Some migrants may need to get an Assurance of Support before their visa to live in Australia can be granted.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship determines which visa applications need an Assurance of Support. The Department of Human Services decides who can be an assurer.

If you have been asked to provide an Assurance of Support to become an assurer, we can assist you with information. All potential assurers need to have an interview with us.

If you have arrived in Australia under an Assurance of Support, it means your assurer is required to support you in Australia for two or 10 years, depending on your visa type. Generally, you and your dependants cannot claim Human Services payments while covered by an Assurance of Support agreement.

You need to know

About the Assurance of Support

An Assurance of Support is a legal agreement between an Australian resident or organisation (the assurer) and the Australian Government. The assurer agrees to support the migrant (the assuree) in Australia so that the assuree does not need to rely on Government payments.

Each Assurance of Support can cover up to two adults and an unlimited number of their dependent children.

As a security measure, a bank guarantee by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia may also be required from the assurer. Assurers should be prepared to deposit money with the bank to cover the value of the bank guarantee.

The Assurance of Support Scheme is administered by us on behalf of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).

Applications that need an Assurance of Support

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship decides which visa applications need an Assurance of Support. These fall into two categories:

Mandatory Assurance of Support

An Assurance of Support must be given for these visa categories:

  • aged dependent relative
  • contributory parent
  • last remaining brother, sister or non-dependent child outside Australia
  • parent.

Discretionary Assurance of Support

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has the discretion to request an Assurance of Support for these visa categories:

  • adoption
  • business
  • child
  • close ties
  • former citizen
  • orphaned relative under 18 at the time of application.

First steps

How to become an assurer

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship decides when an Assurance of Support is required. They will send a letter to visa applicants to inform them of this requirement.

Read more about how to become an assurer

Assurance of Support Bank Guarantee Release

Assurers who have provided a bank guarantee for an Assurance of Support should use the Assurance of Support Bank Guarantee Release form to apply to have the bank guarantee released at the end of the Assurance of Support period.

Existing customers

Length of an Assurance of Support period

An Assurance of Support can last for two or 10 years, depending on the type of visa granted. The period starts from the date the migrant arrives in Australia, or the date that the relevant visa is issued (whichever is the later date).

Note: an Assurance of Support remains in force even if the migrant is exempt from the two-year waiting period after being granted a visa. There are no exemptions from the Assurance of Support provisions. Regardless of the circumstances, any Centrelink payment made to the migrant will become a debt the assurer must repay.

Recoverable payments

We may provide financial support to an assuree during the period of an Assurance of Support if the assurer cannot provide support, or the assuree cannot accept support. We will usually speak to both the assurer and assuree before providing any financial support.

Centrelink payments made to the assuree during the Assurance of Support period are recoverable payments. Recoverable payments made to the assuree must be repaid to us by the assurer. They include:

Add-on payments such as Rent Assistance and Crisis Payment may also be recoverable.

Resources

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