Subclass 101 and 802

Child Visa (101 and 802): Bring Your Child to Live With You Permanently.

If you are an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, you can sponsor your dependent child to live here for good. The 101 is for a child outside Australia, the 802 for a child already onshore. Both give permanent residence on grant.

Permanent residence on grantOffshore 101 or onshore 802Higher priority, often faster

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What the 101 and 802 Are

Two visas, same job - which one depends on where your child is now.

Both give your dependent child permanent residence in Australia. The Child visa (101) is for a child living outside Australia. The Child visa (802) is for a child already onshore. You, the parent, are the sponsor in both cases, and you must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

Child visas are treated as high priority. Because they involve keeping parents and children together, they generally sit ahead of other family visas in the queue. As family visas go, this is one of the more reliable ones for getting an answer in a reasonable timeframe.

Who Qualifies as a Dependent Child

Dependency is defined specifically - and age matters.

Your child must be one of the following:

Under 18
Aged 18 to under 25 and studying full-time while still financially dependent on you
18 or over and unable to work due to a physical or mental incapacity

Two things often catch people out. If your child was adopted overseas, the application usually goes through the Adoption visa (102) instead, with different rules. And if you're lodging a partner visa and want to include a child, that child is often added to your partner application rather than applying separately. We'll make sure you're on the right track before anything is lodged.

101 Compared With 802

Subclass 101 or Subclass 802 - the difference is location, not outcome.

Both subclasses are designed for a dependent child of an Australian sponsor, and both lead to permanent residence on grant. The Subclass 101 (Child) visa is lodged from outside Australia; the Subclass 802 (Child) visa is lodged onshore. Here is how the two line up side by side.

Feature	Subclass 101 (Child)	Subclass 802 (Child)
Where the child is when applying	Outside Australia at the time of application and decision	Already in Australia, generally on a valid substantive visa
Where it can be granted	Child must usually be offshore when the visa is decided	Child must usually be onshore when the visa is decided
Outcome on grant	Permanent residence	Permanent residence
Sponsor	A parent who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen	Same as the 101
Dependency test	Same rules apply (age, study, or incapacity)	Same rules apply (age, study, or incapacity)
Bridging visa while waiting	Not applicable - the child is offshore	A bridging visa may keep the child lawful onshore while the application is decided

What it costs. There is a government visa application charge for the 101 and the 802, and our professional fee is separate from that. We don't publish a fixed price, because the total depends on your child's age, the evidence needed, and whether anyone is added to the application. We quote in writing before you commit. See how we quote.

Common Questions

Child visa questions answered.

What's the difference between the 101 and the 802?

It comes down to where your child is when they apply. If your child is outside Australia, you lodge the 101. If your child is already onshore on a valid substantive visa, you apply for the 802. Both lead to permanent residence on grant - the subclass is decided by location, not by a different process.

Can my adult child still qualify?

Possibly - but only in specific situations. Under the dependency rules currently set by the government, a child aged 18 to under 25 who is studying full-time and still financially dependent on you may qualify. A child 18 or over who cannot work due to a physical or mental incapacity may also qualify. We confirm your child's situation against the current rules before anything is lodged.

Does adoption change the process?

Often, yes. If your child was adopted overseas, the application usually goes through the Adoption visa (102) rather than the child visa, and the requirements there are different. We make sure you're on the right track before anything is lodged, because applying to the wrong subclass wastes time and fees.

How fast does the child visa move?

Child visas are treated as a high priority because they keep families together, so they generally move faster than other family visas. That said, processing depends on your individual case, current Departmental workloads, and how quickly the required documents come together. As family visas go, this is one of the more reliable ones for getting a decision in reasonable time.

What documents do I need to prove my child is dependent?

It depends on your child's age and situation. For every application you'll need to prove the parent relationship, usually with the child's birth certificate naming you. For a child under 18, you'll also need evidence that you have the legal right to remove them from their home country, which can mean custody or guardianship orders or the other parent's consent. For an older child relying on full-time study or financial dependency, you'll need enrolment records and evidence that you support them financially. We tell you exactly which documents apply to your case before anything is lodged, so you're not gathering paperwork you don't need.

What happens if my child visa application is refused?

Most refusals come down to the dependency test not being clearly met or gaps in the evidence, rather than the family relationship itself being in doubt. If your application is refused, you may be able to seek merits review at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), which replaced the AAT on 14 October 2024. The deadline to apply for review runs from the date on your decision letter, so check the letter and act quickly. In some cases it can be stronger to fix the underlying issue and reapply rather than appeal. We'd look at the refusal reasons and talk you through which path suits your situation.

Can I include step-children or children from a previous relationship?

Often, yes. A step-child or a child from a previous relationship can be a dependent child under the Migration Regulations, provided they meet the same age, study or incapacity rules and you have the legal right to bring them to Australia. Where the other parent is still involved, custody or consent evidence usually matters. If you're also lodging a partner visa, it can be simpler to add the child to that partner application rather than running a separate child visa. We confirm the cleanest route for your family before lodging.

How much does a child visa cost?

There are two separate parts: the government's visa application charge for the 101 or 802, and our professional fee for preparing and managing the application. We don't publish a fixed price, because the total varies with your child's age, the evidence required, and whether anyone else is added to the application. We set out the full cost in writing before you commit, so there are no surprises. You can read more about how we quote.

Related Help

Where to from here.

Partner visaPartner Visa OverviewAdding children to a partner visa is often simpler.All family visasOther Family VisasSee every family visa type in one place.Parent visasParent Visas OverviewIf you want to bring your parents here too.

Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)

Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.

Want to bring your child to Australia?

We confirm the dependency test, pick the right subclass, and prepare a complete application - so this goes as smoothly as it should.