Subclass 102 — Adoption Visa — Australia — immi.wiki

The Subclass 102 Adoption visa is a permanent visa for a child adopted outside Australia by an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident through a recognised intercountry adoption process. It allows the adopted child to travel to Australia and live there permanently as a member of the adoptive family.

Australia recognises intercountry adoption through two frameworks: the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption (which Australia ratified in 1998) and bilateral adoption arrangements with specific countries (prescribed in Schedule 1 of the Bilateral Arrangements Regulations). Australia has bilateral adoption arrangements with three countries, of which two — Taiwan and the Republic of Korea — had operational intercountry adoption programs with Australia as at 2026. The third bilateral arrangement country may have its program suspended; prospective adoptive parents should check with their State or Territory Central Authority for current status.

All intercountry adoptions must be managed through the relevant State or Territory Central Authority — the government agency in the adoptive parent's state or territory responsible for assessing and approving prospective adoptive parents and managing the adoption process. Individuals cannot arrange intercountry adoptions privately.

The child must:

• Have been adopted outside Australia by an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident
• Have had the adoption completed under the Hague Adoption Convention or a bilateral adoption arrangement prescribed in the Bilateral Arrangements Regulations
• Be outside Australia when the application is lodged and when the visa is decided
• Be under 18 years of age (typically — the adoption process will have established the child's age)
• Meet health requirements (health examination required)

The adoptive parent (sponsor/applicant's parent) must:

• Be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident
• Have been assessed and approved as a prospective adoptive parent by the State or Territory Central Authority in their state or territory
• Have completed the adoption under the applicable legal process in the child's country of origin and under Australian law

The Subclass 102 applies where the adoption is completed before the child arrives in Australia. Where the adoption is to take place in Australia (or is arranged under a different legal mechanism), a different visa pathway may apply.

Applications are lodged online through ImmiAccount, from outside Australia. Because the intercountry adoption process is managed by State and Territory Central Authorities, the adoptive parents will have gone through a substantial assessment and preparation process before reaching the visa stage. Key documents include:

• The adoption order or equivalent legal document confirming the adoption in the country of origin
• Evidence that the adoption was completed under the Hague Convention or a bilateral arrangement (as applicable)
• Evidence of Australian citizenship or permanent residence of the adoptive parent(s)
• Health examination results for the child
• Birth certificate of the child and documents showing the legal parent–child relationship

For current application charges, refer to the DHA fee schedule. For current processing times, refer to global visa processing times.

Prospective adoptive parents should contact their State or Territory Central Authority for information about the intercountry adoption assessment and approval process, which must be completed before the immigration stage.

The Subclass 102 is a permanent visa. The child becomes a permanent resident of Australia on grant and may enter Australia to live with their adoptive family. There are no restrictions on work or study.

A child who is adopted by an Australian citizen — as distinct from a permanent resident — may in some circumstances be eligible for Australian citizenship by descent under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007, rather than requiring a visa. The adoptive parents' State or Territory Central Authority can advise on this distinction in the specific adoption scenario.

Once the child has lived in Australia and meets the residence requirements, they may apply for Australian citizenship through the standard residence pathway or by other means available to them.