Dependent Child Visa (Subclass 445): Bringing Your Child to Australia

Who Is Eligible for the Subclass 445 Visa?

All of the following conditions must be satisfied for a child to qualify for the Subclass 445.

Onshore vs Offshore Subclass 445 Applications

How to Apply for the Subclass 445 Visa

1. 1

   Step 1 Confirm the Parent's Visa Status and Sponsor Details

   Before preparing the application, verify that the parent currently holds a Subclass 309, 820, or 445 visa and confirm that the person who sponsored the parent's partner visa is willing and able to sponsor the child's 445 application.

2. 2

   Step 2 Gather All Supporting Documents

   Collect every document required to support the application before lodging. Incomplete applications create delays and frequently result in requests for further information that extend processing considerably. The documents checklist is set out in detail below.

3. 3

   Step 3 Lodge a Paper Application With the Child and Other Family Processing Centre

   The Subclass 445 is not available for online lodgement through ImmiAccount. It requires a paper application submitted to the Department of Home Affairs' Child and Other Family Processing Centre. The correct application form and current lodgement address are published on the Department of Home Affairs' official website. Confirm the current lodgement address at the time of submission as processing arrangements may change.

4. 4

   Step 4 Complete Health and Character Checks

   Following lodgement, health examinations are arranged through a panel physician approved by the Department of Home Affairs. Where police clearance certificates are required, these must be obtained from each relevant jurisdiction. Delays in completing health or character requirements are among the most common reasons 445 applications take longer than expected.

5. 5

   Step 5 Respond to Any Requests and Await Decision

   The Department may request additional information or documents during the assessment. Responding promptly and completely to any such requests helps avoid unnecessary delays in reaching a decision.

Subclass 445 Visa Processing Times

The Department of Home Affairs does not publish a fixed processing timeframe for the Subclass 445 visa. The time taken to reach a decision varies from application to application.

The factors that most commonly affect processing time are how complete the application is at the point of lodgement, how quickly health examinations are completed and results received by the Department, whether custody and consent documentation is straightforward or raises questions that require further enquiry, and whether the sponsor assessment process identifies any matters requiring additional consideration.

If you would like guidance on current processing times and what to expect at each stage of your child's application, contact our migration lawyers. We are available seven days a week to assist.

Subclass 445 Visa Cost

The visa application charge for the Subclass 445 Dependent Child visa is set by the Department of Home Affairs and is reviewed annually, with changes typically taking effect on 1 July each year. The current charges effective 1 July 2026 are as follows:

From the Subclass 445 Visa to Permanent Residency

The specific steps depend on the parent's visa pathway:

Common Subclass 445 Visa Mistakes

• Applying After the Parent's Permanent Partner Visa Has Been Decided

  The Subclass 445 is only available while the parent holds a Subclass 309, 820, or 445. Once the parent's permanent Partner visa has been decided, whether granted or refused, the 445 pathway closes. An application lodged after that point cannot succeed, and the child must pursue a different visa pathway.

• Overlooking the Other Parent's Consent

  In applications where the child is not in the sole custody of the parent holding the Partner visa, written consent from the other parent is a mandatory requirement. Applications submitted without this consent, or without a valid court order demonstrating sole custody, will stall and may be refused. Identifying and addressing this requirement at the earliest stage of preparation avoids a preventable and potentially serious delay.

• Nominating a Different Sponsor

  The sponsorship requirement is specific: the sponsor must be the same individual who sponsored the parent's Partner visa. Submitting an application with a different sponsor does not satisfy the requirement and the application will not succeed on that basis.

• Weak Dependency Evidence for Children Aged 18 and Over

  Applications for children aged 18 or older that rely on general assertions of parental support without documentary evidence are a consistent cause of requests for further information and, in some cases, refusal. The Department of Home Affairs requires concrete evidence of ongoing financial dependency, not a statement that support exists.

• Not Adding the Child to the Permanent Partner Visa Application in Time

  A 445 visa that has been properly obtained and maintained provides no ongoing protection after the parent's permanent Partner visa is decided if the child has not been added to that application. This single administrative oversight, which is entirely preventable, is among the most consequential errors in the 445 process. No discretion exists to remedy it after the permanent visa decision has been made.

What If the Parent's Partner Visa Is Refused?

Because the Subclass 445 is tied to the parent's partner visa, a refusal of that visa has direct consequences for the child.

1. 01

   If the parent's partner visa is refused and that refusal is not overturned, the child's 445 visa ceases. The child must either depart Australia or secure a different basis for lawful stay before the 445 ends.

2. 02

   Where the parent is onshore and seeks merits review of the refusal at the Administrative Review Tribunal, the parent is generally entitled to a bridging visa that allows them to remain in Australia while the review proceeds. The child's position during that period depends on their specific circumstances and what visa conditions apply. Offshore applicants refused a partner visa do not receive a bridging visa and generally do not have access to merits review at the Tribunal.

3. 03

   If the parent's refusal is overturned at review and the partner visa is subsequently granted, the child's pathway can continue as planned. Acting promptly after a refusal is received, including immediately assessing whether review rights exist and what the review timeframes are, is critical given the direct impact on the child.

How Our Lawyers Can Help

Managing a Subclass 445 application alongside a parent's partner visa involves a number of decisions that are time-sensitive and interdependent. An error at one stage can affect the child's position at a later stage in ways that are difficult or impossible to correct.