Eligibility Quiz
Requirements
Who Can Apply as the Child
Age: You must be:
- Under 18 years old at the time of application, OR
- Between 18 and 25 years old, enrolled in full-time study, and financially dependent on your sponsoring parent, OR
- Over 18 years old with a permanent disability that prevents you from working, and financially dependent on your sponsoring parent
For applicants aged 18–25 in full-time study, the Department requires evidence that you are enrolled, rely financially on your sponsor, are not working full-time, and that this dependency exists both at application and at the time of decision.
Marital Status: You must be single and not married, engaged, or in a de facto relationship. If you enter a relationship during processing, your application may be refused.
Relationship to Sponsor: You must be:
- A biological child of the sponsor, OR
- An adopted child (adoption must have been finalized before you turned 18; the adoption can have occurred before or after your parent became an Australian citizen or permanent resident), OR
- A stepchild (in limited circumstances, where you are the stepchild of the sponsor from a former partner; stepchildren must be under 18 at application)
Location Requirement (Critical): You must be in Australia when the application is lodged and when the visa is decided. You cannot be in immigration clearance at the time of application. You cannot apply if you are in Australia on a visa with a no further stay condition (such as Condition 8503).
Health and Character: You and any dependent children must meet all health and character requirements. If you are aged 16 or over, police clearance may be required.
Outstanding Debts: You must have no outstanding debts to the Australian government.
Parental Consent (if under 18): The Department will only grant this visa to you if you have written consent from anyone with parental responsibility for you, or if the laws of your home country allow you to leave without such consent.
Best Interests Assessment: The Department may refuse the visa if it determines the grant is not in your best interests (this applies particularly to applicants under 18).
Previous Visa Refusals: You may not be eligible if the Department has refused a visa application since you last arrived in Australia.
Who Can Sponsor You
Eligibility: Your sponsor must be:
- An Australian citizen, OR
- An Australian permanent resident, OR
- An eligible New Zealand citizen
Relationship: Your sponsor must be:
- Your parent, OR
- Your parent's spouse or de facto partner (in which case the Department must be satisfied the sponsor has legal responsibility for you)
Parental Responsibility: Your sponsor may need to provide evidence of parental responsibility, guardianship, or legal custody—especially if your parents are separated, one parent is overseas or unavailable, or custody is disputed.
Financial Capacity: Your sponsor must be financially stable enough to support you, meaning you rely on them for financial support.
Character: Your sponsor must meet character requirements specified by the Australian government.
Conditions & Warnings
Child must be in Australia on a valid substantive visa when the application is lodged and when the visa is decided. If the child's current visa has Condition 8503 ('No Further Stay'), this must be waived before applying.
For applicants aged 18–25, full-time study and financial dependency on the sponsor must be maintained throughout the entire processing period (up to 22 months). Part-time work or gaps in study can affect eligibility.
For adopted children, the adoption must have been finalized before the child turned 18. Adoptions finalized after the child's 18th birthday do not qualify for this visa.
The child must be single and not married, engaged, or in a de facto relationship. If the child enters a relationship during processing, this can affect eligibility and may result in refusal.
For applicants under 18, written consent from anyone with parental responsibility is required. If the non-accompanying parent does not consent or cannot be located, this can delay or prevent visa grant.
Applications must be submitted on paper via postal mail or courier to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth. Online applications are not available for this visa.
Qualifications
Fees
Primary applicant (main child) AUD $3,235. Additional applicants aged 18+ cost AUD $1,615; under 18 cost AUD $810. Fee is non-refundable if application is refused.