Dependent Child Residence Visa (subclass 101)
Applicants for a child visa under subclass 101 must be outside of Australia at the time of application and at the time of visa decision.
General criteria for the applicant
Age: you must be either under 18, or between 18 to 25 years and be full-time student, or over 18 with a disability.
You must have an approved sponsor who is your parent or step-parent or adoptive parent and who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
You must be single – not married or engaged to be married or in a de facto relationship.
You must be financially dependent on the parent.
You must meet health requirements.
You must meet character requirements if you are 16 or older.
General criteria for sponsors
Age – you must be 18 years old or older.
Be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
Be the child’s parent, or their parent’s current spouse or de facto partner
Agree to provide support, housing and financial help to the applicant and their dependent children included in the Child visa application for the first 2 years of them living in Australia.
Meet Character requirements – has not been charged or convicted of offences involving children.
Dependent Child Residence Visa (subclass 802)
Applicants for a child visa under subclass 802 must be in Australia at the time of application and at the time of visa decision.
General criteria for the applicant
Age: you must be either under 18, or between 18 to 25 years and be full-time student, or over 18 with a disability.
You must have an approved sponsor who is your parent or step-parent or adoptive parent and who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
You must be single – not married or engaged to be married or in a de facto relationship.
You must be financially dependent on the parent.
You must meet health requirements.
You must meet character requirements if you are 16 or older.
General criteria for sponsors
Age – you must be 18 years old or older.
Be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
Be the child’s parent, or their parent’s current spouse or de facto partner.
Agree to provide support, housing and financial help to the applicant and their dependent children included in the Child visa application for the first 2 years of them living in Australia.
Meet Character requirements – has not been charged or convicted of offences involving children.
Dependent Child temporary visa (subclass 445)
This visa is a temporary visa that is available to children or step-children of holders of temporary partner visa (subclass 309 or 820). A dependent child visa holder can then be included in their parent's permanent Partner visa application (subclass 100 or 801).
Applications for Subclass 445 can be made both offshore and onshore. If the application is submitted in Australia, then the child applicant must also be onshore at the time of visa decision. If the application is submitted outside of Australia, then the applicant must be offshore at the time of visa decision.
General criteria for the applicant
Age: you must be either under 18, or 18 and financially dependent on the parent who holds the temporary partner visa (subclass 309 or subclass 820) or Dependent Child visa (subclass 445).
You must have an approved sponsor and it must be the same person who sponsored your parent for a partner visa.
You must be single – not married or engaged to be married or in a de facto relationship.
You must meet health requirements.
You must meet character requirements if you are 16 or older.
General Criteria for Sponsors
Be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
Have sponsored the child’s parent for a partner visa.
Agree to provide support, housing and financial help to the applicant and their dependent children included in the visa application during their stay in Australia.
Meet character requirements – has not been charged or convicted of offences involving children.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some common questions about Child Visas and the application process.
What can the holder of dependent child Temporary visa (subclass 445) do?
Holders of subclass 445 visa can:
- move to or stay in Australia until the decision is made on their parent’s permanent Partner visa application
- study in Australia as a foreign student
- travel to and from Australia without limitations
Is an English proficiency test required?
The main applicant and additional applicants included in a child visa application are not required to provide evidence of their English competency.
Do I need a Registered Migration Agent to help?
Because the success of your application is based on a thorough preparation and review of the eligibility criteria, it is recommended to have your application by a registered migration agent to ensure you will meet Australia immigration requirements and avoid costly disappointment.
What can the holder of a subclass 101 or subclass 802 child visa do?
Holders of this child visa can:
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work in Australia for any employer or be self-employed
- study in Australia as a domestic student
- receive free or subsidised health care at publicly funded health services (Medicare)
- receive free education at state-run primary and secondary schools, and subsidised fees for domestic students at private schools and tertiary institutions
- be a sponsor for eligible relatives to come to Australia
- if eligible, apply for Australian citizenship