Child Visa Subclass 101

The subclass 101 Child visa holder must be sponsored by the same person who sponsored their parent’s permanent Partner Visa application.

Overview

The subclass 101 Child visa allows you to sponsor a child to move or stay in Australia while their parent’s permanent partner visa is being decided by the immigration department.

If you are the biological, adopted or step-parent of a child, you can apply to sponsor the child. Your application to sponsor must be approved by the immigration department for the rest of the visa process to progress.

As the sponsor, you need to agree to the sponsor obligations which includes being responsible for the living costs of the child.

Your sponsorship obligations last from the date the immigration department grants the child visa until when it reaches a decision on their parent’s permanent Partner Visa.

Steps for apply for a subclass 101 Child Visa

There are 4 steps to applying for this visa:

Step 1. You must have already sponsored their parent for a provisional partner visa

Step 2. Prepare the documents

For each child you are sponsoring under or over 18 years of age, you will need to include documents that prove:

their identify (such as their passport),

their relationship to their parent (such as a birth certificate or adoption papers)

travel documents and

character documents if they are 16 years old or over.

Younger or older than 18 years old

If the child you are sponsoring is over 18 years old and financially dependent on their parent you have sponsored for the provisional Partner visa, you will need to include:

If the child you are sponsoring is over 18 years old and dependent on their parent you have sponsored for the provisional Partner visa for basic needs, you will need to evidence such as bank statements, money transfers or rent receipts.

If the sponsored child is aged between 18 and 25 years old and studying, you will need to show s/he is enrolled as a fulltime student and actively participating in a further education course of study.

Disability

If the sponsored child is over 18 years old and is with a disability, you will need to include evidence from a qualified medical practitioner explaining how their disability stops them from working.

Consent to Travel to Australia

If the child you are sponsoring is under 18 years old, you will need to submit:

 Form 1229 ‘Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years’

A statutory declaration from anyone with a legal right to decide where the child lives giving their consent for the child to stay in Australia on this visa.

Or

An Australian court order that allows your child to migrate to Australia

Proof that the laws of the child’s home country allow them to leave their home country

Health

The child you are sponsoring will need to meet Australia’s health requirements. The health checks are usually requested after the visa is lodged.

Character

If you’re sponsoring a child who is aged 16 years old or older, the child may need to meet Australia’s character requirements.

This involves getting a police certificate from each country they have lived in for 12 months or more. The immigration department will tell you when to obtain these police certificates.

Australian Values Statement

If the child you’re sponsoring is over 18 years old they will be asked to read or have explained to them the ‘Life in Australia’ booklet and sign the Australian Values Statement.

Step 3. Submit the Child Visa application

Unusually for Australian visas, the application form for the Child Visa must be done on paper instead of online.

The immigration department will let you know when they receive your application. They will be in touch again to let you know when to carry out the health checks needed as part of the application.

During this time, don’t arrange travel arrangements for the child you are sponsoring until the immigration department advises whether or not the visa has been granted.

Step 4. The visa is granted.

Once the visa is granted, you and the sponsored child will be provided with the visa grant number, the date the visa starts, the conditions and the date by which the child must enter Australia.