The Subclass 101 Child visa allows children from outside Australia to live with their parents permanently in Australia
With this visa, the child is able to.:
- migrate to Australia as a permanent resident
- work and study
- access Medicare
- Sponsor relatives to come Australia
- attend free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program (if eligible)
- apply for Australian citizenship (if eligible)
The child must:
- Be a dependent of a parent who is an Australian citizen, an eligible New Zealand citizen, or a holder of an Australian permanent visa.
- Be under 18 years old, a full-time student aged over 18 and under 25 who is financially dependent on the parent, or over 18 and unable to work due to a disability.
- Be single and financially dependent on the parent.
- Be outside Australia when the application is submitted.
The child may qualify for COVID-19 visa concessions.
Adopted Children
To be granted this visa, an adopted child must have been adopted before turning 18 by a parent who was not an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen at the time of adoption.
A child adopted before the age of 18 by a parent who was already an Australian citizen, permanent visa holder, or eligible New Zealand citizen at the time of adoption may qualify for an Adoption visa (subclass 102).
Include other children
If the child has siblings who also wish to apply, each sibling must submit a separate application.
The child’s dependent children can be included in their application at the time of submission or any time before a decision is made.
Dependent children of the applicant must meet the health requirements to qualify for the visa.
Family members who will not be coming to Australia may also need to meet the health requirements.
Apply from
The child must be outside Australia at the time the application is submitted.
The child’s obligations
The child must enter Australia before the date specified in their grant letter, which is typically set at 12 months from the date the visa is granted.
The child and their family members must comply with all visa conditions and adhere to Australian laws.
Applying for a Child Visa
To be eligible to apply for a Child Subclass 101 visa, a child must meet the below requirements:
- An Australian citizen
- An eligible New Zealand citizen
- An Australian permanent visa holder
The child can be the parent’s:
- Biological child
- Adopted child
- Stepchild (only from a former partner)
A child does not meet the dependency requirement if the stepparent is the current spouse or de facto partner of the child’s biological or adopted parent.
Adopted Children
To qualify for this visa, an adopted child must have been adopted before turning 18 by a parent who was not an Australian citizen, permanent visa holder, or eligible New Zealand citizen at the time of adoption.
A child adopted before the age of 18 by a parent who was already an Australian citizen, permanent visa holder, or eligible New Zealand citizen may be eligible for an Adoption visa (subclass 102).
Stepchildren
To be eligible for this visa, a stepchild must:
- Be the child of their step-parent’s former partner
- Be under 18 years old
Additionally, the step-parent must have one of the following:
- An Australian parenting order that states the child is to live with and be cared for by them, or
- Guardianship or custody of the child under Australian law or the law of another country.
Citizenship by Descent
The child may opt to apply for Australian citizenship by descent instead of a visa to travel to Australia if:
- The child was born outside Australia
- One of their parents was an Australian citizen at the time of the child’s birth.
Have a sponsor
The child must be sponsored by an eligible parent or their parent’s spouse or de facto partner.
The sponsorship must be approved by us. We may not approve the sponsorship if the parent or their partner has been charged with or convicted of offenses involving children.
Age
The child must meet one of the following criteria:
- Be under 18 years old
- Be over 18 and under 25 years old, studying full-time
- Be over 18 years old and have a disability
Have no partner
The child cannot be, nor have ever been:
- Married or engaged to be married
- In a de facto relationship
Health requirement
The child and any dependents applying for the visa with them must meet our health requirements.
Dependent children who are not applying for the visa may also need to fulfill these health requirements.
Character requirement
If the child is 16 years old or over, they must meet our character requirements.
We may also request that other family members fulfill this requirement.
Have paid back debt to the Australian Government
If the child or any family member owes money to the Australian Government, it must be repaid or there must be a formal arrangement in place to repay it.
Sign the Australian values statement
Children aged 18 or older must:
- Have read, or had explained to them, the “Life in Australia” booklet
- Sign the Australian Values Statement, confirming their commitment to obey Australian laws and respect the Australian way of life.
Have consent to migrate to Australia
We will only grant this visa to a child under 18 years old if one of the following conditions is met:
- The child has written consent from everyone who can legally decide where they live
- The laws of the child’s home country permit them to leave
- It aligns with any Australian court orders regarding the child
Be interests of the child
We may not grant this visa if it is determined that it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
How long does it take to get a decision on the 101 visa application?
50% of visas are processed within 22 months
90% of visas are processed within 31 months
Processing Times Updated 1 November 2025
Other child visas
If you hold a temporary Australian visa and would like to bring your child to Australia, you may apply for one of the below family visas:
Get a quote
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