If you have worked and stayed in a specified regional area of Australia and are planning to live there permanently, this blog is for you. For people like you, the Australian Department of Home Affairs has designed the Skilled Regional Visa Subclass 887 that allows the holders to stay in Australia permanently and enjoy numerous benefits. This visa will also allow you to sponsor your eligible relatives who want to come to Australia and stay with you.
Apart from living and working in a regional area in Australia, there are other requirements that you must be aware of before making the application. This blog focuses on those requirements and the documents you must submit while applying.
What will make you eligible for the visa?
If you want to apply for the Subclass 887 Visa, you must meet the following requirements.
Holding a substantive Australian visa
When making your application, you must hold a valid Australian visa. It may be Subclass 475, 495, 487, 496, 489, or a BVA or BVB after applying for the 487, 495, or 489 Subclass Visa.
If you apply for the visa while outside Australia during a specific concession period, and one of those visas mentioned above has expired during that period, you will also be eligible for the 887 Visa Australia.
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Make sure you have held your previous visa for at least 2 years.
Residence requirement
You will be eligible for the Skilled Visa 887 only if you have lived for at least 2 years (unless COVID concessions apply) in:
- A low-population growth metropolitan area if a state or territory government has nominated you, or,
- A designated regional area if an eligible relative sponsored you
Work requirement
Like residence requirements, the meeting work requirement is another important criterion. You should have worked for at least 1 year (unless COVID concessions apply) in:
- A low-population growth metropolitan area if a state or territory government has nominated you, or,
- A designated regional area if an eligible relative sponsored you
Maintaining all the conditions attached to your previous visa
All the applicants included in your Visa Subclass 887 application must prove that they have remained compliant with all the conditions attached to their previous Australian visas.
English language requirement
All the applicants must have a Functional level of English. If any of your dependent applicants fail to meet this requirement, you will need to pay a second installment charge.
Health and character requirements
All of you must have good health and character.
Other requirements
You should neither have any outstanding debts to the Australian Government nor have any record of Australian visa cancellation.
What documents should you submit along with your visa application?
It is important to submit all the documents according to the 887 Visa checklist for a complete application.
Work documents
Full-time work for at least 2 years in a regional area is required for this visa. You can provide the following documents as evidence.
- Employment reference that should include company letterhead and information about the position
- Notices of Assessment issued by the ATO
- Superannuation documents
- Copies of bank account statements as proof of your salary
- Payslips covering the employment period
- Group certificates, contract papers, or any other relevant documents
If you have been self-employed, the following documents will be required:
- Business registration proof
- BAS and other taxation documents
- Audited financial statements for a specific period
- Proof of franchise arrangements and contracts, if any
- Marketing and advertising material
- A company prospectus or profile
- Memberships of any professional or business organizations
Residence documents
Your proof of residence will include:
- Rental agreements or leases
- Bills related to basic facilities like electricity, gas, or telephone showing your home address
- Residence title deeds
- Any other relevant evidence
Identity documents
Whenever you apply for a visa, you must submit the following identity documents.
- Copies of the pages of passport that contains your personal details and photo
- A national id card
- Proof of name change, which may be a marriage or divorce certificate or an official document of name change
Relationship documents
You have to provide related documents according to the status of your relationship. These documents may include:
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce certificate
- Separation documents
- Registered relationship document
Character documents
For any Australian visa application, you have to submit relevant character documents to show that you will not pose any threats to Australian public life. Usually, you will need to provide an Australian Federal Police (AFP) certificate if you have lived here for at least 12 months.
Additional documents may include:
- Character certificates issued by police departments of every country you have lived for at least 1 year in the last 10 years after you turned 16
- Military service records, if applicable
Proof of English language requirement
All the applicants aged 18 or more should prove that they have a Functional level of English. If you take IELTS, you must score a minimum of 4.5 overall band score with 4 in each band. However, applicants from an English-speaking country will not need to submit this document.
Partner documents
If you include your spouse or partner in the application, you must gather the following documents for submission.
- Identity documents and photos
- Marriage certificates, if you are married
- Character documents
- Evidence that the relationship is registered by a territory or state authority, if you are in a de facto relationship
Dependent children documents
You will also need to submit documents if you include dependent children. If they are under 18, you have to submit their birth certificates and a filled-out parental consent form. If they are over 18, you must provide valid evidence that they are financially dependent on you or your partner.
Improper submission of documents may unnecessarily lengthen the 887 Visa processing time, so it is important to have a check before submission.
What is the visa processing time?
For 75% of applications, 887 Visa processing time is 18 months. On the other hand, 90% of applications take 19 months to get processed.
Get help from a migration agent
Hiring a registered migration agent Adelaide will increase the chance of your visa approval. However, make sure your migration agent has proper registration with the MARA. The top migration agents will extend the best support in this regard.
