Child visa (onshore) (subclass 802) - Agent Training Manual

1. Overview

Know these facts cold before the first client conversation - they are also what the exam below tests. This visa IS permanent residence for the child.

Visa typePermanent

LodgementOnshore

StayPermanent

Work rightsUnlimited

Study rightsYes

Government charge~$3,115

Processing time~12-24 months

2. Process flow

The handling sequence for a 802 file, from first consultation to decision. Each step assumes the one before it is genuinely finished - not "mostly done".

Confirm dependency
Under 18, or 18-25 in full-time study and financially dependent, or incapacitated - and not married or de facto. Age is tested at lodgement; lodge before birthdays bite.
Custody and consent
Where parents are separated: custody orders and Form 1229 consent from anyone with parental responsibility. Missing consent is the classic stall.
Sponsorship and lodgement
The Australian parent sponsors; the child must be in Australia at application and grant.
Health, character, decision
Permanent visa checks; keep evidence of ongoing dependency for older children.

3. Eligibility checklist

Every box must be confirmable with evidence, not the client's say-so, before you advise that the 802 is viable.

A dependent child of an eligible Australian parent sponsorWithin the dependency age/criteriaIn Australia at application and grantHealth and character requirements

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4. Document checklist

The lodgement pack. Aim for decision-ready: a case officer should be able to grant without asking for anything further.

Valid passport biodata page for every applicant - check expiry against expected processing timeCertified identity documents: birth certificate, national ID, any change-of-name evidencePolice certificates for every country the client lived in for 12+ months in the last 10 years (since turning 16)Health examinations with an approved panel physician when requested (record the HAP ID)Form 956 appointing you as the registered agent, signed before you deal with the DepartmentChild's birth certificate naming the sponsoring parentForm 1229 or court orders consenting to migration where parents are separatedFor 18-25: enrolment evidence and financial dependency proofSponsor's citizenship/PR evidence

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5. Cost checklist

Quote the full stack, in writing, before the client signs. Surprise costs are the fastest way to lose a client's trust (and earn a complaint).

Item	Indicative amount
Base visa application charge (2025-26, indicative)	~$3,115
Health examinations (per person)	~$300-500
Police certificates	~$42-150 each
Relationship registration (where used)	State fees vary
Your professional fee	Per your agency's schedule - quote in writing before Form 956
Rule of thumb	Government charges usually change every 1 July - re-quote any file that lodges after 30 June

6. Qualification checklist

Run this in the first consultation, before taking a retainer. It screens the client, not the visa: history, hard stops and honesty come first.

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7. Case studies - eligible cases

Illustrative composites showing what a grantable 802 file looks like in practice.

Grant: Sofia from Thailand

Background: Sofia, a hospitality manager from Thailand. Dependent children in Australia of an Australian citizen, PR or eligible NZ citizen parent.
Why it qualified: (1) A dependent child of an eligible Australian parent sponsor. (2) Within the dependency age/criteria. (3) In Australia at application and grant.
What made the file strong: The file opened with a short submission mapping each criterion to its evidence, so the case officer never had to hunt.
Outcome: Granted within the indicative processing window (~12-24 months).

Grant: Sipho from the Philippines

Background: Sipho, a retired shopkeeper from the Philippines. Dependent children in Australia of an Australian citizen, PR or eligible NZ citizen parent.
Why it qualified: (1) A dependent child of an eligible Australian parent sponsor. (2) Within the dependency age/criteria. (3) In Australia at application and grant.
What made the file strong: The agent tested the weakest criterion first and fixed it before lodging, not after a natural-justice letter.
Outcome: Granted within the indicative processing window (~12-24 months).

8. Case studies - refusal cases

The same visa, handled badly. Every one of these failure modes is screenable at the first consultation.

Refusal: Grace from Turkey

Background: Grace, a marketing coordinator from Turkey, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 802.
What went wrong: Child outside the dependency criteria
Outcome: The Department refused; the client lost the application charge, months of lead time, and in this subclass a refusal also complicates any onshore follow-up.
Lesson for the agent: Put this issue on the document checklist on day one and refuse to lodge until it is closed out.

Refusal: Daniel from Nepal

Background: Daniel, a small-business owner from Nepal, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 802.
What went wrong: Being offshore at the wrong time
Outcome: The case officer decided on the papers without a further request - the file had to stand on its own, and it could not.
Lesson for the agent: Apply the decision-ready test: if you cannot evidence the claim today, the application is not ready to lodge.

9. Self-exam

10 questions drawn from this manual. Pass mark 80%. Answers are graded on the server and your result is recorded against your agent profile - retakes are unlimited and your best score is kept. Log in to the agent portal first so your result is saved to My trainings.

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