Child visa 802 is a visa program under the various visa program that is provided by the Australian government for the purpose of family reunification. With major changes in the migration scenes of Australia, in 2026, family reunification acts as one of the major pillars. This visa program is designed to provides onshore permanent residency for dependent children who are already in the turf of Australia. If you are an eligible sponsor and a parent who is already settled in Australia has a child, then the child visa 802 also known as the Child Onshore Subclass 802 is the primary pathway to grant your child with Permanent Residence in Australia while they are present in Australia.
With more than a decade long experience in visa services, BJay Education & Visa Services has meticulously drafted this guide to help you with your child visa 802 application and guide you through the complex landscape of Australia. This guide has been backed up by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) data to provide you with definitive processing time, cost and requirements.
Child Visa 802
The Child Visa 802 or the subclass 802 is a permanent residence visa that lets a child of an eligible sponsor stay in the turf of Australia indefinitely with their parents. If you want to be sponsor for your child then you are required to know that this visa program is an onshore visa program, which basically means that in the child visa 802 pathway, the child needs to be in Australia on a valid temporary visa when you apply for this visa.
Why Choose Child Visa 802?
The primary reason that Child Visa 802 has been a popular choice among the various child visa programs is because it is a visa program that acts as a premier method for ensuring family unity without the heartache of offshore separation.
Reasons to Choose Child Visa 802:
Immediate Family Unity: This is the most popular reason due to which the subclass 802 visa program has been popular. This visa program provides you with the ability to stay with your child. Unlike other child visas like the subclass 101 where the child is required to remain outside the turf of Australia for the duration of the entirety of the process, the subclass 802 grants the child a Bridging Visa A (BVA) while the main visa is being processed.
Access to Medicare: Another reason to choose a child visa 802 is that it provides the dependent child with the access to Medicare services provided by the Australian government instantly. As soon as you submit a valid application for the visa subclass, the child is considered as an eligible candidate to enroll in the Medicare services.
Domestic Education Rights: After the valid submission of a child visa 802 application, your child is now eligible to receive domestic education in Australia and can be admitted into an Australian School immediately. In most states of Australia, by holding a bridging visa linked to the permanent residency application, it allows the child to be an eligible candidate who can enjoy primary and secondary schooling which results in the reduction of international tuition fees often associated with temporary visas.
Pathway to Australian Citizenship: As the child visa 802 is a visa program that is a direct permanent residency grant visa, the clock for the Australian citizenship starts ticking. If your child is raised in Australia under this visa are frequently eligible for citizenship by the time they graduate from high school, which grants them full voting rights and an Australian passport, since 2026 processing times remain stable.
Difference Between Child Visa 802 and 101
While there are many visa programs under the child visa pathway provided by the Australian government, your child’s permanent residency totally depends on your visa pathway so you need to know the difference between them so that you can choose the program that is meant for you.
| Feature | Child Visa 101 (Offshore) | Child Visa 802 (Onshore) |
|---|---|---|
| Location at Lodgment | Must be outside Australia | Must be inside Australia |
| Child's Location at Grant | Must be outside Australia | Must be inside Australia |
| Bridging Visa Eligibility | No (Child remains offshore) | Yes (Bridging Visa A usually granted) |
| Medicare Access | After the visa is granted and child arrives | Immediate upon lodgment of application |
| Application Method | Paper-based or ImmiAccount | Paper-based or ImmiAccount |
| Processing Time (90%) | Approx. 27–34 Months | Approx. 22–27 Months |
| Base Application Fee (2026) | $3,235 AUD | $3,235 AUD |
Child Visa 802 Requirements
For your child to be eligible for this visa program, both you as the parent and your child must fulfill certain requirements in order for the child visa 802 application to be approved in 2026. In order to prevent the protracted processing delays for child visa 802, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has stepped up its focus on “Decision-Ready” applications, which require all supporting documentation to be front-loaded.
Requirements for the Child (Applicant)
Age & Dependency: the first requirement that is required to be met is the requirement of age & dependency. The following one reason must be satisfied for the application:
- Children under the age of eighteen are automatically regarded as dependent and are eligible.
- 18 to 25 years old: Your Child must be a full-time student and rely on you or your partner for financial support. They must have begun their course soon after graduating from high school or turned eighteen.
