Requirements for the Business Innovation visa (subclass 888) in Australia in 2026

The Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) is a permanent residence visa for business owners and investors who have already held a provisional Business Innovation and Investment visa (subclass 188) and have demonstrated a genuine commitment to business or investment activity in Australia. It is one of the most document-intensive visa pathways in the Australian immigration system, and preparation is key to avoiding delays or refusals.

This guide sets out the core requirements, documents, steps and fees that apply in 2026. Because requirements can change — including policy updates, fee revisions and state or territory nomination rules — always verify the current criteria directly with the Department of Home Affairs before lodging your application.

What this procedure is and what it’s for

The subclass 888 visa grants permanent residence to applicants who have held a subclass 188 visa (Business Innovation and Investment — Provisional) and have met the conditions attached to that provisional visa. It is not an initial entry pathway; it is the permanent stage of a two-step process.

There are several streams within subclass 888, each corresponding to a stream of the subclass 188 visa:

• Business Innovation stream — for people who owned and operated a business in Australia while holding the subclass 188 Business Innovation stream visa.
• Investor stream — for people who made a designated investment in an Australian state or territory.
• Significant Investor stream — for people who made a complying investment of at least AUD 5 million.
• Premium Investor stream — for people who made a complying investment of at least AUD 15 million.
• Entrepreneur stream — for people who carried out entrepreneurial activity in Australia under a funding agreement.

The visa applies to the primary applicant and eligible family members included in the application. It is relevant when the provisional visa is nearing expiry and the applicant has met the business or investment obligations required by the Department of Home Affairs.

The official body responsible for assessing and deciding subclass 888 applications is the Department of Home Affairs. Applications are lodged online through the ImmiAccount portal at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.

Documents required

The documents listed below apply primarily to the Business Innovation stream. Requirements for other streams overlap significantly but may include additional investment evidence. Confirm stream-specific requirements on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Identity and personal documents

• Valid passport (original) — all pages, for the primary applicant and each family member included in the application.
• Birth certificate (original or certified copy) — for the primary applicant and all dependants.
• Marriage certificate or evidence of de facto relationship (original or certified copy) — if including a spouse or partner.
• Divorce or death certificate (if applicable) — to explain any previous marriages.
• National identity card (if applicable) — for applicants whose country of origin issues one.

Documents not in English must be accompanied by a NAATI-accredited translation. Certified copies must be certified by an authorised person (such as a Justice of the Peace, lawyer or notary public).

Evidence of holding a subclass 188 visa

• Subclass 188 visa grant notice — confirming the stream and grant date.
• Visa conditions compliance record — evidence that conditions attached to the subclass 188 visa have been met.

Business activity evidence (Business Innovation stream)

• Business registration documents — current Australian Business Number (ABN) registration, ASIC company extract or business name registration.
• Audited or accountant-certified financial statements for each financial year of business operation in Australia — balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement.
• Business Activity Statements (BAS) lodged with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) — typically covering the full period of the provisional visa.
• Evidence of business turnover — bank statements, invoices or contracts confirming the business generated the required annual turnover (at least AUD 300,000 per year for the Business Innovation stream, as a general benchmark — verify the current threshold).
• Evidence of ownership stake — share certificates, partnership agreement or trust deed confirming the applicant’s interest in the business.
• Evidence of net business and personal assets — property valuations, bank statements, investment account statements and any other asset documentation.
• Employment records — payroll records or evidence that the business employed staff, if applicable.
• State or territory nomination letter — if nomination was required for the subclass 188 visa, evidence that the nomination obligations have been met.

Health and character documents

• Health examination results — completed through an approved panel physician; the Department of Home Affairs will provide instructions via ImmiAccount.
• Police clearance certificates — from Australia (Australian Federal Police check) and from every country where the applicant has lived for 12 months or more in the past 10 years.
• Form 80 — Personal particulars for assessment — completed by all applicants aged 16 and over.
• Form 1221 — Additional personal particulars information — if requested by the case officer.

Financial evidence

• Bank statements — showing funds held in Australian and overseas accounts.
• Tax returns lodged with the ATO — for each year of business operation in Australia.
• Evidence of net assets of at least AUD 800,000 (Business Innovation stream threshold — verify current figure) — property valuations, mortgage statements, investment portfolios.

Photographs

• Passport-size photographs — meeting Department of Home Affairs specifications, for each applicant.

Steps to complete the procedure

1. Confirm eligibility. Before lodging, review the current criteria on the Department of Home Affairs website at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Confirm that your subclass 188 visa is still valid and that you have met the business or investment obligations for your stream.

2. Gather and organise all documents. Collect every document listed in the section above. Arrange for NAATI-accredited translations of any non-English documents and have copies certified where required. Request your Australian Federal Police (AFP) check at afp.gov.au — this can take several weeks.

3. Complete health examinations. Log in to ImmiAccount and use the health examination referral to book an appointment with an approved panel physician. Health results are submitted directly to the Department of Home Affairs by the physician.

