Dependent Child Visa for Sponsors
Stay
Temporarily. The applicant can stay until we decide their parent's permanent Partner visa application.
Cost
Processing times
For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.
With this visa the child can
- travel to and from or stay in Australia until we decide their parent's permanent Partner visa application
- apply for a permanent visa
See all conditions
Check your eligibility
Things to note.
- You are responsible for the costs to the Australian Government of the child living in Australia
- You must ensure the child complies with any visa conditions
- If the child works in Australia, you must ensure the work complies with workplace legislation and awards
Scope
This visa allows you to sponsor a child to move or stay in Australia, while we decide their parent's permanent Partner visa.
Cost for the sponsor
There is no cost to apply for sponsorship. However, as a sponsor you will have financial obligations.
Sponsor obligations
As the sponsor, you agree to:
- be responsible for the cost to the Australian Government of the child living in Australia
- ensure the child complies with their visa conditions
- if the child works in Australia, you must ensure they comply with workplace legislation and awards
How long your sponsorship obligations last
Your sponsorship obligations last from the date we grant the visa until we decide on their parent's permanent Partner visa application.
Be suitable to sponsor
You can sponsor a child for this visa if you sponsored their parent's Partner visa application.
We must approve the sponsorship. We might not approve sponsorship if the sponsor or their partner has been charged or convicted of offences involving children. Learn more about measures for the protection of children.
Step 1
Before you apply
Make sure the child is eligible for the visa and you are an eligible sponsor.
Step 2
Gather your documents
Provide evidence to support your sponsorship application.
Provide accurate documents
Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.
Residence and citizenship documents
Provide evidence that you are a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen such as:
- a birth certificate
- an Australian passport
- evidence you are an Australian permanent resident
- an Australian citizenship certificate
- if you are a New Zealand citizen, evidence to show how long you have lived in Australia and your continued links to Australia
Identity documents
Provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.
Also provide a copy of your birth certificate showing both your parents’ names. If you don’t have a birth certificate and you can’t get one, provide a copy of the identification pages of one of these:
- a family book showing both your parents’ names
- government-issued identification
- a court-issued document that verifies your identity
If you have changed your name, provide proof such as:
- a marriage or divorce certificate
- change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
- documents that show other names you have been known by
Police check documents
If the child will be under 18 when we make a decision on the application you must:
- provide an Australian National Police Certificate if you have lived in Australia for any length of time since turning 16
- provide an overseas police certificate from every country, where you spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16
We only accept National Police Certificates applied for under Code 33 – Immigration/Citizenship. The Australian Federal Police issue these certificates. We don't accept standard disclosure certificates or certificates issued by Australian state or territory police.
If you have a spouse or de facto partner they must also provide these documents.
For immigration purposes, police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date.
Learn more about measures for the protection of children.
Translate
Have all non-English documents translated into English.
Provide original and translated documents in your application.
Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:
- full name
- address and telephone number
- qualifications and experience in the language they are translating.
These details must be in English.
Step 3
Apply
You and the applicant apply on the same form.
Complete Form 918 Application for a subclass 445 (temporary) visa by a dependent child (462KB PDF).
Submit your sponsorship documents with the visa application.
Step 4
After you apply
Wait for our decision
If the child is overseas, don't arrange their travel to Australia until we advise in writing we have granted the visa.
The child's application could take longer if:
- they need character or health checks (including X-rays)
- we need more information
- the application is incomplete
Tell us if things change
Things you need to let us know about after you have applied include:
- changes to your phone number, address or passport
- changes to your marital or de facto status
- the birth of a child
See how to tell us if your situation changes.
Withdraw sponsorship
You can withdraw your sponsorship before we grant the visa. You can't withdraw your sponsorship after we grant the visa.
Write to us at the office where the application was sent if you want to withdraw your sponsorship.
Your request must include your:
- full name and date of birth
- file reference number
- client ID or transaction reference number
Step 5
Visa outcome
We will tell the visa applicant our decision in writing.
If we grant the child’s visa, we will tell you:
- the visa grant number
- the date the visa starts
- any conditions attached to the visa
If we refuse the child’s visa, we will tell you:
- why we refused the visa
- whether there is a right to a review of the decision
How long your sponsorship obligations last
Your sponsorship obligations last from the date the child is granted the visa until we decide their parent's permanent Partner visa application.
Your obligations
As the sponsor, you agree to:
- be responsible for the cost to the Australian Government of the child living in Australia
- ensure the child complies with their visa conditions
- if the child works in Australia, you must ensure the work complies with workplace legislation and awards
Withdraw sponsorship
You can't withdraw your sponsorship after we grant the visa.
Tell us if things change
See Changes in your situation.