Australia's Subclass 802 in 2026: a permanent residence route for children — rights, travel and citizenship
The Child visa (Subclass 802) is a permanent Australian visa: once granted, the child can stay in Australia indefinitely, work and study, and enrol in Medicare, with the grant date serving both as the start of permanent residence and as the anchor for any later citizenship calculation. It is also a family-reunion lever — the child can sponsor relatives to come to Australia, but whether family members can be included in the same application depends on whether the application has been decided. This article is based on the Australian Department of Home Affairs page for the Child visa (Subclass 802), as published as at August 2026. It is general information only and is not professional advice for individual circumstances; for your own arrangements, rely on the latest official information or advice from a suitably qualified professional.
Which children are eligible for the Child visa (Subclass 802)?
The Subclass 802 is for children who are already in Australia and who are dependent on a parent with a particular status. According to the Department of Home Affairs Child visa (Subclass 802) page, applicants must meet several conditions at the same time:
- be a dependent child of a parent who is an Australian citizen, an eligible New Zealand citizen, or the holder of an Australian permanent visa;
- be under 18, or aged 18 to 24 as a full-time student who depends financially on their parent, or over 18 and unable to work due to a disability;
- be single and dependent on the parent;
- be in Australia when the application is made and when the Department makes its decision — but not in immigration clearance.
In addition, the child cannot apply for this visa if they are in Australia on another visa that carries a "no further stay" condition.
Is the Subclass 802 permanent residence, and why does the grant date matter?
Yes. This is a permanent visa, and the child can stay in Australia indefinitely. The key point is the starting date: the official page states clearly that the child becomes an Australian permanent resident on the day the Department grants the visa — not on the day they entered Australia, and not on any earlier arrival date.
That single date triggers three things: permanent residence takes effect, the five-year travel facility begins to run, and the period of permanent residence used later for citizenship purposes starts. The date on the grant notification is therefore the time reference for every subsequent status step and should be kept permanently.
Can the child work, study and use Medicare after grant?
Yes, and again the entitlement runs from the date the visa is granted. A child holding a Subclass 802 visa can:
- work and study in Australia, and is protected by Australian workplace law;
- enrol in Australia's public healthcare scheme, Medicare;
- attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), if eligible.
In other words, work rights, study, school and employment transitions and public healthcare enrolment can all start directly from the grant date.
Where are the limits on family reunion, and which family members can join the same application?
The Subclass 802 lets the child who is granted the visa sponsor relatives to come to Australia, but the rules differ depending on which family member is involved:
| Family member | Can they be included? | Basis and timing |
|---|---|---|
| Siblings | No | A separate application must be submitted for each sibling |
| The child's dependent children | Yes | Can be included when they apply or at any time before the application is decided; must meet the health requirement |
| Family members who are not coming to Australia | Depends | They might also have to meet the health requirement |
| Family members the applicant wants to bring after the decision | No | A family member cannot be added after the decision; a new visa application is required |
The organising principle behind this table is straightforward: any relative who is to be dealt with inside the same permanent residence application must be included before that application is decided. Once a decision is made, the option of adding members closes.
How does the five-year travel facility work, and what are the options when it ends?
The Subclass 802 carries a five-year travel facility: for five years from the date the visa is granted, the child can travel to and from Australia as many times as they want, as long as the travel facility of the visa remains valid. The end date can be checked through VEVO.
After those five years, if the child still needs to leave and re-enter Australia, there are two directions:
| Option | What it involves | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Return visa (RRV, Subclasses 155/157) | Apply for and be granted an RRV to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident | The child intends to keep permanent residence and continue travelling in and out |
| Australian citizenship | Once a citizen, no visa is required to re-enter Australia | The child is eligible for citizenship and has completed the process |
When leaving, the child must hold a valid passport or other travel document. At the airport, SmartGate — which uses an ePassport and facial recognition technology — may allow faster passage.
From permanent residence to citizenship: from which day is the residence period counted?
After a certain time, the child might be eligible for Australian citizenship. The period of permanent residence used for citizenship purposes starts on the day the visa is granted — the same day the child becomes a permanent resident, not the day of entry or the day they began settling in Australia. The exact length of the residence period and the eligibility requirements are those published on the Department's citizenship pages.
For longer-term family planning this has two practical consequences: the date on the grant notification should be kept permanently as the time reference for any future citizenship application, and around the time the five-year travel facility expires, families need to choose between maintaining permanent residence through a Resident Return visa and progressing to citizenship for visa-free travel.
What obligations apply after grant, and what changes must be reported?
The child and any dependants or family members must obey all Australian laws. In addition, changes in family circumstances must be notified to the Department in line with official guidance. The situations listed on the official page are: changes to the child's passport, the birth of a child, and changes of name.
The visa itself is digitally linked to the child's passport and no visa label will be placed in it, so the accuracy of passport details and keeping them current is especially important. If proof of the child's travel in and out of Australia is needed, their international movement records can be requested separately.
What should applicants know about cost and processing?
On cost, the Subclass 802 requires payment of the visa application charge for the main applicant, plus a further charge for each dependent child who applies with them. There may also be other costs for health exams, police certificates and biometrics; exact amounts are those published by the Department. The Visa Pricing Estimator on the official website can be used to estimate the visa cost, but the estimator does not include those other costs.
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application charge applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application. Eligibility is recognised when the applicant applies with a valid passport from one of the specified countries (family members' eligibility is based on the passport of the primary applicant). The countries are: the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
On processing, applicants should receive an acknowledgement of the application, along with advice about any associated bridging visa, within approximately one month of lodgement. If more information is needed, the Department will contact the applicant using their authorised method; otherwise, they will be contacted with the outcome. The official page also lists situations that can slow processing: the application is not filled in correctly; it does not include all required documents or more information is needed; it takes the Department time to verify the information; and full payment is not made at the time of initial lodgement. The application cannot be processed if the correct visa application charge is not paid — the Department will let the applicant know and may return the application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Child visa (Subclass 802) a permanent visa?
Yes. It is a permanent visa and lets the child stay in Australia indefinitely, with no fixed end date for their stay. The five-year period that comes with it is a travel facility for leaving and re-entering Australia, not a limit on residence.
When does the child become an Australian permanent resident?
The child becomes an Australian permanent resident on the day the Department grants the visa. The official page states that this point is the grant date, not the date of entry or any earlier arrival.
Can Medicare and work start straight after grant?
Yes. From the date the visa is granted, the child can work and study in Australia and enrol in Medicare. Where eligible, they can also attend free English classes provided by AMEP.
Can they return to Australia after the five-year travel facility ends?
Yes, but it requires separate arrangements. If the child travels after the initial five-year travel facility, they must apply for and be granted a Resident Return visa (Subclasses 155/157) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident. The alternative is to apply for Australian citizenship — once they become a citizen, no visa is required to re-enter Australia.
Can siblings be added to the same application?
No. If siblings also want to apply for the Subclass 802, a separate application must be submitted for each of them. The child's own dependent children are different: they can be included in the same application when it is made or at any time before it is decided, and must meet the health requirement.
Can family members be added after the visa is granted?
No. Once the Department has decided the application, no further family members can be added. To bring family members to Australia after that, a new visa application must be submitted for them. This is why family reunion needs to be planned in advance.
From which day is the permanent residence period for citizenship counted?
From the day the visa is granted. The official page states that, for citizenship purposes, the child's permanent residence starts on the day the visa is granted; the exact length of the residence period and the eligibility requirements are those published on the Department's citizenship pages.