Bringing Your Family on a 400 Visa: What Partners and Children Can Do

Specialists on longer projects sometimes want their family with them. The 400 visa allows family members to come, but with tighter limits than most work visas. If you need family members to work, a 482 visa may suit better.

Applying together

Family members must be members of your family unit and make a combined application with you. They cannot generally join later as secondary applicants, apart from a newborn added before the decision. Each family member must also meet health and character requirements, and children under 18 have extra requirements about custody and consent.

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No work for family members

Partners cannot work on a 400. Family members are given condition 8101, which means no work at all. Working would be a breach that can lead to cancellation.

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Study

Stream	Family member study
Highly Specialised Work	Limits on formal courses, including courses leading to school completion or a degree, diploma or trade certificate
Australia’s Interest	No study restrictions

These limits may affect whether school age children can enrol, so get advice before you travel if your children will need schooling.

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Funds

Because family members cannot work, the Department looks at whether you have enough money to support everyone for the stay. Salary, employer paid allowances, savings and other evidence can be used. A longer savings history, ideally 12 months, is stronger evidence than recent deposits.

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What you should do now

• List everyone in the application: include every family member who will travel from the start.
• Budget for the stay: show enough funds for the whole family, without relying on a partner’s income in Australia.
• Check schooling: get advice on schooling for children before you travel.
• Consider other visas: if your partner needs to work, ask us about a 482 visa instead.