Child Visa (Subclass 101)

For the Child (Applicant)

Age and Dependency

You must meet one of these age criteria:

• Under 18 years old — no additional conditions beyond dependency
• 18 to 25 years old — you must be enrolled in a full-time course leading to a professional, trade, or vocational qualification and be financially dependent on your sponsoring parent. You should have started study since turning 18 or within 6 months of finishing secondary school; gaps longer than 6 months must be explained.
• Over 18 years old — you must have a disability that prevents you from working full-time (total or partial loss of bodily or mental function) and be financially dependent on your sponsoring parent

Relationship to Sponsor

You must be the biological child, adopted child, or stepchild of the sponsor.

• Adopted children: You must have been adopted before turning 18 by a parent who was not an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen at the time of adoption. If your adoptive parent was already an Australian citizen or permanent resident when they adopted you, you may be eligible for the Adoption visa (Subclass 102) instead.
• Stepchildren: You must be the child of your step-parent's former partner and be aged under 18. Your step-parent must have either an Australian parenting order in force or guardianship/custody under Australian or another country's law. Critically, you do not qualify if your step-parent is the current spouse or de facto partner of your biological or adopted parent.

Marital and Partnership Status

You must be single and have never been married, engaged to be married, or in a de facto relationship.

Financial Dependency

You must be financially dependent on your sponsoring parent. If you are over 18, you must rely on them for basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing; evidence of how long this support has been provided is required.

Location Requirement (Critical)

You must be outside Australia when the application is submitted and must remain outside Australia when the visa is granted. If you enter Australia before the visa decision is made, the application may become invalid and you may need to apply for the onshore Subclass 802 instead.

Health and Character

You and any dependants applying with you must meet Australia's health requirement. Health examinations are typically required before visa grant.

If you are 16 years or older, you must meet the character requirement. This includes providing police certificates from every country where you have spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. For Australia, only National Police Certificates applied for under Code 33 – Immigration/Citizenship are accepted; standard disclosure or state/territory certificates are not acceptable. Police certificates are valid for 12 months from issue date for immigration purposes.

Outstanding Debt

If you or any family member owes the Australian Government money, it must be paid back or there must be a formal arrangement to repay it.

Australian Values Statement

If you are 18 or older, you must have read or had explained to you the "Life in Australia" booklet and sign the Australian Values Statement confirming you will obey Australian laws and respect the Australian way of life.

Consent to Migrate

If you are under 18, the Department will only grant this visa if:

• You have written consent from everyone who can legally decide where you live, or
• The laws of your home country allow you to leave, or
• It is consistent with any Australian child order about you

Best Interests of the Child

The Department may refuse this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

For the Sponsor (Parent)

Your sponsoring parent must:

• Be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Meet character requirements — the Department assesses the sponsor's character as part of the application
• Provide financial and accommodation support — they must be able to provide adequate financial support and accommodation for you in Australia, including for the first two years after your arrival
• Assist with settlement — they must help you settle, including English language support if needed
• Pay Australian Government charges — they must pay any charges related to your stay

Child Protection Measures: If your sponsor and/or their spouse or de facto partner have a pending registrable offence charge, the sponsorship and visa application will be refused. If they have a registrable offence conviction, the sponsorship can only be approved in very limited circumstances.