- If your child over the age of 18 who is disabled and unable to work due to a complete or partial loss of physical or mental abilities, then are eligible.
Marital Status: Your child Must be Single and cannot be married, engaged, or in a de facto relationship.
Status of Visa: Your Child must be in possession of a current temporary visa free from the “No Further Stay” (Condition 8503) restriction. Before filing for an 802 child visa, a waiver must be searched for if this condition is present.
Health & Character: Your Child is required to pass the health examination that is taken by a DHA approved doctor. Additionally, If your child is above the age of 16 then they must provide police clearances from every country they have lived in for 12 months or more over the last 10 years.
Requirements for the Sponsor (Parent)
Eligibility Status: if you want to become an eligible sponsor then you are required to be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
Relationship to Child: If you want to sponsor a child then you must be the biological parent, adoptive parent, or stepparent (provided they have legal responsibility for the child).
Financial & Accommodation Commitment: In order to sponsor a child, you are required to provide a written undertaking to provide adequate accommodation and financial support for the child and support for the child’s welfare and settlement.
Character Checks (Sponsor): The sponsor (together with their partner or spouse) is required to provide Australian Federal Police (AFP) clearances in accordance with 2026 Best Interests of the Child criteria. The sponsorship might be denied if there are convictions or charges involving minors.
Legal Authority: In order to bring the kid to Australia, the sponsor must demonstrate that they are legally permitted to do so. This includes an Australian court order awarding sole custody or Form 1229 (permission from the non-migrating parent).
Child Visa 802 Processing Time
With the Child Visa 802, families are able to reunite and stay together in the turf of Australia in 2026 as it provides the facility of bridging visa A. The child visa 802 processing time as of February 2026 is as follows:
| Processing Benchmark | Estimated Duration |
|---|---|
| 50% of Applications | 10 – 16 Months |
| 75% of Applications | 19 – 22 Months |
| 90% of Applications | 24 – 27 Months |
Child Visa 802 Costs
Managing the financial aspect of anything is always a thing that should be highly considered. Similarly, an essential component of your family’s migration plan is handling the financial aspect of a child visa 802 application. To ensure you are fully aware of the costs we have provided you with the related costs below. The Australian Government has kept the fee structure that was implemented in July 2025 for 2026.
Visa Application Charges (VAC)
| Applicant Type | Fee | 1.4% Credit Card Surcharge | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Applicant (The Child) | AUD $3,235 | AUD $45.29 | AUD $3,280.29 |
| *Additional Applicant (Aged 18+) | AUD $1,615 | AUD $22.61 | AUD $1,637.61 |
| Additional Applicant (Under 18) | AUD $810 | AUD $11.34 | AUD $821.34 |
Hidden Costs
While VAC is a huge part of the budget you need to keep aside for the Child Visa 802 Costs, there are various hidden costs involved in the process that are required to be addressed properly.
- Medical Examinations: AUD $350 – $550 per child (varies by panel doctor and required tests).
- Police Clearances (for applicants 16+): AUD $50 – $150 per country.
- Translations (NAATI certified): AUD $150 – $400 for non-English birth certificates or court orders.
- Biometrics Collection: AUD $85 – $150 (if requested by the DHA).
Child Visa 802 Checklist
If you are someone looking to apply for the visa program, you should go through this meticulously prepared checklist to make sure that your application doesn’t have any flaws or missing documents.
Core Identity & Forms
- Form 47CH: Application for migration to Australia by the child
- Form 40CH: Sponsorship of an immigrant child to Australia
- Valid Passports: High-quality colored scan of the valid passport.
- Passport Photos: Four recent, high-quality digital photos under 3.5 MB
- Birth Certificate: Full certificate containing the proof of both the biological parents
- National ID: Copy of the child’s NID (if Applicable)
Evidence of Relationship & Consent
- Relationship Proof showing the relation between the Applicant and the Sponsor.
- Form 1229 if one legal parent is not moving into Australia.
- Any Custody Documents or legal papers showing that the sponsor has responsibility towards the applicant.
- Letter from university & Bank Statements of the applicant if they are above the age of 18.
