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Orphan Relative Visa 117 and 837 Australia 2026: Child Sponsorship Requirements
The Orphan Relative visa is a permanent Child visa pathway for a child who has no parent able to care for them because the parents are deceased, cannot be found or cannot care for the child, and who has an eligible settled relative in Australia able to sponsor them.
Subclass 117 versus subclass 837
Subclass 117 is for a child outside Australia at application and decision. Subclass 837 is the onshore counterpart. Both require the child to satisfy the applicable age, relationship, sponsorship and welfare criteria.
Official offshore source: Department of Home Affairs — Orphan Relative visa 117.
The child must be under 18 and single
Home Affairs states that the child must be under 18 and single. The child must have no parent able to care for them in the circumstances recognised by the visa rules.
Who can sponsor?
An eligible sponsor can include specified settled relatives such as a sibling or step-sibling, grandparent or step-grandparent, aunt, uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle. Sponsorship is subject to approval and child-protection safeguards.
Child-protection measures
Home Affairs applies sponsorship restrictions where the sponsor or, in relevant circumstances, the sponsor's spouse or de facto partner has pending registrable-offence charges or convictions. The best interests of the child are also part of the visa framework.
For other Child visa pathways, see Child Visa 101 vs 802 Australia 2026.
