Subclass 802 Child Visa Australia: Onshore Eligibility, Cost and Steps

Your child is already in Australia with you, perhaps on a visitor or student visa, and you want them to stay for good. The question is which visa lets them do that from here.

For most families, it is the Child visa 802. It is the onshore permanent child visa, so your child applies while they are in Australia and becomes a permanent resident on grant.

Parents usually ask the same few things. Why is it still on paper? What does it cost now? What happens if my child turns 18 while we wait?

The short version: it costs AUD 4,040, it is posted to one processing centre in Perth, and a birthday after lodgement does not cost your child their place.

This guide covers what the visa gives your child, who qualifies, the documents, the steps and how long it takes.

What is an 802 Child Visa in Australia?

The Child visa (subclass 802) is a permanent visa for a child in Australia whose parent is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. It lets the child live in Australia indefinitely with their family.

From the day it is granted, your child can work and study in Australia and enrol in Australia’s public healthcare scheme, Medicare. They can apply for Australian citizenship once they meet the eligibility requirements.

If your child is outside Australia, the Child visa 101 is the offshore version. Our child visa page compares every subclass.

Can the child travel to and from Australia with this visa?

Yes, the child can travel to and from Australia as often as they like for 5 years from the date of grant. After that, they need a Resident Return visa (subclass 155 or 157) to re-enter as a permanent resident. If they become an Australian citizen, they don’t need one.

Can the child include other children in an 802 visa?

Siblings can’t share one application. If your child has brothers or sisters who also want to apply, each one needs a separate application.

The child’s own dependent children can be included in their application, either when it is lodged or at any time before a decision. Those children must meet the health requirement. Family members who are not coming to Australia may also have to meet it.

What is the application cost of an 802 Child visa in Australia?

The Child visa 802 costs AUD 4,040 for the main applicant, as at October 2026. Each extra applicant costs AUD 2,020 if they are 18 or over, or AUD 1,015 if they are under 18.

• A lower charge (AUD 3,315 for the main applicant) applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste passport holders.
• Health examinations, police certificates and biometrics cost extra.
• The charge rises most years on 1 July. Check the current amount in the Visa Pricing Estimator.

Home Affairs does not refund the charge if the application is refused, so it is worth confirming eligibility first.

What is the processing time for a subclass 802 visa in Australia?

Most Child visa 802 applications take about 20 to 29 months to be decided, as of September 2026. Use the Home Affairs processing time guide for the latest figure.

You should receive an acknowledgement letter within about one month of lodging. Home Affairs says an application can take longer when:

• the forms are not filled in correctly.
• required documents are missing, or more information is needed.
• it takes time to verify your information.
• the full charge was not covered at lodgement.

The Department will not start processing until the full charge is received.

What are the Eligibility Criteria to Apply for the 802 Child Visa?

The child must be in Australia, and not in immigration clearance, when the application is lodged and when it is decided. Home Affairs treats an application lodged while the child is outside Australia as invalid. The child must also meet these requirements.

Sponsorship requirements

• The sponsor must be the parent, or the parent’s cohabiting spouse or de facto partner, and must be 18 or over.
• The parent must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
• The child can be the parent’s biological child, adopted child or stepchild.
• A stepchild must be the child of the step-parent’s former partner, be under 18, and be covered by a parenting order, guardianship or custody.
• Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship before the visa is granted.

Age requirements

• The child must be under 18, or
• aged 18 to 24, studying full time, not working full time, and financially dependent on the parent more than on anyone else, or
• 18 or over with a disability that stops them working.

Age is counted on the day you lodge. A child who turns 18, or 25, after lodgement is still assessed as eligible (Migration Regulations, clause 802.221). A full-time student must still be studying full-time when the decision is made. Our child visa age limit guide explains each ground.

Marital status requirements

• The child can’t be married, engaged or in a de facto relationship.
• A child aged 18 or over must never have had a spouse or de facto partner.

Health requirements

• The child, and any dependent children applying with them, must meet the health requirement.
• Home Affairs will tell you when to book the health examinations.

Character requirements

• A child aged 16 or over must meet the character requirement and complete Form 80.
• Police certificates may be needed from Australia and from any country the child has lived in for 12 months or more.

