Child Visa (Subclass 101, 802, 102, 117, 837, 445)

The Australian Child Visa suite provides a pathway for children to live permanently in Australia with their parents or close relatives. This group of visas covers biological children, adopted children, step-children, and orphaned relatives. While most of these visas grant immediate permanent residency, the specific subclass you require depends on whether the child is currently inside or outside Australia and the nature of their relationship to the sponsor.

A critical distinction exists between the permanent child visas and the Subclass 445, which is a temporary "bridge" visa. The 445 is specifically for children whose parents hold a temporary partner visa and are waiting for their own permanent residency to be finalized.

Since April 2020, all child visa processing has been centralized at the Perth Child and Other Family Processing Centre. Even if the child is outside Australia, the paper application must be mailed or couriered directly to this Western Australian office.

The July 23, 2025 update was a major shift in how these visas are managed. While the initial lodgement remains paper-based, the ability to "import" the application into a digital account allows for faster document uploading and real-time status tracking, which was previously unavailable for these subclasses.

• Right to Work and Study: Full rights to work and study in Australia; the child is considered a "domestic student" for school and university fees.
• Public Healthcare: Immediate eligibility to enroll in Medicare (Australia’s national public health insurance).
• Travel Rights: A five-year travel facility is included. After five years, the child will need a Resident Return Visa (RRV) to re-enter Australia if they travel abroad.
• Path to Citizenship: A direct pathway to Australian citizenship, generally after living in Australia for four years.
• Social Security: Access to certain social security payments (waiting periods may apply).

• Temporary Stay: The right to remain in Australia until the parent’s permanent Partner visa is decided.
• Work and Study: The right to work and study in Australia.
• Medicare Access: Access to Medicare while the parent’s permanent visa is being processed.
• Travel: The right to travel to and from Australia as long as the visa remains valid.