Visa Options for Children
What are the Visa Options for Children?
A child might be eligible for a child visa if they are:
-
Under 18 years of age, and
-
Single (not married, engaged to be married, or in a de facto relationship)
In certain circumstances, a person over 18 years of age might be considered as a child. These circumstances are described in the child visa options below.
​
The visa options listed below allow a child to live in Australia as a temporary or permanent resident.
​
You might be able to sponsor a child if you are:
-
An Australian citizen, or
-
An Australian permanent resident or the holder of a permanent visa.
VISA OPTIONS FOR A CHILD INSIDE AUSTRALIA
​
Visa option: Child (Permanent) (Subclass 802)
To apply for a Child (Permanent) (Subclass 802), a child must be:
-
inside Australia when applying for the visa
-
sponsored by their parent or their parent's;s partner.
Visa option: Orphan Relative (Permanent) (Subclass 837)
To apply for an Orphan Relative (Permanent) (Subclass 837) a child must be:
-
inside Australia when applying for the visa
-
sponsored by a relative (a brother, sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew or step-equivalent) who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
-
unable to be cared for by their parents because they are both either missing, dead or permanently incapacitated
-
under 18 years of age when applying for the visa.
Visa options for a child outside Australia
Visa option: Child (Permanent) (Subclass 101)
To apply for a Child (Permanent) (Subclass 101) visa, the child must be:
-
outside Australia when applying for the visa sponsored by their parent or their parent’s partner.
If a child is 18 years or older, they must be single and either:
-
a full-time student between 18 and 25 years of age and financially dependent on the sponsoring parent; or
-
unable to work due to disability.
Visa option: Orphan Relative (Permanent) (Subclass 117)
To apply for an Orphan Relative (Permanent) (Subclass 117) visa, the child must be:
-
outside Australia when applying for the visa
-
the relative of a person who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
-
sponsored by a relative (a brother, sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew or step-equivalent) who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
-
unable to be cared for by their parents because they are both either missing, dead or permanently incapacitated
-
under 18 years of age when applying for the visa.
​
Visa option: Adoption Visa (Permanent) (Subclass 102)
To apply for the Adoption Visa (Permanent) (Subclass 102), the child must be:
-
outside Australia when applying for the visa
-
adopted
-
sponsored by their adoptive parent or their adoptive parent's partner
-
under 18 years of age when the application is lodged and when it is decided.
​
VISA OPTIONS FOR A CHILD INSIDE OR OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA
Visa option: Dependent Child Visa (Subclass 445)
To apply for a Dependent Child Visa (Subclass 445), a child must be:
-
either inside or outside Australia when applying for the visa
-
a dependent child of a parent who holds a Partner Provisional visa (subclass 309), Interdependency visa (subclass 310), Dependent Child visa (subclass 445), Partner visa (subclass 820) or Interdependency visa (subclass 826)
-
sponsored by the same person sponsoring their parent (with limited exceptions).
If a child is 18 years or older, they must be:
-
financially dependent on the parent holding the temporary partner visa, or
-
unable to work due to disability.