Child Visa Fees Australia: Department Charges, Siblings and Total Legal Costs
The price of a Child Visa matter is not just the Department’s base charge. Families also need to understand who is the primary applicant, whether siblings need separate applications, what concessions exist and which professional or evidence costs are outside the government fee. Getting those distinctions right avoids a misleading budget.
Explore our Australian Child Visa hub and Adoption Visa 102 legal advice for the underlying visa pathway.
Discuss your child’s visa options
Tell us the child’s age and location, the parent’s visa or citizenship status, and any approaching deadline. Call 1300 807 134 or request a call back below.
Why a child can be charged the full base amount
The label additional applicant under 18 does not mean every applicant under 18 receives that rate. It describes an eligible person whose application is properly combined with a primary applicant’s application. A child applying in their own right for a Child Visa is normally the primary applicant.
For example, two siblings each needing Subclass 101 normally make separate applications. Their shared parent does not turn one sibling into the other’s dependant. By contrast, a qualifying applicant’s own dependent child may be eligible for inclusion, subject to the relevant rules. Always establish the family structure and legal inclusion mechanism before calculating a combined total.
Worked budgets for siblings and eligible dependants
At the standard rate, two separate 101 primary applications would involve base charges totalling AUD 8,080 before any other expenses, while three would total AUD 12,120. These examples assume no concession and do not include medicals, translation, professional fees or other charges. Each application also needs its own evidence and outcome assessment.
For the usual non-orphan Child categories, Schedule 1 currently lists an additional-applicant charge of AUD 2,020 for an eligible applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 1,015 for one under 18. The standard orphan-relative additional rates are AUD 1,235 and AUD 625 respectively. These figures are not permission to include someone who does not qualify; first determine whether the person can legally be included.
Concessions need an actual legal basis
The current Schedule 1 fee structure includes lower amounts for qualifying Pacific-regional passport holders. The applicable passport and category rules must be checked, including how a combined application is treated. A person should not select the reduced amount solely because they live in the Pacific region or have family from a listed country.
Some onshore applications supported by a qualifying State or Territory welfare-authority letter have specific nil-charge provisions. That is a defined legal pathway, not a general hardship discount available on request. A private letter from a school, community group or relative should not be assumed to meet the welfare-authority requirement. Obtain advice on the actual provision before making payment.
What the Department charge does not purchase
The government charge pays for the visa application process. It does not include a lawyer, translations, a passport, medical examinations, police certificates or a court order. It also does not guarantee a favourable outcome, a response within a chosen period or reimbursement if the family changes its plans.
Refunds are governed by specific rules. A refusal or withdrawal does not automatically entitle the applicant to recover the fee. If an application was invalid or another refund ground may apply, investigate the exact circumstances rather than assuming every payment is either always refundable or never refundable. Keep the payment receipt and evidence identifying the application to which it relates.
Need advice on the difficult part of your case?
Tell us the child’s age and location, the parent’s visa or citizenship status, and any approaching deadline. Call 1300 807 134 or request a call back below.
How to compare legal quotes meaningfully
Ask whether the quote covers only form preparation or also eligibility advice, sponsorship analysis, evidence review and submissions. Clarify the number of applicants, the treatment of routine Department requests and whether a health waiver, foreign-law issue, court application or refusal review is included. The cheapest headline can be difficult to compare if the scope is unclear.
Emigrate Lawyers provides a matter-specific professional scope and fee arrangement. We do not publish an invented fixed fee for every Child Visa case. The family’s complexity and required work should determine the quote, with GST and disbursements identified. Obtain approval for material additional work according to the engagement arrangements rather than assuming every later issue was included in the original figure.
Plan for evidence costs without paying for unnecessary work
Some expenses can be timed intelligently. Confirm the required medical examinations and approved provider before booking. Ask which documents genuinely need translation, certification or retrieval. If DNA is suggested, understand the Department’s procedures before buying a private test that may not be suitable.
An adoption, disputed parentage or missing-parent matter may require independent specialist evidence. Budget for those possibilities, but do not commission expensive material simply because another family’s online checklist included it. A lawyer’s evidence plan should explain why the item is relevant. Keep school, travel and relocation costs separate from the application budget, particularly where timing remains uncertain.
Department fees and the total cost of a child visa matter
The Department’s standard base application charge, checked on 29 September 2026 against Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations, is AUD 4,040 for subclasses 101, 802, 102 and 445. For Orphan Relative subclasses 117 and 837, the standard base charge is AUD 2,475. These are government charges, not Emigrate Lawyers’ professional fees. The charge applicable when a valid application is made must be checked before payment.
