Carer Visa for Grandparent of Disabled Child Approved at AAT — Hypopituitarism and Intellectual Impairment

Background

The applicant sought a Carer (Subclass 836) visa to assist in caring for their disabled grandson, an Australian citizen. The child had been diagnosed with hypopituitarism — a permanent condition in which the pituitary gland fails to produce normal hormone levels, requiring lifelong hormonal replacement therapy and regular blood monitoring. He also had a mild intellectual impairment. The combination of these conditions required daily hands-on care. The applicant's care allowed the sponsor — the child's parent — to study and work and provide financial support for the family. The Department refused the Carer visa application and the applicant lodged a review to the AAT.

Challenges

• Carer visa criteria require showing that the care cannot be provided by any other Australian relative or by welfare, hospital, nursing or community services — a high evidentiary threshold
• The medical complexity of the child's condition required detailed clinical documentation
• The applicant needed to demonstrate a direct care relationship meeting the regulatory definition of assistance for at least two years