Family and Partner Visas

Some families need a visa for a child separately from the visa application of a parent. The correct route depends on the child’s location, age and dependency, the parent’s immigration status, legal parental responsibility and whether the parent already has a pending Partner visa application. These are different questions from enrolling a child in school or arranging a Student Guardian visa.

Which child visa might fit?

• Child visa (subclass 101) — offshore permanent route: For an eligible dependent child of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent visa holder or eligible New Zealand citizen. The child generally needs to be outside Australia when applying, and the offshore grant requirements must also be checked. Read the official subclass 101 criteria.
• Child visa (subclass 802) — onshore permanent route: For an eligible dependent child applying while in Australia. Home Affairs requires the child to be in Australia at application and decision. A current visa with a ‘No Further Stay’ condition can prevent an onshore application; check lawful status and any restrictions first. Read the official subclass 802 criteria.
• Dependent Child visa (subclass 445) — temporary Partner visa family route: Potentially relevant where the child’s parent holds a temporary Partner visa (subclass 309 or 820, or in the specified cases a 445). This is not a permanent Child visa. A granted 445 holder must be added to the parent’s pending permanent Partner visa application before the Department decides that permanent application. Read the official subclass 445 requirements and next steps.

Evidence worth checking before applying

1. Parent and child status: Identity and passports; birth, adoption or other relationship documents; evidence of the sponsoring parent’s Australian status; and copies of any relevant temporary Partner visa grants and permanent-stage application records.
2. Dependency and age: These routes generally address children under 18, eligible 18–24-year-old full-time students who are financially dependent, or certain dependent adult children with a disability. Being aged under 25 alone is not enough; verify the precise requirements at both application and decision.
3. Consent and parental responsibility: For children under 18, identify everyone with legal authority to decide where the child lives. Home Affairs may require signed consent (such as Form 1229), identity evidence and/or a relevant parenting order. Do not book non-refundable travel until legal consent and visa requirements are resolved.
4. Location, conditions and timing: Check whether the child is inside or outside Australia, their present visa conditions, and whether a parent’s Partner visa permanent-stage decision is approaching. Health, character, fees and processing arrangements also need checking against the current official instructions.

Could the child be an Australian citizen instead? Where a child was born overseas to an Australian citizen parent, check citizenship by descent before assuming that a visa is needed.

Related A2MS guidance: Read about Partner visa applications if a parent is applying onshore or offshore, or Parent visas if the person seeking to migrate is the parent rather than the child.

Reviewed 2 November 2026. This overview is general information, not a decision on eligibility. Visa application and grant-location rules, validity requirements and fees must be verified before lodging. Individual migration advice at A2MS is provided by Sunil Choudhary, Principal Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2418425). A consultation or application does not guarantee a visa.