Australian Child Visa:
The family stream of Australia’s Migration Program allows the reunion of immediate family members, including dependent children, adopted children,stepchildren, and orphan relatives.While children can often be included in the application of their migrating parents they sometimes migrate individually. In this case they may apply for one of the child visas. This fact sheet covers in general terms migration requirements for child visas, including Child, Orphan Relative and Adoption.
General information on the Family stream is available in Fact Sheet 29.
See: Fact Sheet 29 – Overview of Family Stream Migration.
Child Visa
There are a number of visa types for children whether they are outside or in Australia.
Child – Permanent
For children from overseas who are the natural or adopted or step child of an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Orphan Relative – Permanent
For children from overseas whose parents are dead, permanently debilitated, or whose whereabouts are unknown, and who have an eligible sponsor.
Dependent Child Visa
For those children whose parent holds a provisional partner visa and is in the process of getting a permanent partner visa.
Adoption – Permanent
For children from abroad who have been or about to be adopted by an Australian resident or the owner of an Australian permanent visa or an entitled New Zealand citizen. If the child was adopted before the parent became an Australian citizen or the holder of an Australian permanent visa or an eligible New Zealand citizen, they should in its place apply for a Child visa.
Dependent Child Visa
For children whose parent holds a temporary partner visa and is in the procedure of obtaining a permanent partner visa.
Custody requirement
When a candidate is under the age of eighteen, requirements relating to child custody must be qualified. Its means that if there is any body other than the sponsor who can lawfully determine where the child should live, permission for the child to migrate must be obtained from that person. On the other hand a court order may be provided which allows the child to migrate.
Health and Character Requirements
Like all migrants, child applicants MUST be assessed against Australia’s health and character requirements.
See:
Fact Sheet 22 – The Health Requirement
Fact Sheet 79 – The Character Requirement
Assurance of Support
An Assurance of Support is a legal promise by a person to pay back to the Australian Government any recoverable social security payments made by Centre link to those covered by the pledge.
An AoS is also a commitment to provide financial support to the person applying to migrate, so that they will not have to rely on any government forms of support.
The assurance comes into result from the day the assuree (migrant) arrives in Australia, or the grant of a relevant visa to remain in Australia.
An AoS may be requested for a Child, an Orphan Relative or an Adopted Child application if the child is assessed as likely to become a charge on the Australian welfare budget. On 1 July 2004, Centrelink assumed blame for all AoS assessments.
More information about the AoS is available in Fact Sheet 34.
See: Fact Sheet 34 – Assurance of Support
Other information
www.citizenship.gov.au
Further information is available on the Citizenship enquiry line on 131 880.
Further information on applying for Child Visas, including application forms, is available in the Child Migration booklet. This is available on the Department’s website or can be purchased for A$10 from any departmental office.
Further information is available on the department’s web site.
See: www.immi.gov.au
The department also operates a national telephone service inquiry line.
Telephone: 131 881
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm (recorded information available outside these hours) for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia.
Fact Sheet 33. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra.
Revised 30 January 2007.