Proving a Carer Visa Sponsor's Citizenship or PR Status

Proof of Australian citizenship for a Carer visa sponsor is a certified copy of the sponsor's citizenship certificate or, for a sponsor born in Australia, a full birth certificate, sent with Form 40 when the carer lodges the visa application. A birth certificate alone proves citizenship only for someone born in Australia before 20 August 1986; a sponsor born on or after that date also needs proof that a parent was a citizen or permanent resident at the birth, or a citizenship certificate applied for on Form 119 (A$290).

A permanent resident proves their status through their visa record, and a New Zealand citizen proves they are a protected Special Category visa holder. Each sponsor also shows they are settled and usually live in Australia.

Sponsor's status	Main document	Extra proof if needed
Citizen, born in Australia before 20 August 1986	Full Australian birth certificate	None
Citizen, born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986	Full Australian birth certificate	A parent's citizenship or permanent residence at the birth, or a citizenship certificate (Form 119)
Citizen by conferral or descent	Australian citizenship certificate	None
Permanent resident	Visa record in VEVO, linked to a passport or ImmiCard	A request for an electronic record if the last arrival was before 1990
Eligible New Zealand citizen	New Zealand passport	Travel records for the 2001 dates, or written confirmation from Centrelink
Every sponsor	Evidence of at least 2 years' lawful residence and a home in Australia	Income and asset records if the Department asks

A Carer visa sponsor proves three things: citizenship, permanent residence or eligible New Zealand citizenship; that they are settled; and that they usually live in Australia.

Status. The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen (clauses 116.212 and 836.213 of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth)).
Settled. For a subclass 836 application the Regulations require a settled sponsor, and the Department asks for the same test on subclass 116 applications.
Usual residence. Clause 836.213 requires the sponsor to be usually resident in Australia.

The Department's subclass 836 page puts it simply: the sponsor must show they are a citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, are usually resident in Australia, and are related to the main applicant.

Australian citizenship for a Carer visa sponsor is proved by a certified copy of the citizenship certificate or, if the sponsor was born in Australia, a full certified birth certificate, as Form 40 asks.

Page 4 of Form 40 says an Australian citizen "will need to send a certified true copy of their citizenship certificate or, if Australian-born, a full certified copy of their birth certificate". The Department's 836 page also asks for the pages of the sponsor's current passport showing the photo, personal details and issue and expiry dates. At question 27, Form 40 asks for one identification number: an Australian or New Zealand passport, a citizenship certificate, an Australian birth certificate, or a visa evidence number for a permanent resident.

Permanent residence for a Carer visa sponsor is proved through VEVO, which needs an electronic record of the permanent visa linked to the sponsor's passport or ImmiCard.

The Department's proof of permanent residence page (updated 12 May 2026) says a permanent resident may have no electronic record if their last arrival was before 1990. They can ask the Department to create one through its online request form. Someone who arrived before 1 June 1959 and has never left, or a New Zealand citizen who arrived before 1 September 1994 without a permit, is pointed instead to a Resident Return visa if they want to travel.

A permanent resident who is also a relative of the carer can sponsor without becoming a citizen first.

What proves eligible New Zealand citizen status?

Eligible New Zealand citizen status is proved by the New Zealand passport plus evidence that the sponsor is a protected Special Category visa holder under section 7 of the Social Security Act 1991 (Cth).

The Department's page on New Zealand citizens' entitlements (updated 19 February 2026) sets three tests:

the sponsor was in Australia on 26 February 2001 as the holder of a Special Category visa; or
the sponsor was in Australia for 365 days or more between 26 February 1999 and 25 February 2001 and returned after 26 February 2001; or
the sponsor is protected under section 7(2B), 7(2C) or 7(2D) of the Social Security Act, in which case the Department needs written confirmation from Centrelink.

For the first two tests, the sponsor's international movement records show the dates. A New Zealand citizen who meets none of the tests cannot sponsor until they become a citizen or permanent resident. Since 1 July 2023 every Special Category visa holder has been able to apply for citizenship by conferral directly.

A Carer visa sponsor shows they are settled with evidence of at least 2 years' lawful residence in Australia at the date the visa application is lodged.

Regulation 1.03 of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth) defines settled as "lawfully resident in Australia for a reasonable period", and Form 40 says the Department's policy is at least 2 years. Form 40 lists the kind of evidence the Department may ask for:

how long the sponsor has lived in Australia and how much of that time was spent here;
proof of a settled home in Australia;
ownership of a home, a business or other investments;
the sponsor's social network.

For an Australian citizen, a shorter period of at least 3 months may be accepted where there are compassionate and compelling circumstances, or where the citizen has come home after a long time overseas. A temporary absence does not necessarily mean a sponsor is no longer settled, if they kept their residence in Australia.

A sponsor shows they usually live in Australia with evidence of where they ordinarily eat, sleep and keep a home, and of their intention to make that place home, as Form 40 defines usual residence.

A lease or title, household bills in the sponsor's name and an Australian address on official records all point to usual residence. A temporary absence from Australia does not necessarily break it. A sponsor whose home address is outside Australia must attach a statement to Form 40 explaining how they will meet their sponsorship obligations (question 29).

Besides proof of status, a Carer visa sponsor gives three other kinds of document: proof of the family relationship, financial records when asked, and certified copies of everything.

Relationship. Birth certificates showing both parents' names, marriage, death or adoption certificates, or officially kept family books link the sponsor to the carer. How to build that chain of documents is explained in the guide to proving you are a relative.
Financial records. Page 4 of Form 40 says the sponsor may be asked for their latest tax assessment, current payslips, evidence of major assets and details of debts such as a mortgage or rent.
Certified copies. Form 40 accepts copies certified by a Justice of the Peace, a Commissioner for Declarations or a person authorised to witness statutory declarations.

These papers travel with the carer's Form 47OF, and the rest of the bundle is covered in the document guides for the application. The sponsor's other duties, from Form 40 to the 2-year undertaking, are set out on the relative's side of the application, and the overview of both subclasses is on Carer Visa Australia.

A registered professional makes a grant more likely

A sponsor who cannot prove citizen, permanent resident or protected SCV status fails the sponsorship criterion, and the application fails with them, often years later. A registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner makes it more likely the right proof goes in the first time, especially for New Zealand sponsors and sponsors born after 20 August 1986.

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