Who Can Legally Help With a Subclass 835 Application in 2026?

Only three kinds of people may give you immigration assistance on a Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 835) application: a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner, or an exempt person. That is what the Australian Department of Home Affairs states on its Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 835) official page, as of the July 2026 official page. Appointing someone merely to receive documents about your case is a separate permission, and it can go to anyone you choose.

The same official page puts the practical test in one line: if you are paying someone for help, read the Department's guidance on who can help with a visa application before you pay. The eligibility attaches to who the person is, not to how they describe their service.

What counts as "immigration assistance" here?

On a subclass 835 file, assistance is the work of preparing and advancing the application itself: completing Form 47OF, working out which documents prove the remaining relative relationship and the sponsorship, and dealing with the Department about the application. Anyone who does that for you must fall into one of the three categories above.

Each category is described on its own Department page. A registered migration agent is someone registered as such. A legal practitioner is a lawyer entitled to practise. An exempt person is someone covered by the exemptions the Department sets out — the label is not self-assigned, and it is not something a business can grant itself.

Can anyone receive my documents and letters for me?

Yes. This is the part that is frequently confused with paid help. You can appoint anyone at all to receive documents on your behalf relating to your visa matter. That person is an authorised recipient, and their role is limited to receiving correspondence and documents — it does not authorise them to give immigration assistance.

Which form do I use — Form 956 or Form 956A?

	Form 956	Form 956A
Purpose	Appoint someone to provide immigration assistance	Appoint or withdraw an authorised recipient
Who can be appointed	Registered migration agent, legal practitioner, or exempt person	Anyone you choose
What they may do	Give immigration assistance on your application	Receive correspondence and documents about your visa matter
Also used to	Change or end an advice appointment	Withdraw a recipient

Both appointments are made in writing. The Department states that you send written notification or your forms with your paper application.

How do I check someone before I pay them?

Read the Department's who-can-help page first.

Ask the person which of the three categories they say they fall into.

Ask for the registration or practising details that back that claim.

Compare the answer with the categories the Department describes.

Match the form to the role: Form 956 for assistance, Form 956A for receiving documents only.

Sign the form and send it with your paper application.

Keep a copy of everything you signed for your own records.

This is general information about how the published rules fit together, not an assessment of any particular adviser or any particular case; the official pages govern your own filing, and they are the thing to re-check if a detail has moved since publication.

What stays your responsibility when someone else is helping?

An appointment shifts who may act, not who is answerable. The applicant still has to provide accurate information, and the consequences of failing to do so sit with the application.

The Department states that if you cannot prove your identity it will refuse the application, it might not grant you another visa for 10 years, and it might not grant any family members you listed on the application a visa for 10 years.

Other obligations also remain yours. You must be in Australia both when you apply and when the decision is made. The application is made on paper, on Form 47OF, with your sponsor's Form 40, and it cannot be submitted or paid for in person — the first instalment is paid through the ImmiAccount payment function before submission, and the second instalment is paid when the Department sends an invoice. After you receive the acknowledgement letter you can import the paper application into ImmiAccount to manage documents, messages, and status. If you made a mistake on the form, you notify the Department on Form 1023.

How do I end or change the appointment?

Tell the Department when you no longer want someone acting:

To stop someone receiving your correspondence, complete Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient.
To stop someone providing immigration advice, complete Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person.

If you have imported your application into ImmiAccount, you can upload the completed form there. If you cannot use ImmiAccount, attach the completed form to an Other Family Visa Processing Centre online form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a friend or relative who is not registered prepare my subclass 835 application for a fee?

No. Anyone appointed to give immigration assistance must be a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner, or an exempt person. A friend or relative can still be appointed to receive your documents, which is a separate and narrower role.

Do I have to appoint anyone at all?

No. The Department's step-by-step guide presents getting help as optional; the requirement only bites once you appoint someone to give immigration assistance. If nobody is assisting you, neither appointment is triggered.

What is the difference between Form 956 and Form 956A?

Form 956 appoints a registered migration agent, legal practitioner, or exempt person to provide immigration assistance. Form 956A appoints or withdraws an authorised recipient, who only receives documents and correspondence about your visa matter.

Can I appoint one person for advice and a different person to receive correspondence?

Yes. The two appointments are separate permissions with separate forms. You can have an authorised recipient who gives no advice, or both appointments running at the same time for different people.

How do I remove someone who is helping me?

Complete Form 956 to end an immigration assistance appointment, or Form 956A to withdraw an authorised recipient. Upload the completed form in ImmiAccount, or attach it to an Other Family Visa Processing Centre online form if you cannot use ImmiAccount.

Does my sponsor have to be the person who helps me?

No. The sponsor's job is to complete Form 40 and meet the sponsorship requirements — being aged 18 or over and a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. That is unrelated to who, if anyone, you appoint for assistance or correspondence.

Is the application fee refunded if the visa is refused?

No. The Department states it will not refund the application fee if it refuses your application. The second instalment is only invoiced after you have met all other requirements for the visa.