Migrating as a Child (Subclasses 101, 102, 117)
If you wish to sponsor your Dependent child, Adopted Child or an Orphan Relative, you should read the information below. Dependent children under 18 must not be engaged or have a partner. If your dependent child is over the age of 24, they cannot apply under this category unless they are dependent on you because of a disability. Dependent children aged 18 or over must never have had a partner or be engaged to be married. In addition, they must be a full-time student and not be employed unless they are dependent on you because of a disability. Orphan relatives must not have a partner, must be under 18 at the time they apply, and not have a parent able to care for them.
The adoption category provides for the migration of children who have been adopted, or who are to be adopted, by persons who are Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens. In most cases adopting parents must be approved by an Australian adoption authority.
How to apply for a Child Migration Visa
1. Obtain the forms and further information
The application forms for child migration visas are in Booklet 2.
Download Booklet 2 - DIBP Website
When completing your form, please ensure that you quote your last name and first name exactly as stated in your PASSPORT and do not use a pencil. Please attach to your application one recent passport photograph of yourself. If you are under 18, please ask both your parents to sign. Single parents must provide evidence that they have sole custody.
2. Visa Application Charge
The Visa Application Charge is levied per person except for siblings applying at the same time. Only one fee is levied when two or more siblings apply at the same time. The Visa Application Charge is a processing charge and cannot be refunded irrespective of the outcome of the application.
See: Visa Application Charges
3. Documents to be included with your application
This information should be used in conjunction with the Child Migration booklet, which you order through us or download from the Department's website. The booklet may ask you to supply even more information but you should first refer to the advice listed below. This has been specifically prepared for clients applying in Berlin so that we can process your application as quickly as possible.
Please note, however, that our office may ask you to send additional documents or attend an interview during the course of processing your application.
You should send in the following:
LIST ONE - These documents you should send as originals.
Form 47CH, completed and signed by the applicant, if over 16 years of age, or by the guardian if under 16 years of age
See: Download Form 47CH - DIBP Website (PDF)
Form 40CH, completed and signed by your sponsor and the other natural
parent, if the parents are still in an ongoing relationship
See: Download Form 40CH - DIBP Website (PDF)
Police clearance certificates from your country of usual residence, and any
other country where you have lived for more than twelve months since you have turned 16 during the last ten-year period for applicants over 16 years of age.
See: Character Requirements Penal Clearance Certificates - DIBP Website (PDF)
For applicants over 18 years of age, a registration certificate from your local
authority showing your marital status.
One passport photograph of the applicant.
Evidence that your migration application fee has been paid.
Statement on how your sponsor proposes to fulfil the sponsorship obligations
Medical examination(s) with one of our panel doctors will be requested as the assessment of the application progresses.
See: Health requirement (DIBP website)
If the applicant is a child from a previous relationship of the sponsor, you need
to include a statutory declaration signed by the other natural parent of the child
in the presence of a notary public consenting to the child migrating to and
settling in Australia.
Best interests of the child - Stronger Measures for the Protection of Children
Where an applicant is under 18 years of age, they will need to satisfy the
requirement that there is no compelling reason to believe that the grant of the
visa would not be in the best interests of the applicant. In order to assess this
requirement, sponsors of children under 18 years of age are required to
submit a National Police Check.
See: Stronger Measures for the Protection of Children
LIST TWO - These documents you should send as certified copies. You can obtain certified copies from anyone in your country who is empowered to do so.
See: Certified Copies
the applicant's birth certificate
Evidence of your sponsor's Australian citizenship or resident status. (This could
be a citizenship certificate or a copy of their Australian passport or a copy of
their birth certificate or a copy of their Australian permanent residence visa.)
The applicant's parents' divorce decrees and evidence of custody
arrangements, if applicable
If the applicant is over 18 years of age, evidence of enrolment in a full-time
course of post-secondary studies, and evidence that the applicant is financially
dependent on the sponsor (last three recent bank statements/balance sheets)
or evidence that the applicant has a disability which prevents him/her from
working
If the applicant is over 25 years of age, evidence that the applicant has
a disability which prevents him/her from working
Please do not place your application in a folder, use plastic pockets for storage of your documents or staple documents together as this slows the processing of your application
4. Health Clearance
All migrants going to Australia have to have a full medical examination, a lung x-ray (if aged 11 or over) and an HIV test (if aged 15 or over). Please refer to our list of panel physicians for details of the nearest doctor to you.
See: List of Panel physicians - DIBP website
5. Passport copy
Your passport should not be enclosed with your visa application. A good copy of the biodata page of your valid passport should be enclosed with the visa application.
We shall ask for your original passport once we are ready to issue your migration visa. It must contain at least one blank page.
6. Embassy Address
Please mail your application or deliver personally to the following address:
(Visa Counter Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9.00 - 11.00 hrs):
Australian Embassy
Visa Office
Wallstrasse 76-79
D-10179 Berlin
Germany
7. Important Information
We recommend that you do not make travel commitments until after the visa has been approved. Visa applications are processed by the embassy as fast as possible and in the order of receipt. Processing times can vary according to the volume of applications on hand. You should allow for this when making your travel plans.
See: Target Processing Times
Following, is more information about the timing of your initial entry to Australia once a migration visa has been issued to you.
See: Initial Entry to Australia after a migration visa has been issued
We are not liable for any financial loss incurred by applicants whose applications are late or unsuccessful. You can do the following to help us process your case quickly:
ensure that your application is complete;
limit the contact to your case officer to urgent matters.
See: How to contact the department?
Under the terms of the Australian Privacy Act, we cannot provide information about applications in progress to third parties.
Documents required for a child migration visa