Do not assume a child pays an additional-applicant rate merely because they are young. A child who makes their own primary application generally attracts the base charge. Siblings normally require separate Child Visa applications. Additional-applicant charges concern eligible people properly included in an application, such as an applicant’s own dependent child.
| Cost component | What to budget for |
|---|---|
| Government charge | Standard base fee above; check concessions and any eligible additional applicants. |
| Evidence and checks | Translations, police certificates where required, panel medical examinations and document retrieval. |
| Professional assistance | An agreed legal scope and written fee quote, with GST treatment and disbursements identified. |
| Complex issues | Foreign-law advice, court proceedings, specialist reports or review work may need a separate scope. |
Eligible Pacific-regional passport holders can receive lower charges: the relevant Schedule 1 categories currently provide a base of AUD 3,315 for the usual Child/Adoption/445 pathways and AUD 2,030 for Orphan Relative applicants. Specific welfare-authority-supported onshore applications also have special rules. Eligibility, not financial hardship alone, determines the concession. Ask for a calculation for the actual applicant rather than relying on a generic fee screenshot. Check Home Affairs visa pricing.
Processing times: what the Department’s figures mean
The Home Affairs processing tool reports how long recently decided applications took. It does not reserve a decision date for your child, identify the case officer, or give a different service standard for each Australian city. The official processing-time guide should be checked for the exact subclass before making travel or school commitments.
At our 29 September 2026 check, the tool displayed 8 months for 50% and 17 months for 90% of Subclass 102 applications. These historical percentiles are not a minimum wait, a guarantee, or figures that can be transferred to another subclass. The tool showed an update date of 4 September 2026. An application outside the published range warrants a careful status check; it does not automatically establish an error or a right to immediate approval.
Keep the acknowledgement, payment evidence, application reference and copies of everything submitted. Monitor Department correspondence and update changed passports, addresses and relevant family circumstances. A targeted enquiry should explain what is outstanding and provide evidence of any urgent circumstances. Repeated identical emails, a school start date or payment of a higher legal fee do not create a guaranteed fast-track service.
Case example: two siblings incorrectly budgeted as one primary and one dependant
A parent budgets AUD 4,040 plus AUD 1,015 for two children who each need a 101 visa. The parent has assumed that the younger sibling can be included as the older child’s dependant. Where separate primary applications are required, the standard government base total would instead be AUD 8,080.
The family needs a revised budget for both applications and their individual checks. This example is not a quote for a particular family; it demonstrates why applicant structure must be established before using additional-applicant rates.
The Emigrate Lawyers method
Our approach starts with the legal question that could decide the matter. For this article’s scenario, that means calculating the charge for the actual applicants and separating government, professional and third-party expenses. The file should explain why the evidence meets the relevant rule, rather than leave the decision-maker to infer the answer from a large collection of documents.
- Map the family and status history. Identify the applicant, proposed sponsor, parental responsibility, previous applications and relevant dates.
- Test the pathway before paying. Check the subclass, location, application validity, sponsorship and any exception that must be established.
- Build an evidence plan. Separate documents already available from material that needs translation, independent verification or specialist advice.
- Prepare a consistent application. Reconcile forms, supporting statements and earlier immigration records, explaining genuine discrepancies.
- Manage the period after lodgement. Track requests, changing circumstances, visa conditions and any time-sensitive response.
Emigrate Lawyers is based at Suite 807, 365 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 and assists clients throughout Australia and overseas through a paperless practice. Remote service does not remove a requirement to attend a medical examination, biometrics appointment or court process where one is needed. We explain the agreed work and professional fees before that work begins; no lawyer can guarantee a visa grant or Department processing speed.
Frequently asked questions
Is the lawyer’s fee included in the visa charge?
No. Home Affairs charges, professional fees and third-party expenses are separate. A written quote should identify each category and the work included.
Do siblings receive a family discount?
Do not assume one. Siblings normally require separate Child Visa applications. Any concession must be supported by the applicable fee rules.
Can I pay an old fee if I started preparing before July?
Preparation does not lock in a fee. Check the charge applicable to the valid application at the relevant time and the current payment instructions.
Is the visa charge refunded if the application is refused?
Refusal does not automatically create a refund entitlement. Refund eligibility depends on the specific legal rules and circumstances.
Can a lawyer quote a guaranteed total?
A lawyer can define and quote the agreed professional scope, but government charges, specialist evidence and unforeseen additional work should be identified separately rather than concealed.
Request a Child Visa consultation
Tell us the child’s age and location, the parent’s visa or citizenship status, and any approaching deadline. Call 1300 807 134 or request a call back below.
Sources and further reading
Information checked on 29 September 2026. The applicable legislation and facts control the outcome; Department pages and processing figures can change.
- Migration Regulations: Schedule 1 items 1108, 1108A and 1211
- Home Affairs: current visa pricing
- Home Affairs: Child Visa 101 and siblings
- Home Affairs: Adoption Visa 102
- Home Affairs: Orphan Relative Visa 837
Madhab Kharel — Principal Lawyer
Madhab Kharel is Principal Lawyer and Director of Emigrate Lawyers. The firm assists with Australian immigration and family law matters, including child and partner migration, complex evidence issues and visa refusals.
General information: This article is not individual legal advice. Obtain advice on the child’s circumstances before lodging, travelling, withdrawing an application or allowing a visa or review deadline to expire.
