Subclass 445 Dependent Child Visa Australia
Updated: 13 November 2026
The subclass 445 Dependent Child visa is a temporary visa for a child whose parent holds a Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) or a Partner visa (subclass 820) and is waiting for a permanent Partner visa decision.
The child can be in or outside Australia when they apply. The visa costs AUD 4,040 for the main applicant. It lets the child stay, work and study in Australia until the Department of Home Affairs decides the parent's permanent Partner visa application.
The child then needs to apply to be added to that permanent application. The 445 does not lead to permanent residence by itself.
Key takeaways
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Who it is for: a dependent child of a 309 or 820 Partner visa holder (or of a 445 holder)
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Sponsor: the same person who sponsored or nominated the parent's permanent Partner visa application
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Age: under 18, or over 18 and financially dependent on the parent
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Cost: AUD 4,040 for the main applicant, AUD 2,020 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 1,015 for each under 18
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Processing time: Home Affairs' guide shows 50% of applications processed in 26 months and 90% in 33 months
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Visa conditions: none attached
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How to apply: on paper with Form 918, posted to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth
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Next step: once granted, the child applies to be added to the parent's permanent Partner visa application
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No extension: the visa ends when the parent's permanent application is decided or withdrawn
What is the subclass 445 visa?
The 445 is a temporary visa that sits inside the partner visa pathway. It exists so a child can stay in Australia with their parent while the parent's permanent Partner visa application is still being processed.
The visa starts on the date it is granted. The child can stay until Home Affairs decides the parent's permanent Partner visa application, or until the parent withdraws it. The child cannot extend the visa.
The child can travel to and from Australia while the visa is valid. Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa. Home Affairs links the visa digitally to the child's passport, so the child does not get a label.
445 visa requirements
The child must meet each of these requirements. Home Affairs lists them on the subclass 445 eligibility page.
Parent's visa
The child must be dependent on a parent who holds one of these visas:
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Dependent Child visa (subclass 445)
If the child is in Australia, they cannot hold another visa with a No Further Stay condition.
Sponsor
The same person who sponsored or nominated the parent's permanent Partner visa application must sponsor the child. Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship before it grants the visa.
A pending registrable offence charge against the sponsor, or their spouse or de facto partner, leads to a refusal of the sponsorship and the visa application. A registrable offence conviction means Home Affairs can approve the sponsorship only in very limited circumstances.
Age
The child must be either:
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under 18, or
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over 18 and financially dependent on the parent who holds the temporary Partner or Dependent Child visa
Health, character and other requirements
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Health: the child, and any dependent children applying with them, must meet the health requirement. Family members who are not coming to Australia might also need to meet it.
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Character: a child aged 16 or over must meet the character requirement.
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Australian values statement: a child aged 18 or over must read, or have explained to them, the Life in Australia booklet, and sign the Australian Values Statement.
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Debts: any money the child owes the Australian Government must be paid back, or covered by a formal repayment arrangement.
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Consent to travel: a child under 18 needs written consent from everyone who can legally decide where they live. The visa can also be granted if the laws of the child's home country allow them to leave, or if it is consistent with an Australian child order.
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Best interests: Home Affairs might refuse the visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
What can a child do on a 445 visa?
A child on a 445 visa can:
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stay in Australia until the parent's permanent Partner visa application is decided
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travel to and from Australia
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work and study in Australia
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attend free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible
Home Affairs lists no visa conditions for the 445. Once someone submits the application to add the child to the parent's permanent Partner visa application, the child can enrol in Medicare.
445 visa cost
The 445 visa costs AUD 4,040 for the main applicant. Each additional applicant who applies with the main applicant pays an extra charge, which depends on their age when you lodge.
These figures come from Home Affairs' Visa Pricing Estimator, checked on 13 November 2026 for a lodgement date of 13 November 2026:
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Main applicant: AUD 4,040
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Each additional applicant aged 18 or over: AUD 2,020
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Each additional applicant under 18: AUD 1,015
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GST: AUD 0
For example, a main applicant plus one additional applicant under 18 pays AUD 5,055. A main applicant plus one additional applicant aged 18 or over pays AUD 6,060.
Health checks, police certificates and biometrics cost extra. The estimator does not include those costs.
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application. The estimator shows AUD 3,315 for the main applicant, AUD 1,655 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 830 for each under 18 on a Samoan passport. Home Affairs recognises eligible applicants by their valid passport, and family members can also qualify.
Use RACC's visa fee calculator or visa fees guide to estimate your total. For the cost of the parent's own visa, see the partner visa cost guide.
445 visa processing time
Home Affairs' Global Visa Processing Times guide shows these figures for the Dependent Child visa (subclass 445), checked on 13 November 2026:
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50% of applications processed in 26 months
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90% of applications processed in 33 months
Home Affairs last updated the guide on 2 November 2026. It is based on recently decided applications, and it is a guide only, not specific to your application.
