Child Visas

These visas let children whose parents are an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia. Generally, children are sponsored by their biological or adoptive parents. The visas under the Child Visa category must be applied for on a paper application form, an cannot be applied for online.

What are the requirements for this visa?

The child must either be:

Dependent on their parent who is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent visa holder or an eligible New Zealand citizen for the Child Visas (Subclass 101 or Subclass 802), OR
Adopted, or in the process of being adopted for the Adoption Visa (Subclass 102), OR
Dependent on a parent who holds a Dependent Child Visa (Subclass 445), Partner (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 309) or Partner Visa (Subclass 820) for the Dependent Child Visa (Subclass 445).

For Visa Applicants

The applicant might be eligible to apply for a child visa if they:

Have an approved sponsor. For Child Visas (Subclass 101 or Subclass 802), the child must be sponsored by an eligible parent or their parent’s spouse or de facto partner. For the Adoption Visa, the child must be sponsored by an eligible adoptive parent or prospective adoptive parent. For the Dependent Child Visa, the child must be sponsored by the same person who sponsored or nominated their parent’s permanent Partner Visa application.
Meet the age requirements. For Child Visas, the age requirement is that the child is wither under 18 years old, is 18–25 years and studying full time or over 18 years with a disability. For the Adoption Visa, the child must be under 18 years old throughout the visa process. For the Dependent Child Visa, the child must be under 18 year old or over 18 years old and financially dependent on their parent.
Do not have a partner. This means the child cannot be marrier, in a de facto relationship or engaged to be married.
Meet health and character requirements.
Are able to pay back any debt to the Australian government if they have a debt.
Have consent to migrate. This means that a child younger than 18 years old must either have written consent of everyone who can legally decide where they leave and are allowed to leave based on the laws of their home country.

What are the costs associated with applying for the Child Visas?

Below are the visa application fees required by the Department of Home Affairs and other costs involved in submitting a visa application for the Child Visas. Fees can increase without notice, so the actual fees can vary at the time of application. We have outlined the applicable fees that are likely to be incurred for the various Child Visas in Australian Dollars. Contact us to learn more about our professional fees.

Department of Home Affairs Child Visa application fees are:

Child Visa (Subclass 101): Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Visa Application fees – $3,235 (primary applicant), $1615 (secondary applicant 18 and over), $810 (secondary applicant under 18). Secondary applicants can be any eligible member of the family unit who is not a sibling of the applicant, unless that sibling is a dependent of the applicant.
Child Visa (Subclass 802): Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Visa Application fees –$3,235 (primary applicant), $1615 (secondary applicant 18 and over), $810 (secondary applicant under 18). Secondary applicants can be any eligible member of the family unit who is not a sibling of the applicant, unless that sibling is a dependent of the applicant. The visa application fee may be eligible for a nil visa application charge if the applicant is supported by a state or territory government welfare authority.
Adoption Visa (Subclass 102): Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Visa Application fees – $3,235 (primary applicant), $1615 (secondary applicant 18 and over), $810 (secondary applicant under 18). Secondary applicants can be any eligible member of the family unit who is not a sibling of the applicant, unless that sibling is a dependent of the applicant.
Dependent Child Visa (Subclass 445): Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Visa Application fees – $3,235 (primary applicant), $1615 (secondary applicant 18 and over), $810 (secondary applicant under 18). Secondary applicants can be any eligible member of the family unit who is not a sibling of the applicant, unless that sibling is a dependent of the applicant. People who apply for a Partner visa and who hold a Dependent Child Visa (Subclass 445) are eligible for a nil visa application charge for the Partner visa.

Other fees that may be applicable:

Credit card surcharge (as applicable)
Medical Examination fees (as applicable)
Biometrics (as applicable)
Police Clearance Certificate (as applicable)
Translations/Certifications (as applicable)
Our professional fees (as applicable).

What are the Child Visa options?

The following visas allow a child to live in Australia as a temporary or permanent resident.

Child Visa (Subclass 101) – Offshore Permanent Visa

This visa lets a child outside Australia move to Australia permanently to live with their parents. The child must be outside Australia at the time of application and decision. The child must be a dependent of a parent who is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. For an adopted child to be granted a Child Visa, they must have been adopted before they turned 18 by a parent who was not an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen at the time of adoption. The processing timeframe for this visa is generally between 20 – 25 months.

Child Visa (Subclass 802) – Onshore Permanent Visa

This visa allows a child to stay in Australia permanently and live with their parents. If the child has siblings who also want to apply then separate applications must be submitted for each sibling. The applicant must be in Australia at the time of application and decision. However, they cannot be in immigration clearance when the application is submitted and at the time of decision. The child cannot apply for this visa if they are in Australia on another visa with a “no further stay” condition. The processing timeframe for this visa is generally between 18 – 24 months.

Adoption Visa (Subclass 102) – Offshore Permanent Visa

This visa allows a child who was adopted outside of Australia or in the process of being adopted to move to Australia permanently to live with their adoptive parent. The applicant must be outside Australia at the time of application and decision. The child must be under 18 years of age when adopted, at the time of application and decision. If the child has siblings who also want to apply then separate applications must be submitted for each sibling. The processing timeframe for this visa is generally between 6 – 16 months.

Dependent Child Visa (Subclass 445) – Temporary Visa

This visa allows a child to stay in Australia temporarily while their parent’s permanent Partner visa application is being processed. The child must be dependent on a parent who holds a:

The Dependent Child Visa will not usually be granted if it is against the best interests of a child younger than 18 years of age. The processing timeframe for this visa is generally between 18 – 22 months.

How long does the Child Visa process take?

See above under the particular visa section to see the average processing time for each of the Child Visas. For current visa processing times please refer to the information on the Department of Home Affairs website.

What are the benefits of this visa?

Live, work and study in Australia for the duration of the visa.
Travel overseas and return back to Australia while on the visa.
Your family members will have the same rights and visa conditions that are applicable to you once they are granted this visa.
Get health coverage through Medicare (Australia’s public healthcare scheme), unless you fall under the exceptions.
Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

How we can help you?

At Better Life Migration, we offer expert guidance and personalised service to help you navigate the Child Visa application process with ease. Our experienced team provides comprehensive support and has a proven track record of successful applications. Trust us to make your journey smoother and bring your family together. Contact us on (+61) 415 419 414 and let us help you navigate the process seamlessly.

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Child Visas

Child Visas

What are the requirements for this visa?

What are the costs associated with applying for the Child Visas?

What are the Child Visa options?

How long does the Child Visa process take?

What are the benefits of this visa?

How we can help you?

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