Requirements Checklist For Visa Subclass 489

Australian 489 visa requirements differ according to the pathway you choose. You need to have a relevant occupation and have a point score of at least 65 points to apply through the Invited Pathway. For the Extended Pathway, you must already hold an Australian visa and be eligible for the extension. For the Subsequent Entrant Pathway, you should meet the eligibility requirements for the 489 visa and one of your family members should already be in possession of an Australian visa. Here are some other details about 489 visa requirements you should know:

General Subclass 489 Visa Requirements

While there is no age requirement if you apply for the visa subclass 489 under the Extended pathway or Subsequent Entrant pathway, you need to be under 45 years of age while applying for the visa 489 through the Invited Pathway. One thing to note here is that if you are under 45 when you submit the 489 visa application form and turn 45 before you receive an invite, you'll still be considered ineligible for the visa.

You can only apply for the visa 489 if you are invited to do so. Whether you receive the invitation or not depends on your Expression of Interest (EOI). For the Invited pathway, you need to be sponsored by an eligible family member or be nominated by the Australian state or territory government. In case a family member sponsors you, he should be your or your partner's relative and living in a designated area of Australia as a citizen or permanent resident of Australia.

You should also have a point score of 65 points or more and possess a suitable skills assessment done by the time you receive an invitation to apply for the 489 visa. You also need to present police certificates to prove that you and all your family members who are 16 years or older possess good character and have never been on the wrong side of the law.

You also need to make sure you do not owe anything to the Australian government to be granted this visa and that your previous visa application was not refused or cancelled while you were in Australia.

For the first-time entrants to Australia (under the Invited Pathway), you need to read the Australian Values Statement and sign it. This statement states that you will respect the way Australians live and obey all the laws of the country.

English Requirement for 489 Visa

Under the Invited Pathway, you need to have Competent English. Your family members must meet the Functional English level (or pay the Second Instalment fee if they are 18 years or older).

Under the Subsequent Entry Pathway, you need to have at least Functional English level if you are 18 years or older or pay the Second Instalment charges.

If you are applying for the extension of your stay through 489 visa, you already meet the English requirements and hence, do not need to give additional proof of your proficiency in the language.

It must be noted that having Competent English level means that the 489 visa IELTS requirement is at least a band score of 6 in each of the four components of the test - Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. If you submit the scores of other standardised English tests such as TOEFL, PTE Academic, OET, or Cambridge C1 Advanced Test, you are expected to have equivalent scores.

To meet the Functional English level requirements, you need to have at least a band score of at least 4 in each of the IELTS components and an average score of 4.5 overall. Check the equivalent scores of other standardised tests here.

489 Visa Health Requirements

Australians are quite conscious about maintaining their health standards and offer excellent health and community services for free to all its citizens and permanent residents. Naturally, they are not likely to allow immigrants who can pose a public health and safety risk to the Australian community.

Hence, you need to get the health assessments done to prove that you do not have a disease or condition that may endanger the health of people there or demand healthcare services that are in short supply or are expensive.

489 Visa Partner Requirements

When your points are calculated, you get some brownie points if your partner credentials are strong. If your partner is coming with you to Australia and is not already a citizen or permanent resident of the country, is under 45, has Competent English, and possess skills and qualifications that match one of the nomination occupations, your point score raises considerably.

Documents Required for 489 Visa Application

The 489 visa checklist of documents you need must include your:

• Identity Documents: A national ID card and a proof of change of name (if applicable).

• Relationship Documents: Documents showing your relationship status such as marriage certificates, divorce papers, death certificates, separation documents etc.

• Character Documents: Character certificate from the police of every country you have lived in the last 10 years (for 12 months or more) ever since you turned 16 years old. If you have been in armed forces of a country, you need to show your military service records or discharge papers too. You also need to fill Form 80 and Form 1221 (for your family members) for the purpose.

• Skills Assessment Documents: Relevant skill assessments and their results.

• Documents to support the claims you make in your EOI: All the evidence you present should be independently verifiable.

• Sponsorship/Nomination Documents: While you do not need to present evidence if you are nominated, you do need to present identity documents of your sponsor, documents to prove that your sponsor is a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, and your relationship with your sponsor.

• Documents for your partner: Identity papers, skill assessment results, English test results, and the relationship status of your partner also need to be submitted.

• Documents for your family members under and over 18: If your family members are above 18, you need to submit their character documents, English test results, and papers showing their relationship with you and how they are dependent on you. If the family member is under 18, you need to submit their identity and character documents and also prove that you have the parental rights over them.

• Documents for family members not migrating with you: Proof of your relationship and character documents should suffice in this case.

For any help or assistance you need in getting your documents and papers in order, or to review them before you submit it to the Australian authorities, contact V2I visa help experts.