Subclass 445 — Dependent Child visa

Eligibility snapshot

General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice. The figures, thresholds and rules below are described in broad terms; always confirm current requirements on the official Home Affairs page, and a registered practitioner can advise on your particular circumstances. The Dependent Child (subclass 445) visa is a temporary visa built around one specific family situation. In general terms, it is for a dependent child of a parent who has lodged a provisional or temporary partner visa and is waiting on the permanent stage of that partner pathway. The visa exists so that a child who was not already included in the parent's partner application can be linked to the parent and, in turn, be added to the parent's permanent partner application later. The shape of eligibility typically turns on a few connected ideas. First, there is a qualifying relationship: the applicant is generally the child of a parent who is on the relevant temporary or provisional partner visa, where 'child' is understood broadly (for example biological, adopted or step relationships). Second, there is dependency: a younger child is usually treated as dependent automatically, while an older child generally has to show genuine and substantial financial dependence on the parent and that they are not partnered. Age is one of the more sensitive parts of this visa, and timing matters — check the official page for how age and dependency are assessed. A sponsorship element also runs through this visa: in general the same person who sponsors the parent's partner visa is involved in supporting the child. As with most Australian visas, health and character expectations apply, and character checks tend to become relevant for older children. Requirements, age bands and dependency tests change over time and are detailed on the official page, so treat this snapshot as orientation rather than a checklist of legal thresholds.

Costs and charges

General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice. A visa application charge applies to a subclass 445 application. The exact amount is published by the Department of Home Affairs and changes from time to time, so rather than quote a figure here, the reliable approach is to confirm the current charge on the official page and through the Department's visa pricing estimator before applying. In general terms, the charge can have more than one part. There is typically a base charge for the main applicant, and additional-applicant charges can apply where more than one person is included. Amounts and the way they are split can differ depending on the applicants' ages and circumstances, so the estimator is the right tool to get a figure that matches a specific family. Beyond the government charge, applicants usually budget for ancillary costs that sit outside the visa fee itself. These commonly include things like health examinations, police or character certificates, biometrics where required, document translation and certification, and any professional fees if a registered practitioner is engaged. These vary by provider and country. One important distinction: the visa application charge is a government charge paid to the Department of Home Affairs and is entirely separate from any platform fees or practitioner consultation fees you may encounter on this site. Government charges are set by the Department; our fees and a practitioner's fees are not part of, and do not replace, the official visa application charge. Always check the official estimator for current government amounts.

Frequently asked questions