Processing can take longer if:
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the application is not filled in correctly
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it does not include all required documents
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Home Affairs needs time to verify your information
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you do not pay the full application charge at lodgement
Home Affairs cannot process an application if the charge is wrong. Expect an acknowledgement, and advice of any bridging visa, within about one month of lodging.
The parent's permanent Partner visa has its own timeframe. See RACC's partner visa processing time guide and visa processing times page.
How do you apply for a 445 visa?
Applications for the 445 are paper-based. These are the steps Home Affairs sets out.
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Check the child's passport is valid, and tell Home Affairs if someone is acting on the child's behalf.
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Gather the documents listed in the section below. Complete the forms in English.
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Pay the application charge before you post the application. Home Affairs will not process an unpaid application.
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Complete Form 918, Application for a subclass 445 (temporary) visa by a dependent child.
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Post or courier the form and certified copies of your documents to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth, with correct prepaid postage. An application sent anywhere else, or any other way, is not valid.
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Keep a copy of the full application. Do not send original documents.
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After you receive the acknowledgement letter, import the application into ImmiAccount using the application ID, the child's date of birth and an identity document number.
Importing into ImmiAccount lets you attach documents and manage the application online. Home Affairs allows paper applications for the 445 to be imported from 23 July 2025.
What happens if the child is in Australia?
A child who applies in Australia is granted a bridging visa. If their current visa expires before Home Affairs decides the 445 application, the bridging visa starts and the child can stay while it is processed. See RACC's guide to bridging visas.
A child who applied onshore and wants to travel overseas during processing needs a valid visa to return to Australia.
What documents do you need for a 445 visa?
Home Affairs asks for these document types:
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identity documents
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photographs
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character documents
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documents showing the child's relationship to the parent
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financial documents
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documents for any dependants under 18
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documents for applicants over 18 with a disability, where relevant
The exact list depends on the child's age and circumstances. RACC's partner visa document checklist covers the evidence the parent's own application needs.
What happens after the 445 visa is granted?
The child must apply to be added to the parent's permanent Partner visa application. Home Affairs provides Form 1002 for a 445 holder to apply for a permanent Partner visa.
The parent's permanent application is either the subclass 100 Partner visa (after a 309) or the subclass 801 Partner visa (after an 820). The child's permanent residence comes through that application, not through the 445.
Do this before Home Affairs decides the parent's permanent application. The 445 stops when that decision is made.
445 visa to PR
A 445 visa does not give permanent residency on its own. Your child gets PR by being added to your permanent Partner visa application.
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Parent on an 820 visa, your child joins the 801 application and must be in Australia when added
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Parent on a 309 visa, your child joins the 100 application and can be in or outside Australia
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Your child is added with Form 1002, and there is no visa application charge for it
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Home Affairs says you cannot add family members after it grants the permanent Partner visa
Read the full guide on how a 445 visa child gets PR when the parent holds an 820 or 309 visa.
Is the 445 the same as a child visa?
No. The 445 is a temporary visa that only applies while a parent's permanent Partner visa application is pending. Permanent child visas are a separate pathway.
See RACC's guides to the Child visa, the subclass 101 Child visa and the subclass 802 Child visa. The child visa processing time guide covers timeframes for those visas.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a 445 visa take to process?
Home Affairs' processing times guide shows 50% of 445 applications processed in 26 months and 90% in 33 months, checked on 13 November 2026. It is a guide only and changes as Home Affairs decides more applications.
445 visa cost
The 445 costs AUD 4,040 for the main applicant. Each additional applicant pays AUD 2,020 if aged 18 or over, or AUD 1,015 if under 18, per Home Affairs' Visa Pricing Estimator on 13 November 2026. Health checks and police certificates cost extra.
Can a child apply for a 445 visa from inside Australia?
Yes. Home Affairs says the child can be in or outside Australia when the application is submitted, and inside or outside Australia when it makes a decision. A child who applies in Australia is granted a bridging visa, and cannot hold another visa with a No Further Stay condition.
Can a child work on a 445 visa?
Yes. The 445 lets the child work and study in Australia. The child can also attend free English classes through the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible.
Can the 445 visa be extended?
No. The child cannot stay longer by extending the visa. It lasts until Home Affairs decides the parent's permanent Partner visa application or the parent withdraws it. The child needs to be added to the permanent application before that decision.
Can a child over 18 get a 445 visa?
Yes, if the child is over 18 and financially dependent on the parent who holds the temporary Partner or Dependent Child visa. A child aged 18 or over must also sign the Australian Values Statement.
Does a child need a 445 if a parent is an Australian citizen?
Not always. Home Affairs says a child born outside Australia may apply for Australian citizenship by descent instead of a visa, if one of their parents was an Australian citizen at the time of the child's birth.
Small careless mistakes may result in visa rejection. Book a FREE consultation with Registered Migration Agents will help you get the visa without any headaches.
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