How Parents Can Help Me Immigrate to Australia with the 802 Child Visa
The traditional immigration approach typically involves children first immigrating independently and then sponsoring their parents, or parents including their children when applying for immigration, but the 802 child visa offers a different pathway. However, under the current processing time, most visas require that children included as secondary applicants must be under the age of 23 at the time of visa approval. Considering that the processing speed for many visas has slowed down, it is possible that by the time the application is processed, the children may exceed the age requirement.
In such a situation, parents can choose to obtain permanent residence first and then sponsor their children for a child visa. The biggest advantage of the child visa is that it only requires the child to be under 25 years old at the time of the lodgement, with no age requirement at the time of approval.
Children’s visas are divided into Child Visa (subclass 101) for children outside Australia and Child Visa (subclass 802) for children inside Australia. Today, let’s introduce Subclass 802.
Requirements for the Sponsor:
- The sponsor can be one of the parents, the parent’s spouse, or a de facto partner.
- Must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
- Must be at least 18 years old.
- Must be able to continuously provide food, housing, financial, and general support for the child within two years of the child’s entry into Australia.
- Must have not been charged or convicted of offences involving children
Requirements for the Sponsored Child
- The child can be a biological child, stepchild, or adopted child of the sponsor.
- Must be single and dependent on the sponsor.
- Age requirement at the time of lodgement: under 18 years old; or a full-time student aged 18 to 25 who is financially dependent on their parents; or over 18 and unable to work due to a disability.
- Must meet health and character requirements.
- Must be in Australia at the time of application and approval.
Benefits of Obtaining the 802 Visa
- Legally work and study in Australia.
- Freely travel to and from Australia during the visa period.
- Enjoy Medicare health benefits and other welfare benefits.
- Apply for the citizenship after meeting the eligibility criteria.
Overall, for children born outside Australia, if immediate entry is not urgent, directly applying for SC101 visa is an option. However, considering the longer processing time, you can first apply for a tourist visa for entry and then apply for SC802 child visa within Australia.
*Disclaimer: This is intended as general information only and not to be construed as legal advice. The above information is subject to changes over time. You should always seek professional advice before taking any course of action.*
