Features
This visa allows a child who is outside Australia to come to Australia to live with their parents.
Eligibility
The child must be single.
Special age requirements apply.
Length of stay
Permanently
Cost
From AUD 4,040
Processing time
| 50 per cent of applications processed | 90 per cent of applications processed |
|---|---|
| 23 Months | 30 Months |
Related: Child Onshore (Subclass 802) visa
Eligibility
Who could get this visa
To get this visa, the child must be:
- sponsored by their parent or their parent’s partner
- single
- younger than 18 years of age, or:
- a full-time student between 18 and 25 years of age, or
- 18 or older and unable to work due to a disability and dependent on the sponsoring parent.
The child can include their own dependent children in this application.
The sponsoring parent
The child’s sponsoring parent must be an Australian citizen, the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa or an eligible New Zealand citizen. The spouse or de facto partner of the child’s parent can also sponsor the child.
The child’s relationship with the sponsor
The child must be:
- the biological child or adopted child of the sponsoring parent, or
- a step child who has not turned 18 of a step-parent who is no longer the partner of the child’s parent but has a legal responsibility to care for the child.
An adopted child must have been adopted before their parent became an Australian citizen or the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
Best interests of the child
This visa will not usually be granted if it is against the best interests of a child younger than 18 years of age.
Age
The child must be under 25 years of age, but if 18 years of age or over must be a full-time student and dependent on their sponsoring parent. The only exception to the age limit and full-time student requirement is where the child has a disability that stops them from working.
Health
The child must meet certain health requirements. The results are usually valid for 12 months. This also applies to any member of your family unit included in your application, whether they are migrating or not.
Character
A child older than 16 years of age must meet certain character requirements. They must be prepared to provide a police certificate from each country they have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after they turned 16 years of age. Do not arrange for police certificates until we ask you to.
This applies to you and all members of your family unit listed in your application, whether they are migrating or not.
Debts to the Australian Government
The child must have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government or have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government.
What the child can do
It allows the child to:
- travel to and stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
- apply for Australian citizenship (if they are eligible)
- sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
- travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time they will need another visa to enter Australia.
Other costs
You might have to pay other costs, such as the costs of health assessments, police certificates, or any other certificates or tests. You are responsible for making the necessary arrangements.
Location
The child must be outside Australia when the application is lodged and when the application is decided.
How long the child can stay
This is a permanent visa. It lets the child stay in Australia indefinitely.
Include other children
If the child has siblings who also want to apply, submit separate applications for each sibling.
The child’s dependent children can be included on their application when they apply or at any time before we decide the application.
Dependent children of the child who apply for the visa must meet our health requirement.
Family members who are not coming to Australia might also have to meet our health requirement.
The child’s obligations
The child must enter Australia before the date specified in their grant letter. The first entry date is generally set at 12 months from the date of visa grant.
The child and their family members must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.
For Sponsors
Who can sponsor a child
To sponsor a child for this visa you must be:
- the parent (or their partner) or step-parent of the child
- older than 18 years of age
You must also be either:
- an Australian citizen
- the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa
- an eligible New Zealand citizen.
You can sponsor a child if you are:
- a step-parent who is no longer the partner of the child’s parent but has a legal responsibility to care for the child and the child is younger than 18 years of age
- an adoptive parent who adopted the child before you became an Australian citizen, the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
You do not need to be in Australia at the time of application. You can still be a sponsoring parent if you:
- entered Australia in the past but are outside Australia when you lodge the application
- have been granted your Australian permanent resident visa but have not yet entered Australia.
A child who was adopted after you became an Australian citizen, the holder of an Australian permanent resident visa or eligible New Zealand citizen, might be able to apply for an Adoption visa (subclass 102).
Parental responsibility
This visa can be granted only if you can show one of the following for a child younger than 18 years of age:
- you have the written consent of each person who can legally decide where the child lives
- the laws of the child’s home country permit the removal of the child
- it is consistent with any Australian child order.
The documents you must provide with your application to support this claim are listed under the Follow these steps tab.
Character
You must meet certain character requirements. You must be prepared to provide a police certificate from each country you have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after you turned 16 years of age. Do not arrange for police certificates until we ask you to.
Assurance of support
We might ask for an assurance of support for the child so that welfare costs for some migrants are not borne by the Australian community.
Do not provide an assurance of support unless we ask for one and tell you what you need to do.
Sponsorship obligations
As a sponsor you must:
- be responsible for the cost to the Australian Government of the child living in Australia
- provide adequate accommodation and enough financial support to meet the child’s reasonable living needs for their first two years in Australia
- help the child settle in Australia
- support the child to attend any required English language class.
You must tell us in writing if circumstances change in a way that could affect the child’s eligibility for a Child visa, or your eligibility to sponsor the child.
A Message From Our Team
At VisaEnvoy, we understand that a Child Visa application is about far more than paperwork, forms, and legal requirements. It is about family.
We understand how difficult it can be to live apart from your child, especially when you are building a life in Australia and hoping to share that future with them. We understand the uncertainty, the waiting, and the emotional challenges that many parents experience throughout the migration process. Most importantly, we understand the hope behind every Child Visa application – the hope of being reunited and creating a future together as a family.
For more than 10 years, our team has been assisting families from around the world with Australian Child Visa applications, including Subclass 101 and Subclass 802 visas. We have guided parents through complex eligibility requirements, lengthy processing times, requests for further information, and the many challenges that can arise during the visa journey.
When you engage VisaEnvoy, you are not simply hiring a migration agency. You are working with a team that genuinely cares about your family’s future and is committed to achieving the best possible outcome for your child.
Whether you are just beginning the application process or need assistance with an existing Child Visa application, we are here to provide clear advice, practical solutions, and professional guidance every step of the way.
Let us help bring your family together in Australia.
VisaEnvoy Team
Contact us today to talk with our Registered Migration Agents and Lawyers in Melbourne to find more about your visa options.
