Subclass 115 Document Checklist in 2026: Identity and Relationship Evidence

Based on the Australian Department of Home Affairs official page for the Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 115), as of July 2026, a Subclass 115 application rests on three blocks of paper: documents proving who you are, documents proving your relationship to your sponsor, and documents proving your sponsor is an eligible Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Everything in those three blocks goes to the department as certified copies rather than originals.

This article is general information drawn from the published requirements, not advice about any individual case; the official page and current forms remain the controlling source, and the department can ask for further documents after lodgement.

What has to be in the application before it counts as valid

The department states that if any of the required steps are incomplete, the application may be invalid and will not be processed. That makes the checklist a lodgement gate as much as an evidence exercise.

A complete paper application for this visa includes:

Form 47OF Application for migration to Australia, completed in English
Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia, completed by the sponsor
your identity documents, plus relationship and sponsor-status documents
documents for any dependants or partner included in the application
evidence that the first instalment has been paid, since you must pay when you apply and cannot pay in person

You must be outside Australia when you apply, and the department also decides the application while you are outside Australia.

Identity evidence: what actually proves who you are

Start with the 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 one.

For identity, the department asks for:

Document	What it establishes	Send as certified copy
Pages of your current passport showing photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates	Your identity and travel document details	Yes
National identity card, if you have one	Supporting identity evidence	Yes
Proof of change of name	The link between the name on your passport and earlier records	Yes

Only send certified copies. The department instructs applicants not to send original documents with the application, and to keep a copy of the completed application and supporting documents for their own records.

What counts as proof of a change of name

Name mismatches are the most common reason a relationship document fails to connect to an applicant. The department accepts several kinds of name-change evidence:

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

If a birth certificate carries the name you were given at birth and your passport carries a later married name, the chain between the two is what the marriage certificate supplies. Suppose an applicant's birth record, national identity card and marriage record each show a different spelling of the same name: the practical fix is to supply the linking change-of-name document alongside each record, rather than sending only the document in the current name.

A national identity card is conditional — provide it if you have one. It is not listed as a substitute for passport pages.

Why identity evidence carries the heaviest consequence

Identity is the one part of the checklist with an explicit stated penalty. The department says that if you cannot prove your identity:

the visa application will be refused
another visa might not be granted to you for 10 years
family members listed on your application might also not be granted a visa for 10 years

That applies alongside the broader requirement to provide accurate information. It is worth front-loading the identity block rather than treating it as paperwork to fix after lodgement.

Relationship evidence: proving the link to your sponsor

Your migration must be sponsored by your eligible relative or that relative's eligible partner. To prove the relationship, the department lists:

birth certificate
marriage certificates
death certificates
adoption certificates
family status certificates or family books, if officially issued and maintained

Which of these you need depends on how the relationship is traced. A sibling relationship is normally shown through birth certificates linking both of you to the same parent; where a parent has died, the death certificate closes the gap in the chain; where the relationship runs through adoption, the adoption certificate does that work. Marriage certificates matter where the relationship is to a step-parent or step-sibling, or where your sponsor is your relative's partner rather than your blood relative.

The official wording for family status certificates and family books carries a condition — they count where they are officially issued and maintained. A privately compiled family record is not the same thing.

Sponsor evidence: proving your sponsor is eligible

Two separate things have to be shown here: that the sponsorship exists, and that the sponsor qualifies.

The sponsorship itself is documented on Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia, completed by the sponsor, and the department must approve the sponsorship.

To prove the sponsor's status, the department asks for:

citizenship certificate
passport
valid visa, for eligible New Zealand citizens

A sponsor must be aged 18 or over and be a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. The relationship categories are an eligible parent or step-parent, sibling or step-sibling, or an eligible partner of your relative.

Assume a sponsor who is an Australian citizen by descent and holds no citizenship certificate: the passport is the document that establishes status in that case, which is why the department lists both.

What dependants and partners need on top of your own documents

Every person included in the application carries their own set.

For each dependant under 18:

identity documents
proof of your relationship with them, such as a birth or marriage certificate
character documents, where applicable

For each dependant aged 18 or over:

identity documents
documents about their other relationships, where applicable
character documents
proof of dependency

A child can be included as a dependent child if they are under 18; over 18 but not yet 23 and dependent on you or your partner; or over 23 and unable to earn a living due to physical or cognitive limitations while dependent on you or your partner. The third category is the one where proof of dependency does the heaviest lifting.

For a partner:

identity documents
character documents
documents about other relationships, where applicable
either your current marriage certificate, or enough documents to prove a de facto relationship of at least 12 months before you apply

Documents that can prove a de facto relationship include joint bank account statements, billing accounts in joint names, joint leases or mortgages, and documents showing your partner has lived at the same address as you.

What you should not send up front

Two categories are explicitly on hold until the department asks. Do not arrange police certificates until asked; character documents, including police certificates, are requested rather than lodged by default. Health examinations and biometrics also follow a request — the department tells you if they are needed.

An assurance of support is also requested later. You must be able to obtain one, and the department will tell you when to provide it.

If you appoint someone to assist or to receive correspondence, that is documented on Form 956 or Form 956A respectively. Only a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner or an exempt person can give immigration assistance; anyone may be appointed to receive documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a valid passport to lodge a Subclass 115 application?

No — you can apply without a valid passport, but you must provide details of your most recent passport. The visa will only be granted once you hold a valid passport.

Do I have to send my original birth and marriage certificates?

No. The department instructs applicants not to send original documents, only certified copies, and to keep a copy of the application and supporting documents for their own records.

How do I prove my relationship if my sponsor is my relative's partner rather than a blood relative?

The relationship to your relative is proved with the usual certificates, and the marriage certificate establishes the link between your relative and their partner. The sponsorship itself is documented on the sponsor's Form 40.

What documents prove my sponsor is eligible?

A citizenship certificate or passport establishes Australian citizenship or permanent residence; eligible New Zealand citizens provide a valid visa. The sponsor must also be 18 or over and settled.

Can my adult child be included in my application?

Yes, if they are under 18, or over 18 but not yet 23 and dependent on you or your partner, or over 23 and unable to earn a living due to physical or cognitive limitations. Dependants aged 18 or over need identity documents, character documents, documents about other relationships where applicable, and proof of dependency.

When should I arrange police certificates?

Only after the department asks. Character documents, including police certificates, are requested during processing rather than required at lodgement.

What happens if I cannot prove my identity?

The department states it will refuse the application, and it might not grant you another visa for 10 years. Family members listed on your application might also not be granted a visa for 10 years.