Bringing Children Into Australian PR Through Partner Visa 100 in 2026
Yes — a dependent child who does not already hold a subclass 309 visa can be added to your permanent Partner visa (subclass 100) application, but only while that application is still undecided, and only once the child holds a Dependent Child visa (subclass 445). Once the subclass 100 is granted, no family member can be added to it at all. That is the position stated on the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Partner (Migrant) visa (Subclass 100) page.
When is the door open for a child — and when does it close?
The partner visa process has three distinct gates, and each one allows something different. Families who plan around the second gate are usually the ones who get the whole family onto the same permanent record.
| Point in the process | What the official page allows |
|---|---|
| Applying for the temporary Partner visa (subclass 309) | Members of the family unit can be included in your application; those who apply with you must also be outside Australia |
| After the 309 is granted, before the 100 is decided | A dependent child who does not hold a subclass 309 visa must first hold a subclass 445 visa, then be added with Form 1002 |
| After the 100 is granted | No family members can be added — the only route is a separate sponsorship pathway |
The practical consequence is that timing, not eligibility, decides most outcomes. A child who is a member of the family unit but holds no subclass 445 visa on the day the permanent decision is made does not join the grant. Assume a family whose child's 445 application is still pending when the parent's 100 is decided: the child is simply outside that grant, and the family has to start again through a different visa.
What if my child already holds a subclass 309 visa?
Children who were included when you applied for the subclass 309 travel with you through the two-stage process, and the permanent stage asks you to keep their records current. For every family member who currently holds a subclass 309 or 445 visa, the official page asks for copies of their passport, documents showing changes to their situation, and police certificates where applicable for dependents aged 16 or older.
The 445 route exists for the other case — a dependent child who does not hold a subclass 309 visa. The official page states that to include a dependent child at the permanent stage after your 309 is granted, the child must first apply for a subclass 445 visa, and that the department can grant the child the subclass 100 if they are members of the family unit and meet all other criteria.
What does the child have to satisfy to be added?
Four conditions are listed for adding a dependent child before a decision is made on your permanent application:
- the child holds a Dependent Child visa (subclass 445)
- the child is a member of the family unit
- the child meets the health requirement
- the child meets the character requirement if they are 16 years old or older
The child can be in or outside Australia at this point, which is unusual flexibility and matters for families who are separated across countries while the permanent application is assessed.
How is the child actually added to a pending subclass 100 application?
The official page sets out a short sequence. One action per step:
- Make sure the child holds a subclass 445 visa.
- Complete Form 1002 — Application by a subclass 445 dependent child for a permanent partner visa.
- Log in to ImmiAccount and attach the completed form to the application.
- Notify the department that the form has been attached, using the Partner Processing Enquiry Form.
Timing inside this sequence is itself constrained. You become eligible for consideration of the permanent visa two years after you applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas, and the official page instructs applicants not to submit permanent-stage documents before that point. The date of the original application, visible in ImmiAccount, is the reference point.
What documents does the permanent stage expect?
Beyond the Form 1002 step, the same evidentiary rules apply to the family members already on the application. Provide a copy of the most recent passport pages showing photo, personal details, signature and issue and expiry dates. Provide police certificates where required; Australian police certificates are valid for immigration purposes for 12 months from the issue date, and the page specifies complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police. Overseas police certificates are also required for any country, including your home country, where a total of 12 months or more was spent since the grant of the 309 visa.
Documents in another language must be translated into English. Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters; translators outside Australia need not be accredited but must include their full name, address and telephone number, and their qualifications and experience in the language, in English. Everything is scanned or photographed in colour, one file per multi-page document, and documents do not need to be certified. Each applicant has a 100-document attachment limit that cannot be increased.
What if the child is born after you applied?
A baby born after the application is lodged is a change in situation that must be reported. The official page directs applicants to notify the department and points to its "You had a baby" guidance for the next steps. The birth of a child is listed among the changes that must be declared after you apply but before a decision is made, alongside changes to marital or de facto status.
What happens if the subclass 100 is granted and the child was not included?
This is the one outcome the page describes as closed. You cannot add family members to your visa application after the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100) is granted. The page instead notes that, as an Australian permanent resident, you might be able to sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia, and points to its visa options for joining family as the place to identify a suitable visa.
For families doing multi-country identity planning, that asymmetry is the whole risk. The 309 stage and the pre-decision 445 window are inclusive; the post-grant position is a separate, new application with its own criteria and its own timeline. This article is general information only and is not personalised advice, and the department's current published requirements remain the reference for any individual case.
What does the child receive if the subclass 100 is granted?
The subclass 100 is a permanent visa, and the holder becomes a permanent resident on the day it is granted. Holders can live, work and study in Australia indefinitely, access Medicare, and travel to and from Australia for five years from the date of grant — after which further travel as a permanent resident requires a Resident Return visa (subclass 155 or 157). If the child is outside Australia at the time of grant, the first entry arrival date in the grant letter sets the deadline for first entry. Eligible holders may attend free English classes under the Adult Migrant English Program and may later apply for Australian citizenship if eligible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add my child after my subclass 100 is granted?
No. The official page states that you cannot add any family members after the department grants the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100). The alternative described is sponsoring eligible family members separately as an Australian permanent resident.
Does my child need a subclass 445 visa to join my subclass 100 application?
Yes, if they do not hold a subclass 309 visa. The page states that a dependent child must hold a subclass 445 visa to be added to your permanent application before a decision is made, and that the child must also be a member of the family unit.
Can the child be outside Australia when they are added?
Yes. The official page states that a child being added to the permanent application can be in or outside Australia. If the child is outside Australia when the 100 is granted, they must enter before the first entry arrival date in the grant letter.
What documents are needed for family members who already hold a 309 or 445 visa?
The page asks for copies of their passport, documents showing changes to their situation, and police certificates where applicable for dependents aged 16 or older. Police certificates are also tied to the character requirement, which applies to children aged 16 or over.
When can I submit documents for the permanent stage?
Two years after you applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas. The page instructs applicants not to submit permanent-stage documents before that time, and notes that the processing time for the permanent visa starts from that date of eligibility.
What if I have a baby after lodging the application?
You must tell the department. The official page lists the birth of a child among the changes that must be reported after you apply and before a decision is made, and refers applicants to its "You had a baby" guidance.
Do I pay a new visa application charge for the child's Form 1002 step?
The page does not list a separate charge for this step. It states that you paid for the visa when you applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas, and that other costs may arise for health or police checks.