What Does Substantive Visa Mean?

Last Update

Substantive Visa: Meaning, Examples, and Requirements

If you’re planning to migrate to Australia, whether temporarily or permanently for work, business, holiday, studies, or family-related, you probably have heard about a substantive visa but don’t exactly know what it is and how it differs from other visa types.

In this blog post, we’ll tackle substantive visa meaning, some examples, and general eligibility requirements to help you get started in your visa application to this proverbial Land Down Under.

Substantive Visa: Meaning and Overview

A substantive visa can be both a temporary visa or a permanent visa. It is granted to qualified and eligible individuals who wish to live or stay in Australia indefinitely or permanently. The main purpose could be either for employment, business, investment, travel, education, or reuniting with a partner and other family members.

Moreover, any temporary and permanent visa that is NOT a bridging visa, an enforcement visa, or a criminal justice visa is a substantive visa.

Examples

Here, we’ll list five (5) examples of substantive visas and explain briefly what each visa mainly caters to, namely:

  • Student Visas
  • Work Visas
  • Family Visas
  • Tourist Visas
  • Protection Visas

Student Visas

For aspiring international students who want to gain quality education in Australia, they can apply for a student visa subclass 500 and live in Australia for up to five (5) years or until they finish their studies. Applicants can also bring a parent with a student guardian visa subclass 590 for emotional, physical, and financial support, especially for minors.

Work Visas

Working visas are some of the most popular and in-demand visa types that Australia grants skilled migrant workers around the world. Individuals could get a work-related visa by being invited by a State territory, sponsored by an Australian employer, nominated by a renowned Australian organisation, and more. Some specific examples include:

  • Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
  • Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
  • Global Talent visa (subclass 858)
  • Business Innovation and Investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188)

Family Visas

If you want to reunite with your de facto Australian partner/spouse, be with your child, live with your parents, or provide carer services for a sick relative, a family-related visa is best for you. Some of the most common family-related visas are:

  • Aged Parent visa (subclass 804)
  • Carer visa (subclass 836)
  • Dependent Child visa (subclass 445)
  • Parent visa (subclass 103)
  • Partner visa (subclass 820 & 801)
  • Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300)
  • Remaining Relative visa (subclass 115)

Tourist Visas

Visitor visas are granted to individuals who could prove they are genuine temporary entrants who wish to travel to Australia for a specified period of time and do not intend to stay here other than as a tourist or visitor. Examples of tourist visas include:

  • Visitor (subclass 600)
  • Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
  • Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601)
  • Transit visa (subclass 771)

Protection Visas

Finally, Australia offers protection visas for eligible candidates seeking asylum and are able to prove a well-rounded fear of persecution should they be forced to return to their home country. Examples of humanitarian and refugee-related visas include:

  • Protection visa (subclass 866)
  • Refugee visas (subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204)
  • Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202)
  • Temporary Protection visa (subclass 785)
  • Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790)

Need Visa Assistance?

Talk to one of our Visa Experts Now.

General Eligibility Requirements

A substantive visa can be both a temporary visa or a permanent visa. It is granted to qualified and eligible individuals who wish to live or stay in Australia indefinitely or permanently. The main purpose could be either for employment, business, investment, travel, education, or reuniting with a partner and other family members.

Moreover, any temporary and permanent visa that is NOT a bridging visa, an enforcement visa, or a criminal justice visa is a substantive visa.

Application Form

First, you must fill out an appropriate application form depending on the type of visa you’re applying for. Application is typically done online by creating an ImmiAccount.

Valid Passport

You must present a valid passport that is not due to expire soon. You must also prepare other identification documents such as a birth certificate, national ID card, and recent photographs.

Proof of Purpose

You must present proof of your purpose for applying for a certain visa. For example, you need to provide proof of accommodation and a booked return flight ticket for a tourist visa, or admission letters from an Australian institution for a student visa.

Financial Means

In order to make sure you have enough money to shoulder the entirety of your stay in Australia, you are required to submit evidence of your financial capacity, such as recent payslips, tax records, and personal bank statements.

Health Assessment

The Department wants to ensure that it only permits candidates who don’t have serious medical issues that may put public health at risk. As such, you will undergo a mandatory health examination as part of your visa application requirement.

Character Check

The Australian Government also wants to ensure that it will not permit candidates entry to Australia if they have a criminal record or have been engaged in criminal activities. You will therefore need to secure and submit police clearances to establish you are of good moral character.

Visa Fees

To complete your application, you will need to pay for the application fee of your specific visa. While visa fees may change over time, the cost for a student visa is AUD $710, AUD $190 for an offshore tourist visa, and AUD $8,850 for a partner visa, among many others.

Need Visa Assistance?

Talk to one of our Visa Experts Now.

Conclusion

What does substantive visa mean? It is any Australian visa, temporary or permanent, except bridging visas, criminal justice visas, and enforcement visas. These visas could be family-related, for work, study, or travel purposes.

In order to qualify for an Australian substantive visa, you must meet certain eligibility and documentary requirements, including health and character checks, proof of sufficient funds, purpose of visa, and submitting all pertinent documents relevant to your visa application.

Success Stories of 389+ Highly Rated Reviews


Our customers are always happy to share their thoughts with us.
Here is what some of them had said!

