whether that is possible rests with Services Australia's rules as officially published.
Does the sponsor have to be the one who pays?
The Home Affairs page treats sponsorship and assurance of support as separate criteria and does not state that the assurer must be the sponsor. A sponsor must be an eligible relative, or the eligible partner of a relative, who is at least 18 and a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Who can act as assurer is a separate question, decided through Services Australia's acceptance of the assurance.
Does one assurance of support cover my partner and children?
Yes. The Home Affairs page says the assurance is for the applicant and any family members who come to Australia on the visa, and clause 115.325 requires a secondary applicant to be covered by the main applicant's assurance or to have their own. Because the amount is worked out from the number of people covered, a larger family means a larger commitment for the assurer.
When am I asked to provide the assurance of support?
Home Affairs tells you when it is needed — the visa page says the department will let you know, and the step-by-step guide repeats that you provide it when asked. This is consistent with clause 115.225, which is a criterion satisfied at the time of decision rather than at lodgement.
How much money does the bond involve?
No single fixed figure appears in the Home Affairs visa page or the visa criteria. Departmental guidance describes the amount as being determined by how many people the assurance covers and the assurer's circumstances, so it is case-specific. The current official published guidance is the reliable place to read the amount that applies to a given case.
What happens if the assurance of support is never accepted?
The application cannot be granted, because clause 115.225 requires the Minister to be satisfied at the time of decision that Services Australia has accepted the assurance. Departmental guidance lists a missing or insufficient assurance among the common reasons for refusal. The Home Affairs page also states that the application fee is not refunded when an application is refused.