What is the 461 visa?
The subclass 461 lets the non-New-Zealand family members of a New Zealand citizen live, work and study in Australia for five years while the NZ citizen lives here on their Special Category visa (subclass 444). It is a temporary visa, renewable indefinitely, with full work rights and unlimited travel — the standard solution for the partner or children of a Kiwi building a life in Australia.
At a glance (updated 18 August 2026)
| Item | Position |
|---|---|
| Visa application charge | $1,330 main applicant. Additional applicant 18+: $675; under 18: $325. |
| Processing | Home Affairs tool (updated 4 Aug 2026): 50% in 3 months, 90% in 5 months. |
| Stay | 5 years — live, work and study, unlimited travel in and out. |
| Renewable | Yes — a further 461 can be applied for as the current one runs down. |
| Apply from | Inside or outside Australia. |
| PR pathway | None from the 461 itself — see the strategy section below. |
Figures are set by the Australian Government and change — confirm the current charge on the Department of Home Affairs website before lodgement.
Who qualifies
You are not a New Zealand or Australian citizen
You are a member of the family unit — partner or dependent child — of a New Zealand citizen
That NZ citizen holds (or on entry would hold) a Special Category visa (444) and is not an "eligible New Zealand citizen" (the protected pre-2001 category, whose partners use the partner visa instead)
Health and character requirements
The relationship evidence matters: for partners the same genuine-and-continuing standard as partner visas applies in substance — shared finances, household, social recognition, commitment.
The strategy question every 461 family should ask
Since 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens on SCVs are treated as permanent residents for Australian citizenship purposes — most can now apply directly for Australian citizenship after the residence period. The moment your NZ partner naturalises, the picture changes:
The 461 route closes for future renewals — the visa depends on the family member being an NZ citizen SCV holder, not an Australian citizen
The partner visa (820/801) opens — a permanent pathway, with time on the 461 helping evidence the relationship
And a hard truth stated plainly: time on a 461 does not count toward your own permanent residency or citizenship. A family that stays on rolling 461s for a decade is no closer to PR than on day one. The five-year visa is comfortable — which is exactly why the PR strategy conversation should happen early, not at renewal number three.
Where 461 applications go wrong
Renewal lodged late — falling out of status while the new 461 processes complicates everything
Relationship evidence treated casually because "it's just the NZ visa" — the genuine-relationship standard still applies
The NZ citizen naturalises mid-stream without the family re-planning — renewals refused for a reason nobody watched
De facto evidence gaps for newer relationships
No PR plan — the rolling-461 comfort trap above
If a 461 is refused, review rights at the Administrative Review Tribunal are strictly time-limited — see our visa refusals and appeals page.
461 planning from Brisbane and Logan
South East Queensland holds one of Australia's largest Kiwi communities, and 461 families are everyday work at our Slacks Creek, Logan City office: first grants, renewals timed properly, and the PR strategy conversation — 461 renewal, partner visa, skilled pathway or the NZ citizen's own citizenship — mapped for your family's actual timeline.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the 461 visa cost in 2026?
$1,330 for the main applicant, $675 per additional applicant 18 or over and $325 per child under 18. Health checks are extra.
How long does the 461 take to process?
The Home Affairs processing-times tool (updated 4 August 2026) shows 50% of applications decided within 3 months and 90% within 5 months.
Can I work on a 461 visa?
Yes — full, unrestricted work and study rights for the five-year life of the visa, with unlimited travel in and out of Australia.
Does the 461 lead to permanent residency?
Not by itself, and time on it does not count toward your own PR or citizenship residence. PR usually comes via the partner visa once your NZ partner becomes an Australian citizen, or via a skilled visa on your own credentials — plan it early.
What happens if my NZ partner becomes an Australian citizen?
The 461 pathway closes for future renewals — and the partner visa (820/801) opens. The transition is a strategy decision with timing consequences; take advice before the current 461 runs down.
Can I renew the 461?
Yes, indefinitely, while the relationship and your partner's NZ-SCV status continue. Lodge the renewal well before expiry.
Reviewed by Dr Asad Muhammad Khan, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 2619525. Updated 18 August 2026 — fee and processing figures verified against the Department of Home Affairs website (461 page updated 20 May 2026; processing-times tool 4 August 2026). This page is general information, not migration advice for your circumstances.
Considering the New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship Visa?
Get a confidential eligibility assessment from an OMARA-registered migration agent before you lodge. Honest advice, structured preparation, no guesswork.
Book Your Eligibility Assessment