Financial dependency (children 18 and over)

• A child aged 18 or over must show they depend on the parent for basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing.
• Evidence includes bank statements, money transfers and rent receipts, and how long the support has been given.
• There is no income test for the sponsoring parent, although Home Affairs can ask for an Assurance of Support in some cases.

Other requirements

• The child can’t be in Australia on a visa with a No Further Stay condition (8503).
• For a child under 18, everyone with the legal right to decide where they live must consent, usually on Form 1229.
• The visa must be in the best interests of a child under 18.
• A child aged 18 or over must sign the Australian Values Statement.

Unsure whether your child meets every criterion? A MARA-registered agent (MARN 2518738) can check before you pay the charge. Book a consultation.

How to Apply for an 802 Child Visa in Australia?

You apply for the Child visa 802 on paper by sending Form 47CH and Form 40CH together to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth. Follow these four steps in order.

• Step 1: Check your eligibility.
• Step 2: Gather and organise the required documents.
• Step 3: Pay and send the application.
• Step 4: Wait for the visa outcome.

Step 1: Check your eligibility

• Confirm the child is in Australia and does not hold a visa with condition 8503.
• Check the age grounds the child fits and the date it has to be met by.
• Confirm the parent’s status and who will be the sponsor.

Step 2: Gather and organise the required documents

Send certified copies of all documents except police certificates, which must be originals. Here is the document checklist for an 802 visa:

• Identity documents: the child’s passport pages, national identity card if they have one, and any change of name documents.
• Travel documents: the passport the child used to enter Australia, and any passports held since.
• Relationship evidence: a birth certificate, or adoption papers or an adoption compliance certificate.
• Consent: Form 1229 or a statutory declaration from anyone else with parental responsibility, or a court order.
• Character: Form 80 and original police certificates for a child aged 16 or over.
• Children 18 to 24: proof of full-time enrolment and attendance, and a statement explaining any study gap of more than 6 months.
• Children 18 or over with a disability: evidence from a qualified medical practitioner.
• Children 18 or over: evidence of financial dependency on the parent.

Non-English documents need English translations, and translators in Australia must be accredited by NAATI.

Step 3: Pay and send the application

Complete these two forms in English and send them together:

• Form 47CH Application for migration to Australia by a child
• Form 40CH Sponsorship for a child to migrate to Australia

Then follow these instructions:

• Pay the charge first, using the payment function in ImmiAccount, and include the payment evidence.
• Post or courier the application to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth. You can’t lodge it in person.
• By post: Department of Home Affairs, Child and Other Family Processing Centre, Locked Bag 7, Northbridge WA 6865.
• By courier: Wellington Central, 836 Wellington Street, West Perth WA 6005.
• Keep a full copy of everything you send.

If any step is missed, the application may be invalid, and Home Affairs does not process invalid applications. Check the Home Affairs 802 page for the latest addresses before you send.

Make sure every answer is complete and true. Wrong or false information can lead to a refusal, or to cancellation after grant. If you notice a mistake after lodging, tell Home Affairs on Form 1023.

Step 4: Wait for the visa outcome

• When the acknowledgement letter arrives, import the application into ImmiAccount using the application ID. You can then upload documents, see messages and check the status.
• Your child is usually granted a bridging visa, which keeps them lawful if their current visa ends while you wait.
• Tell Home Affairs before your child travels overseas. The child must be in Australia when the decision is made.
• Report any change, such as a new address, passport or relationship status.

If the visa is granted, you will receive the grant number, the start date and any conditions. If it is refused, the letter gives the reasons and says whether you can ask for a review.

How The Migration Helps With a Child Visa 802

We prepare the 802 application so it is valid on the day it lands in Perth and complete enough to avoid avoidable requests for more information.

• We confirm the 802 is the right subclass, and that your child’s current visa does not carry condition 8503.
• We work out the age ground and the date it must be met by.
• We review Forms 47CH and 40CH, the consent forms and the document set before anything is posted.
• We manage the application in ImmiAccount after lodgement, including requests for more information.

Your case is handled by a MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738), with 7+ years of practice in Australian family visas. You can verify the registration on the MARA public register.

Conclusion

The Child visa 802 lets a child already in Australia stay permanently with their parent. It costs AUD 4,040, it is lodged on paper in Perth, and age is counted on the day you lodge.

The checks that matter most happen before you post: the child’s location, any 8503 condition, the age ground and the consent forms. Get those right, and the long wait that follows is simply a wait.

Frequently asked questions