Yes, you can — provided you yourself are living in a designated regional area. In the family stream of the Subclass 491 visa, the sponsor and the applicant do not need to live in the same state; a resident of regional NSW can sponsor a sister living in Adelaide. However, if you live in metropolitan Greater Sydney, 491 sponsorship is simply not available to you.
Dr Sirous Ahmadi, Australian migration lawyer (MARA 0854826), regards this as one of the most frequently raised points of confusion among Iranian families, and his answer is clear and to the point: in the Subclass 491 family stream, what the legislature has made decisive is the sponsor’s genuine place of residence — not whether the sponsor’s state matches the applicant’s state.
Under clause 491.217(2) of the Migration Regulations 1994, the sponsor must be at least 18 years of age, an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, must be “usually resident in a designated regional area”, and must have a qualifying relationship with the applicant or the applicant’s partner. Siblings (including step-siblings and adoptive siblings) are included in the list of qualifying relatives, alongside a parent, child, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, grandparent and first cousin.
The decisive factor in your case is the postcode where you live. In the Department of Home Affairs table of designated regional areas, New South Wales is listed with the qualification “Excluding Sydney” — meaning regional NSW yes, metropolitan Sydney no. Since November 2019, “regional” for migration purposes has meant all of Australia other than Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — which is precisely why the whole of South Australia, including Adelaide itself, counts as a designated regional area.
This stream does not require state nomination, but the visa is not geographically unrestricted. Under Sch 1 item 1241 and condition 8579, the applicant must genuinely intend to live, work and study in a designated regional area, and the visa holder must, during the regional residence period, live, work and study only in a part of Australia that was a designated regional area at the time of sponsorship. In practical terms, that means “the entire country minus Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane”.
On the sponsor’s side, matters do not end with simply offering to sponsor: the sponsorship must be approved, and you take on formal obligations by completing the declaration in Form 491FS. In addition, every member of the applicant’s family unit who is also a 491 applicant must be sponsored by that same sponsor. The sponsor’s age and residency status requirements must likewise be satisfied at the same time.
If, before taking any steps, you would like to know whether the postcode where you live makes you eligible to sponsor your sister, a short and focused conversation with Dr Sirous Ahmadi can turn your family’s case from uncertainty into a clear roadmap. Contact his office for advice tailored to your circumstances.
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This answer reflects the law and policy as verified on October 8, 2026. Immigration rules change frequently — confirm the current position before acting.
Dr. Sirous Ahmadi Registered Migration Agent 0854826
This article is general information only, current at the date shown, and is not legal advice. Do not rely on it for your own situation — immigration law and policy change frequently. Seek advice from a registered migration agent or immigration lawyer about your circumstances.