802 Child visa (Subclass 802)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Child visa (Subclass 802)
Purpose	Permanent residence with parent
Stay	Permanent; indefinitely
Cost	From AUD4,040
Apply from	Australia only
Eligibility timing	In Australia at application and decision
Work rights	Work in Australia
Study	Study in Australia
Medicare	Can enrol in Medicare
Travel facility	Multiple travel for five years
Citizenship	May apply if eligible
Family sponsorship	Can sponsor relatives
Visa record	Digitally linked to passport
Application method	Paper application
Processing	Guide tool only
Main eligibility	Dependent child of eligible parent

---

Purpose

The Child visa (Subclass 802) lets an eligible child live permanently in Australia with their parent.

The child becomes an Australian permanent resident when the visa is granted.

Eligibility

The child must:

• 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 in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when applying and when the decision is made.
• Be single, not married, not in a de facto relationship, and not engaged.
• Meet health requirements.
• Meet character requirements if aged 16 or older.
• Repay, or formally arrange repayment of, any Australian Government debt.
• Have no disqualifying visa cancellation or refusal history.
• Meet the best interests of the child requirement if under 18.

The child cannot apply if they hold a visa with a no further stay condition.

Age and dependency

The child must be one of the following:

• Under 18.
• Aged 18 to under 25, studying full time and financially dependent on their parent.
• Aged 18 or older with a disability, unable to work full time, and financially dependent on their parent.

Applicants aged 18 to under 25 must:

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

Applicants aged 18 or older with disability must provide medical evidence of total or partial loss of bodily or mental function preventing full-time work.

Relationship to the parent

The child may be the parent's:

• Biological child.
• Adopted child.
• Stepchild of the step-parent's former partner.

An adopted child must have been adopted before turning 18. Special requirements apply to intercountry and expatriate adoptions.

A stepchild must be under 18 and have a qualifying Australian parenting, custody or guardianship order.

Sponsorship and child protection

The Department must approve the sponsorship before granting the visa.

A sponsorship and visa application will be refused if the sponsor, or their spouse or de facto partner, has a pending registrable offence charge. Sponsorship may only be approved in very limited circumstances where there is a registrable offence conviction.

Consent for children under 18

A child under 18 must have either:

• Written consent from everyone legally entitled to decide where they live;
• Permission under their home-country law to leave; or
• An applicable Australian child order.

Cost

The main applicant charge is AUD4,040.

Additional charges apply for each dependent child included in the application. Other costs may include health examinations, police certificates and biometrics.

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa charge applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens lodging valid applications. Eligibility is based on 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

Rights and benefits

With this visa, 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 visa grant date.

Family provisions

The child's dependent children may be included when applying or at any time before a decision is made.

Each sibling seeking a visa must submit a separate application.

Dependent children included in the application must meet health requirements. Non-migrating family members may also need to meet health requirements.

No family member can be added after the application is decided. A new visa application is required for family members after grant.

Travel

For five years from grant, the child may travel to and from Australia as often as they wish while the travel facility remains valid.

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

Check the travel facility end date through VEVO.

Obligations

The child and any dependants must obey Australian laws.

Tell the Department about changes including:

• Passport, name, address or phone number changes.
• Relationship-status changes.
• Birth of a child.
• Stopping full-time study or starting full-time work, if over 18.
• Withdrawal of the application.

Required documents

Provide certified copies unless the Department requests originals. Police certificates must be sent as originals.

Key evidence includes:

• Current passport identity pages.
• National identity card, if held.
• Evidence of name changes.
• Passport or travel document used to enter Australia.
• Four recent passport-sized photographs for each applicant.
• Evidence of the child's relationship to the parent.
• Adoption papers or adoption compliance certificate, where relevant.
• Evidence of financial dependency for applicants over 18.
• Full-time study evidence and explanation of study gaps, where relevant.
• Medical evidence of disability, where relevant.
• Consent evidence for applicants under 18.
• Police certificates, military records and Form 80 where required.
• English translations of all non-English documents.

For consent, provide either:

• Form 1229, or a statutory declaration from each relevant person; or
• An Australian court order; or
• Evidence that the home-country law permits departure.

How to apply

1. Ensure the child's passport is valid.
2. Complete Form 47CH and Form 40CH in English.
3. Pay the visa application charge through ImmiAccount's online payment function.
4. Include payment evidence, forms and supporting documents.
5. Send the paper application by post or courier to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth, using the address on the form.

Applications cannot be submitted in person.

Incomplete applications may be invalid and will not be processed. Keep copies of the completed application and supporting documents.

After applying

The Department generally sends acknowledgement, including any associated bridging visa advice, within approximately one month of lodgement.

After receiving the acknowledgement letter, paper applications can be imported into ImmiAccount. This allows the applicant to:

• Upload documents.
• View messages and application status.
• Update details.
• Apply for a bridging visa.
• Withdraw the application.

The child must remain lawful in Australia while the application is processed. If their current visa expires, an associated bridging visa may begin.

The child must be in Australia when the Department makes its decision. Tell the Department if the child needs to travel outside Australia during processing.

The Department may request health examinations, biometrics or further information.

Important warnings

• Do not provide false or inaccurate information.
• The application cannot be processed without the correct visa charge.
• A visa application charge is not refunded if the application is refused.
• Do not send original documents with the application, except original police certificates.
• The visa is digitally linked to the child's passport; no visa label is issued.
• A child born outside Australia to an Australian-citizen parent may instead be eligible for Australian citizenship by descent.