Australia's Child visa is a permanent residence visa for children of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. There are two subclasses based on where the child is located:

• Subclass 101 — for children who are outside Australia at the time of application and at the time of visa grant
• Subclass 802 — for children who are in Australia at the time of application

Both subclasses result in the child receiving a permanent residence visa, allowing them to live, study, and work in Australia. For current eligibility requirements, application forms, and processing times, refer to the DHA child visa overview page.

• Migration Regulations 1994 — Subclass 101 (Child) and Subclass 802 (Child) — the visa criteria
• DHA: Subclass 101 Child visa — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/child-101
• DHA: Subclass 802 Child visa — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/child-802
• DHA: About child visas (Family Migration program) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-child-visas
• Form 47CH — Application for migration to Australia by a child

Which subclass to apply for

The correct subclass depends on the child's location at the time of application:

• Subclass 101: The child applies while outside Australia. The child must also be outside Australia when the visa is granted (the child cannot enter Australia on a bridging visa and wait for the 101 to be granted onshore — they must be offshore at both stages)
• Subclass 802: The child applies while inside Australia (on a temporary visa). The child remains in Australia while the application is processed. The 802 is used when the child has already come to Australia on a temporary visa and is applying to remain permanently

Eligible parent — sponsoring the child

The sponsoring parent must be one of:

• An Australian citizen
• An Australian permanent resident
• An eligible New Zealand citizen settled in Australia

The sponsoring parent must also be settled in Australia (or becoming settled — for example, applying for PR simultaneously). For the 802, the parent is typically already in Australia.

Types of eligible children

The following types of children may be eligible for the child visa:

• Biological children: A child born to the sponsoring parent and their partner — both parents must be named on the birth certificate, or the child must otherwise be legally recognised as the biological child of the sponsoring parent
• Adopted children: A child legally adopted in Australia or overseas by the sponsoring parent. Overseas adoptions may also be covered by the subclass 102 (Adoption) visa
• Step-children: A child of the sponsoring parent's spouse or de facto partner — the sponsoring parent must be in a genuine relationship with the child's biological parent
• Children born outside marriage: Illegitimate children are treated the same as biological children for visa purposes, provided the parent-child relationship is legally established

Age requirement

The child must generally be under 18 years old at the time of application. Children aged 18 or over may still be eligible if they are:

• Not married and not in a de facto relationship
• Financially dependent on the sponsoring parent
• Enrolled in full-time study

For current age threshold requirements and the definition of dependency for adult children, refer to the DHA subclass 101 page or subclass 802 page.

Health and character requirements

The child must meet Australia's health requirements — a medical examination is typically required. Very young children may have different health assessment requirements. Character requirements also apply. For current thresholds, refer to the relevant DHA visa page.

Related child migration visas

The subclass 101/802 are the primary permanent child visas. Related visas include:

• Subclass 102 (Adoption): For children being adopted from overseas by Australian citizens under the Hague Convention or bilateral adoption agreement. The 102 is specifically for cases where the adoption process is managed internationally and involves official intercountry adoption channels.
• Subclass 445 (Dependent Child): A temporary visa for a child whose parent is waiting for a permanent partner visa (subclass 820/309) to be finalised. The 445 allows the child to join the parent in Australia while the permanent visa is pending. When the parent's permanent visa is granted, the 445 holder typically also receives their permanent status.
• Children included in parent's application: In many cases, dependent children under 18 can be included in a parent's immigration application (e.g., partner visa, skilled visa) as secondary applicants, rather than needing to apply separately under the child visa subclass.

Processing times and fees

For current visa application charges and processing times for the subclass 101 and 802, refer to the DHA subclass 101 page, subclass 802 page, and the DHA family visa processing priorities page.

The child visa subclasses are among Australia's family migration pathways where processing times can be lengthy — similar to the parent visa queue. Children who are already included as dependent family members in a parent's skilled or partner visa application do not generally need to apply separately under the 101/802. The child visa pathway is primarily for situations where the sponsoring parent is already settled in Australia and the child was not initially included in the parent's visa application or arrived under separate circumstances. For current eligibility, processing times, and fees, refer to the DHA child visa overview page.