Character & Health
- A valid APF check for the Sponsor issued within the last 12 months,
- A valid APF check for the Child if the child is 16 or older and has been living in the turf of Australia for more than 12 months.
- If the child is above 16 then it is required to provide overseas police clearance from every country that they have lived in.
- HAP ID generated via ImmiAccount to book a medical with a panel doctor.
Steps to Apply for 802 Child Visa
It takes a combination of legal compliance and administrative accuracy to apply for subclass 802. Although the child visa 802 is still formally a paper-based application that needs to be couriered to a designated processing center, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has made a gradual shift to digital pre-processing in 2026.
Step 1: Conduct an Eligibility & Document Audit
Before you spend the application cost of AUD $3,235, you need to make sure and verify that your child and yourself as a sponsor are eligible candidates. Ensure that their current temporary visa doesn’t have a condition 8503 (No Further Stay). Before moving forward with the process make sure that you have gone through the checklist and audited the documents that are required.
Step 2: Complete the Essential Forms
In this step, you need to manually complete the following primary forms:
- Form 47CH: The child’s application form.
- Form 40CH: Your sponsorship form.
Step 3: Submit and Pay via the Perth Processing Centre
As compared to most visa programs under the Australian government, applying for the subclass 802 requires you to mail or courier your physical application to Child and Other Family Processing Centre located in Perth. The application fee must be paid through your ImmiAccount’s Manage Payments area, and your physical postal pack must contain the payment receipt.
Step 4: Secure Bridging Visa & Medicare
Once you have sent the application to the Perth center and it has acknowledged that the application has been received, the child is then granted a Bridging Visa A which allows them to stay in lawfully stay in Australia.
Step 5: Health and Character Checks
In order to create an HAP ID and schedule the medical exam for the child, go onto the ImmiAccount and click the Organize Health Examinations Tab. Apply for the child’s police clearances (if 16+) and the sponsor’s AFP check at the same time.
Step 6: Respond to RFIs and Await the Grant
After the application process is submitted successfully, the next step is to wait. Make sure that you monitor your emails and ImmiAccount weekly. Respond within 28 days of receiving a Request for Information (RFI) from the DHA. The child’s status changes to Permanent Resident as soon as the visa is approved; as they are currently onshore, no additional activation trip is necessary.
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FAQs
Yes. The child typically receives a Bridging Visa A (BVA) upon filing a valid subclass 802 application onshore. The child’s prior substantive visa’s job and study rights are usually carried over to this bridging visa in 2026. However, most children have unlimited study rights once the BVA is in effect, and depending on their particular BVA conditions, working-age children may have full work rights.
Yes. The child getting immediate access to healthcare is one of the main justifications for selecting the child visa 802 in 2026. You can attend a Services Australia center (Medicare) with the child’s passport and visa application receipt to enroll them after obtaining your lodgment acknowledgment from the DHA. While you wait for the permanent award, this covers necessary medical expenses.
This is a typical concern in the process. The child’s Bridging Visa A (BVA) will “kick in” immediately after the previous visa expires, provided that you submit a valid child visa 802 application while the child’s existing visa is still valid. This permits them to stay in Australia legally until the permanent visa decision is reached.
As the subclass 408 visa in 2026 requires you to have more scrutiny and requires more than just filling your application. It is required to have a strategic understanding of Australia’s evolving migration landscape. Due to the current migration scene, you need to have a strategic partner to help you through the process.
Why BJay?
Proven Expertise: With 13 years of experience in Visa services in Australia, we here at BJay Education & Visa Services have been providing tailored services to help you navigate through the complex migration scenes of Australia.
Expertise Team: Led by Mr. Jay Oli (MARN: 1570827), we have an exceptional team that is there to solve any queries and help you with your application. The team is well trained to provide the services that you may require assistance with.
Global Presence & Local Support: With offices present in multiple locations throughout Nepal (Putalisadak and Birtamode) and a head office in Sydney, BJay provides you with seamless support you may require whether you are in your home country or already in the turf of Australia.
Sponsor Support & Coordination: In order to ensure that the AUD $420 sponsorship and union consultations (for the Entertainment stream) are handled with legal correctness, we serve as a liaison between the application and the Australian host organization.
Confused on the Subclass 408? Start with a free Consultation with BJay now!
