Can I lodge a Subclass 114 application while inside Australia in 2026?
No. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' official Aged Dependent Relative visa (Subclass 114) page (as of the August 2026 version of that page), you and every applicant included in the application must be outside Australia when you apply and when the Department decides the application. Those are two separate points in time, and the rule attaches to both.
That second half is the part people miss. Plenty of applicants plan carefully to be offshore on lodgement day, then assume they can return to Australia on a visitor or other visa and simply wait there. The official page closes that off: the decision step states that you must be outside Australia when the application is decided, and the "apply from" section repeats the requirement for both lodgement and decision.
Where exactly does the offshore requirement bite?
Three separate statements on the same official page carry the rule:
| Stage | What the official page requires |
|---|---|
| Lodgement | "You must apply for the visa on paper. You must be outside of Australia when you apply." |
| Decision | "You must be outside Australia when we decide on your application." |
| All applicants | "You and all applicants must be outside Australia when you apply and when we decide on your application." |
So the constraint is not about your mailing address, your sponsor's location, or where you intend to live. It is about where you physically are on the day the application is lodged and on the day it is decided.
What does lodging from outside Australia involve?
Subclass 114 is a paper application. The applicant completes Form 47OF (Application for migration to Australia by other family members) in English, and the sponsor completes Form 40 (Sponsorship for migration to Australia).
The mechanics matter, because they shape where you can be:
- You cannot submit the application in person, and you cannot pay in person.
- The first instalment must be paid before the application is submitted, using the online payment function in ImmiAccount, and evidence of payment must be included with the application.
- The completed application goes by post or courier to the Parent, Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth, at the address shown on the form.
- Only certified copies should be sent; original documents should not be included, and you should keep a copy of the whole application for your own records.
The page is also explicit about incomplete lodgements: if any of the required steps are incomplete, the application may be invalid, invalid applications are not processed, and the Department will notify you and, if requested, return the application.
If I am already in Australia, can I wait here until it is granted?
Not on the strength of this application. The decision must be made while you are outside Australia, so remaining onshore through to the outcome is not compatible with the stated requirement.
Timing adds a second complication. The official page instructs applicants not to arrange travel to Australia until the Department has advised, in writing, that the visa has been granted. For anyone currently in Australia, the practical question is therefore what other lawful basis, if any, they have for staying or for returning — and that depends entirely on their own circumstances and current visa, which is a matter to check against official information rather than assume. This article is general reference material only and is not personalised advice about your situation.
Do family members have to be outside Australia too?
Yes, for anyone included as an applicant: the requirement covers "you and all applicants" at both lodgement and decision.
One counterintuitive detail deserves attention. The same official page says that any family members you add to the application after you apply — using Form 1436 (Adding an additional applicant after lodgement) — must be in Australia when you add them, along with evidence of the relationship and the family member's passport. Read that alongside the general offshore rule carefully and check the current official wording before relying on either one, because the two sit awkwardly together.
How long might you need to remain outside Australia?
The official page warns that demand for Other Family visas exceeds the places available each year, so processing can be lengthy. Applications for this visa are subject to capping and queueing, and there are published queue release dates and processing priorities.
A few consequences follow from that:
- The Department says it cannot provide progress updates within normal processing times; it will contact you if anything further is needed.
- Processing may take longer if the form is filled in incorrectly, documents are missing or more information is needed, or verification of your information takes longer than usual.
- The visa is paid in two instalments. The second instalment is requested after you have met all other requirements, an invoice is issued, and the visa cannot be granted until it is paid. An assurance of support may also be requested.
- Health examinations and biometrics are requested only if and when the Department asks for them, and police certificates should not be arranged until asked.
- If the application is refused, the Department will advise in writing, explain why, and state whether there is a right to review; the application fee is not refunded.
Because the wait can run long, the offshore requirement is usually the binding constraint on the whole plan, not a formality at the start of it.
What should be in place before lodging from offshore?
The core documentary expectations on the official page are:
- Passport: you do not need a valid passport to apply, but you must provide details of your most recent passport, and the visa will only be granted if you hold a valid passport.
- Sponsor: must be 18 or over, settled in Australia, and an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, with Form 40 and evidence of status and of the relationship.
- Dependency: evidence that you depend on your relative for basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing, and of how long that support has been provided — bank statements, money transfers and rent receipts are given as examples.
- Identity: the photo and personal details pages of your current passport, plus change-of-name evidence where relevant. The page warns that failing to prove identity can lead to refusal and to a 10-year bar on further visas for you and for family members listed on the application.
Visa costs are published on the official page and set out in instalments; the page directs applicants to the Visa Pricing Estimator for an indication of the cost of their own case, and notes that the estimator does not include the second instalment or other costs such as health checks, police certificates or biometrics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I lodge Subclass 114 online while I am inside Australia?
No. Subclass 114 is a paper application, and the official page states you must be outside Australia when you apply. Payment is made through ImmiAccount before submission, but the application itself is posted or couriered to the processing centre in Perth.
What happens if I am in Australia when the decision is made?
The official page requires you to be outside Australia when the Department decides your application, so being onshore at that point conflicts with the stated requirement. The "apply from" section restates the rule for both lodgement and decision.
Can I travel to Australia while my 114 application is being processed?
The official page says not to arrange travel to Australia until you are told in writing that the visa has been granted. Whether you can travel on some other visa during processing depends on that other visa and your own circumstances.
Does my sponsor need to be outside Australia?
The offshore requirement is stated for you and all applicants, not for the sponsor. The sponsor's requirements on the official page are that they are 18 or over, settled in Australia, and an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Can I add a family member after I have applied?
You may be able to add family members before a decision is made, using Form 1436, with evidence of the relationship and the family member's passport. Note that the official page states family members added at that stage must be in Australia when added — check the current official wording before relying on it.
Do I get the application fee back if my 114 application is refused?
No. The official page states that the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused. The Department will tell you in writing why it was refused and whether you have a right to review the decision.
Do I need a valid passport to lodge the application?
A valid passport is not required to apply, but you must provide details of your most recent passport. The official page states the visa will only be granted if you have a valid passport at that point.