Haroon Parvez

The team at parish Patience Immigration Lawyers were incredibly helpful throughout the application process. Their assistance made our lives so much less stressful and their expertise cleared up any confusion we had. They remained engaged with us the whole time and quickly responded to any questions with thoughtful, detailed answers. Special thanks to Usman Ali and Shan . We highly recommend the team at Parish patience immigration lawyer for anyone considering help regarding any kind of visa .

W. A.

Highly recommended lawyers! Extremely professional and reliable service, with outstanding outcomes. A special thanks to Mr Thong and Marlene, for helping us with our difficult case. Not only did they ensure that everything was ready to go, but their professionalism came in favor when we were granted our visa within just under 6 months!

J P

Thong and Marlene helped my partner gain permanent residency in Australia. We did the application ourselves but it turned out lots of information we needed to provide was missing. Thong and Marlene picked our case up and helped amend it. I really appreciate their help and guidance and look forward to contacting them again in the future. I am pleased by their efforts and professionalism.

Alaa Omer

Successfully handled my case. He had been prompt, caring and very professional in dealing with my case. I am glad to have received very strong support, guidance and service from them. I would highly recommend Parish patience immigration lawyers. I wish the best for their future prospects.

Jabir Ibna Mohammad

I’m really thankful for the guidance and assistance I’ve received regarding my Partner visa from Shan and his assistance Asha at Parish Patience. They handled my matter professionally and there were clear instructions from the beginning till end. I got my partner visa 820 granted in less than 7 months, thanks to their knowledge and expertise. I wish them all the best and highly recommend Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers for any sort of immigration matters.

Need Professional Assistance for Your Visa Processing?


Professional guidance is essential for Australian substantive visa applications, especially if you don’t have the luxury of time. Have an immigration lawyer or registered migration specialist from Parish Patience handle it all for you. Established in 1888, Parish Patience is one of the largest law firms based in Sydney, Australia. You can guarantee that you will deal only with the most qualified expert to handle your visa.
Contact us today for an appointment!

Our Accreditations

    Solve your Visa Problems


    Latest Blog Posts


    Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers Sydney
    Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers Sydney
    381 Google reviews
    Sadia Ahmed
    Sadia Ahmed
    2024-03-13
    Usman looked after my file and we are granted 189 today . Very supportive team
    T Malhi
    T Malhi
    2024-03-07
    I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Parish Patience for the exceptional service they provided throughout my journey from Winning MRT(student visa ), 485 Visa and another student visa extensions to finally obtaining skilled migration. Usman demonstrated remarkable expertise and unwavering patience in addressing all my inquiries. I never felt the need to persistently follow up for updates on my application. His consistently kind, generous, and positive demeanor was truly commendable. I highly recommend Usman's services and extend my heartfelt appreciation to him.Thank you, Usman for bringing joy to those who have lost hope. You should be proud of the work you do
    Yaad Matharu
    Yaad Matharu
    2024-03-07
    I highly recommend their service. I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Usman for his exceptional professionalism and expertise.
    Umer Saeed
    Umer Saeed
    2024-03-04
    Very professional, high standards of service and comprehensive knowledge of immigration, i strongly recommend them to anyone who requires immigration advice.
    Safat Aqib
    Safat Aqib
    2024-02-27
    I received excellent service from Parish patience. Usman and Billah were extremely proficient and courteous, and they assisted me throughout every stage. I strongly recommend them to anyone who requires immigration advice.
    Kanika Dua
    Kanika Dua
    2024-02-22
    Hi Just want to share my recent experience with parish patience. I was depressed and hopeless about my case and MR PRASAD at parish patience gave me hope and prepared my file very strong so I win in the AAT hearing. The case is in my favour now and hopefully i will get PR very soon. Highly recommend their service. They all are professionals and experts in their fields.
    Anand Inbasekaran
    Anand Inbasekaran
    2024-02-19
    I thank Upasna for making the visa process smooth and stress- free. Her attention to detail, prompt responsiveness, and in-depth knowledge of immigration procedures reflect a high standard of service. It was a pleasure to work with Parish Patience, and I would confidently recommend your services to others.
    Thihan Oo
    Thihan Oo
    2024-02-17
    Very happy and grateful for your services, fast, reliable, approachable and super efficient team, Shan and Asha, you guys are the best.
    Sarma B
    Sarma B
    2024-02-16
    I can't express enough gratitude for the outstanding service provided by my lawyer in helping me secure my partner visa. From the moment I walked into their office, I felt reassured by their warm demeanor and professionalism. Throughout the entire process, they were not only knowledgeable but also incredibly supportive, guiding me through each step with patience and clarity. What truly sets them apart is their accessibility. Whenever I had a question or concern, they were readily available, promptly responding to calls and emails, which alleviated any anxiety I had about the process. Their dedication to their clients is truly commendable. Thanks to their expertise and unwavering support, I am now able to build a future with my partner without the stress of immigration uncertainties. I wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone in need of legal assistance, especially for partner visas. Thank you immensely for your outstanding representation!
    Rohan chowdhury
    Rohan chowdhury
    2024-02-06
    Usman Ali is by far one of the best lawyers I’ve met, very knowledgeable, very professional, calm, supportive, prompt in replying with his emails, basically everything that you look in a lawyer. He made the process unbelievable quick, effective and successful. Heartily thankful for him and the whole team.