Australia | UK | USA | Canada

Book English Test

Child visa (subclass 101)

Child visa (subclass 101)

Features

This visa allows a child who is outside Australia to move to Australia to live with their parents.

Eligibility

  • The child must be single.
  • Special age requirements apply.

Length of Stay

Permanent residency.

Cost

From AUD 3,140.

Processing Time

  • 75% of applications: 8 months.
  • 90% of applications: 13 months.

Who Can Get This Visa

To be eligible, the child must:

  • Be sponsored by their parent or their parent’s partner.
  • Be single.
  • Be under 18 years old, or:
    • A full-time student between 18 and 25 years old, or
    • Over 18, unable to work due to a disability, and dependent on the sponsoring parent.
  • The child can include their own dependent children in the application.

The Sponsoring Parent

The child’s sponsoring parent must be an:

  • Australian citizen, or
  • Australian permanent resident, or
  • Eligible New Zealand citizen.

The parent’s spouse or de facto partner can also sponsor the child.

The Child’s Relationship with the Sponsor

The child must be:

  • The biological or adopted child of the sponsoring parent, or
  • A stepchild under 18 of a step-parent who is no longer the partner of the child’s parent but has legal responsibility for the child.

If adopted, the child must have been adopted before the parent became an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.

Best Interests of the Child

If the child is under 18, the visa may not be granted if it is against their best interests.

Age Requirements

The child must be under 25 years old. If they are 18 or older, they must be a full-time student dependent on the sponsoring parent. The only exception is if the child has a disability preventing them from working.

Health Requirements

The child must meet certain health standards, and results are generally valid for 12 months. This applies to any family members included in the application.

Character Requirements

Any child over 16 must meet specific character standards and may need to provide police certificates from countries they lived in for 12 months or more over the past 10 years after turning 16.

Debts to the Australian Government

The child must not have any outstanding debts to the Australian Government or must have arranged to repay them.

About the Visa

The Child Visa (subclass 101) allows an eligible parent to sponsor their child to live permanently in Australia. The parent can apply on behalf of a child under 18.

An eligible parent is:

  • An Australian citizen,
  • A permanent resident, or
  • An eligible New Zealand citizen.

What the Child Can Do

This visa allows the child to:

  • Live in Australia indefinitely,
  • Work and study in Australia,
  • Enroll in Medicare, Australia’s health care system,
  • Apply for Australian citizenship (if eligible),
  • Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residency,
  • Travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted (after that, a new visa is needed for re-entry).

Additional Costs

You may need to pay for health assessments, police certificates, or other required tests.

Location

The child must be outside Australia when the application is both lodged and decided.

Visa Duration

This is a permanent visa.

Including Family Members

You may include your child in the application. Children included must meet health and character requirements and provide proof of their relationship with the sponsor. Siblings need to lodge separate applications.

Child’s Obligations

The child must:

  • Comply with all Australian laws and visa conditions,
  • Enter Australia by a specified date,
  • Not marry or enter into a de facto relationship before arriving in Australia.

You must notify immigration if any changes occur that affect eligibility for the visa.

Sponsors

Who Can Sponsor a Child

A sponsor must be:

  • A parent (or their partner) or step-parent of the child,
  • Over 18, and
  • An Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.

Step-parents who are no longer partners of the child’s parent but have legal responsibility for the child (and the child is under 18) can also sponsor. Adoptive parents can sponsor only if the adoption took place before the sponsor became an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.

You don’t need to be in Australia when applying, but if you’re a permanent resident, you must have entered Australia at least once.

Parental Responsibility

For children under 18, you must prove one of the following:

  • Written consent from all legal guardians,
  • Legal permission from the child’s home country for their removal,
  • Compliance with any relevant Australian child orders.

Character Requirements

Sponsors must meet certain character requirements, including providing police certificates from countries lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years after turning 16.

Assurance of Support

You may be required to provide an assurance of support to ensure the child does not rely on Australian welfare. Do not provide this unless specifically asked.

Sponsorship Obligations

Sponsors are responsible for:

  • The costs of the child living in Australia,
  • Providing accommodation and financial support for the child’s first two years,
  • Helping the child settle in,
  • Supporting the child in attending any required English classes.

Notify immigration if circumstances change affecting the child’s visa eligibility or your ability to sponsor.