4. Create or log in to your ImmiAccount. Go to immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and access your ImmiAccount. All subclass 888 applications are lodged online — there is no paper application option.

5. Complete the online application form. Select the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) and complete all sections of the form. Provide details for the primary applicant and all family members to be included.

6. Upload supporting documents. Attach all required documents in the accepted formats (PDF, JPEG, etc.). Ensure documents are legible and complete. Incomplete document sets are a leading cause of delays.

7. Pay the visa application charge (VAC). Payment is made online through ImmiAccount at the time of lodgement. Keep the payment receipt.

8. Submit the application. Once all sections are complete and documents are uploaded, submit the application. You will receive an acknowledgement with a Transaction Reference Number (TRN).

9. Respond to any requests for further information. The Department of Home Affairs may contact you through ImmiAccount to request additional documents or clarification. Respond promptly within the timeframe specified.

10. Await the decision. Processing times vary (see the Fees and timelines section). Monitor your ImmiAccount for updates. The visa grant or refusal notice will be sent to the email address linked to your ImmiAccount.

No in-person appointment at a Department of Home Affairs office is required for most applicants. However, if you are offshore at the time of lodgement, different processing arrangements may apply — confirm this on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Fees and timelines

• Visa application charge (primary applicant): approximately AUD 4,045 as of early 2026 — verify the current fee on the Department of Home Affairs website before lodging, as fees are indexed and change regularly.
• Additional applicant charge (secondary applicant aged 18 or over): approximately AUD 2,020.
• Additional applicant charge (secondary applicant under 18): approximately AUD 1,010.
• Processing time: the Department of Home Affairs publishes indicative processing times on its website. As a general guide, subclass 888 applications have historically taken between 12 and 24 months, though complex cases or cases requiring additional information can take longer. Check current times at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times.
• Validity: the subclass 888 visa is a permanent residence visa. Once granted, it does not expire as a residence entitlement, though the travel facility (allowing re-entry to Australia as a permanent resident) is typically valid for 5 years from the date of grant. After that, a Resident Return Visa (subclass 155 or 157) is required to re-enter Australia.
• Bridging visa: if your subclass 188 visa expires while your subclass 888 application is being processed, you will generally be granted a Bridging Visa A (BVA) automatically, allowing you to remain lawfully in Australia during processing.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Submitting incomplete financial evidence. Applicants frequently omit one or more years of audited financial statements or BAS documents. Ensure you provide a complete, unbroken record covering the entire period of your provisional visa.
• Providing uncertified or untranslated documents. Documents in a language other than English must be translated by a NAATI-accredited translator. Copies of originals must be certified by an authorised person. Uncertified or untranslated documents will be rejected or cause significant delays.
• Applying before meeting the business obligations. The subclass 888 visa requires that you have genuinely met the conditions of your subclass 188 visa — including turnover thresholds, asset requirements and time spent actively managing the business. Lodging before these conditions are demonstrably met is a common reason for refusal.
• Not updating family member details. If your family circumstances changed after your subclass 188 was granted (new spouse, new child), you must include updated evidence and, where required, updated health and character documents for new family members. Failing to do so can delay or complicate the application.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need state or territory nomination to apply for the subclass 888 visa? Not always. Nomination is required for some streams (such as the Business Innovation stream in certain circumstances) but not for others. Whether nomination is required depends on the conditions of your subclass 188 visa. Check your visa grant letter and the current Department of Home Affairs requirements for your specific stream.

Can I include family members who were not on my subclass 188 visa? Yes, in some circumstances. New family members — such as a spouse you married after your subclass 188 was granted, or a child born after that date — can be included in your subclass 888 application. They will need to meet health and character requirements and you will need to provide evidence of the relationship.

What happens if my subclass 188 visa expires before my subclass 888 is decided? If you lodge your subclass 888 application before your subclass 188 expires, you will generally be granted a Bridging Visa A (BVA) automatically. This allows you to remain lawfully in Australia while your application is processed. You should not leave Australia on a BVA without first checking whether you need a Bridging Visa B (BVB) to re-enter.

Is there a minimum time I must have held the subclass 188 visa before applying for subclass 888? Generally, yes. Most streams require you to have held the subclass 188 visa for a minimum period (commonly two years) and to have met the business or investment obligations during that time. The exact requirement depends on your stream. Confirm the current minimum holding period on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Can I use a migration agent to lodge my application? Yes. You can appoint a registered migration agent (RMA) to assist with or lodge your application on your behalf. All registered migration agents in Australia are listed on the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) website at mara.gov.au. Using an RMA is not mandatory but is advisable given the complexity of this visa.

What to do next

The most important documents to have ready before lodging are your audited financial statements, evidence of business turnover, valid passport, police clearance certificates and your subclass 188 visa grant notice. Your first concrete step is to log in to ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and review the current checklist for the subclass 888 stream that applies to you.

Visa requirements, fees and processing times can change. Always verify the current requirements directly with the Department of Home Affairs before lodging your application. The official source for up-to-date information is immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.