101 Child visa (subclass 101)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Child visa (subclass 101)
Visa type	Permanent
Stay	Indefinite
Cost	From AUD4,040
Apply from	Outside Australia
Grant location	Outside Australia
Primary eligibility	Dependent child of eligible parent
Age	Under 18; limited older eligibility
Sponsor	Eligible parent or partner
Work rights	Work permitted
Study	Study permitted
Medicare	Eligible to enrol
Travel facility	Multiple travel for five years
Citizenship	May apply if eligible
Family sponsorship	Can sponsor relatives
Include dependants	Dependent children before decision
Visa record	Digitally linked to passport
Processing	Processing-time guide available

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Purpose

This visa lets a child outside Australia move to Australia to live permanently with their parent.

Eligibility

The child must:

• Be outside Australia when applying and when the visa is granted.
• Be dependent on a parent who is an:
  • Australian citizen
  • eligible New Zealand citizen, or
  • Australian permanent visa holder.
• Be sponsored by an eligible parent, or the parent’s spouse or de facto partner.
• Be single: they cannot be or have ever been married, engaged, or in a de facto relationship.
• Meet health requirements.
• Meet character requirements if aged 16 or older.
• Have repaid Australian Government debts, or have a formal repayment arrangement.

Age and dependency

The child must be:

• Under 18; or
• Aged 18 to under 25, studying full time and financially dependent on their parent; or
• Aged 18 or over with a disability that prevents full-time work.

Applicants aged 18 to under 25 must:

• Be full-time students when applying and when decided.
• Not work full time.
• Depend financially on their parent more than anyone else.
• Explain study gaps exceeding six months after secondary school.

Applicants aged 18 or over with disability must show total or partial loss of bodily or mental function that prevents full-time work.

Eligible child relationships

The child may be the sponsor parent’s:

• Biological child
• Adopted child
• Stepchild of a former partner only

A stepchild must be under 18 and be the child of the step-parent’s former partner. The step-parent must hold an Australian parenting order, or guardianship or custody under Australian or overseas law.

Adopted children

An adopted child must have been adopted before age 18 by a parent who was not an Australian citizen, permanent visa holder, or eligible New Zealand citizen at adoption.

A child adopted by a parent already holding that status may instead be eligible for the Adoption visa (subclass 102).

Sponsorship safeguards

Sponsorship must be approved before visa grant.

If the sponsor, or their spouse or de facto partner, has a pending registrable offence charge, the sponsorship and visa application will be refused. A registrable offence conviction permits approval only in very limited circumstances.

Consent for children under 18

A child under 18 must have one of the following:

• Written consent from everyone legally entitled to decide where they live;
• Home-country law allowing departure; or
• An applicable Australian child order.

The visa may not be granted if it is not in the child’s best interests.

Australian values

Applicants aged 18 or older must read, or have explained, the Life in Australia booklet and sign the Australian Values Statement.

Rights and Benefits

The child can:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely.
• Work and study in Australia.
• Enrol in Medicare.
• Sponsor relatives to come to Australia.
• Attend free Adult Migrant English Program classes, if eligible.
• Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

For citizenship purposes, permanent residence starts on the day the child enters Australia on this visa.

Newly arrived residents may have waiting periods for certain Australian Government payments and benefits.

Travel

The visa allows multiple entries to Australia for five years from grant, while the travel facility remains valid.

After the five-year travel facility ends, the child needs a Resident Return visa to return as a permanent resident, unless they become an Australian citizen.

Check travel-facility validity in VEVO.

Cost

The main applicant charge is AUD4,040.

Additional charges apply for each dependent child included in the application. Other possible costs include:

• Health examinations
• Police certificates
• Biometrics

From 1 July 2026, eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens may receive a lower visa application charge. The primary applicant must hold a valid passport from:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

Eligible family members receive the lower charge based on the primary applicant’s passport.

Family Provisions

Each sibling must lodge a separate application.

The child’s dependent children may be included when applying or any time before a decision is made. They must meet health requirements.

Dependants cannot be added after a decision.

Required Evidence

Provide certified copies, not originals, including:

• Current passport identity pages
• National identity card, if held
• Name-change evidence, if applicable
• Four recent passport-size photographs for each applicant
• Current and previous travel documents
• Evidence of relationship to the parent, such as birth, marriage, adoption, family-status certificate, or family book
• Adoption papers or adoption compliance certificate, if applicable
• Evidence of financial dependency for applicants over 18
• Evidence of full-time post-secondary study and study participation, if applicable
• Explanation of study gaps exceeding six months, if applicable
• Medical evidence of disability, if applicable
• Documents for dependent children included in the application
• Parental consent, court order, or home-country legal authority for applicants under 18
• Police certificates and military records, where required

Character documents

Applicants over 16 must provide:

• Police certificates from every country where they spent 12 months or more during the last 10 years since turning 16.
• Form 80, Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment.
• Military service records or discharge papers, if they served in any country’s armed forces.

Australian police certificates must be Australian Federal Police National Police Certificates under Code 33 – Immigration/Citizenship. Police certificates are valid for 12 months from issue.

Translation and certification

All non-English documents must be translated into English and submitted with the originals.

Translations completed in Australia must be by a National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters-accredited translator. Overseas translators must state their name, contact details, qualifications, and experience in English.

All documents, translations, and photographs must be certified.

How to Apply

1. Ensure the child holds a valid passport.
2. Gather certified supporting documents.
3. Complete:
   • Form 47CH, Application for migration to Australia by a child
   • Form 40CH, Sponsorship for a child to migrate to Australia
4. Pay the visa application charge before posting the application.
5. Include payment evidence and all supporting documents.
6. Send the paper application by post or courier to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth.

Post:

Department of Home Affairs
Child and Other Family Processing Centre
Locked Bag 7
NORTHBRIDGE WA 6865

Courier:

Department of Home Affairs
Child and Other Family Processing Centre
Wellington Central
836 Wellington Street
WEST PERTH WA 6005

The forms must be completed in English. Applications cannot be lodged in person.

Processing

Use the visa processing time guide for recently decided applications; it is not specific to an individual application.

An acknowledgement is generally sent about one month after lodgement.

Processing may take longer if the application is incomplete, documents are missing, information needs verification, or the full charge was not paid at lodgement.

The Department cannot process an application unless the correct application charge is paid.

After Applying

After receiving the acknowledgement letter, import the paper application into ImmiAccount. This allows the applicant to:

• Attach documents
• View messages and application status
• Update details
• Apply for a Bridging Visa
• Withdraw the application

Existing applications made outside Australia on or after 1 April 2020 may be imported. Some applications made outside Australia before 1 April 2020 cannot be imported.

The Department may request health examinations, biometrics, or further information. Do not arrange migration until visa grant is confirmed in writing.

Tell the Department about changes to passport, address, contact details, name, marital or de facto status, birth of a child, or an intention to withdraw the application.

Use Form 1023 to notify incorrect answers.

Obligations and Important Warnings

• Enter Australia before the date in the grant letter.
• The first-entry date is generally 12 months after grant.
• Comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.
• Keep the written visa decision.
• Do not send original documents; send certified copies only.
• Incomplete applications may be invalid and will not be processed.
• A refused application does not result in a fee refund.
• The visa is digitally linked to the child’s passport; no visa label is issued.