Calling all parents! If your baby was not born in Australia, you are not an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident, but you are a temporary visa holder, then you may be eligible to apply for a ‘subsequent entrant’ on your existing visa for your baby.
You may be eligible if one of the parents hold one of these visas:
- Business Innovation and Investment (provisional) (subclass 188) visa
- Skilled Regional (provisional) (subclass 489) visa
- Student (subclass 500) visa
- Temporary Work (International Relations) (subclass 403) visa
- Training (subclass 407) visa
- Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa
- Temporary Work (Skilled) (subclass 457) visa
- Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa
If you hold a temporary visa other than one of the above (i.e. a visitor visa), and you also do not have an unfinalised visa application before the Department, unfortunately you will need to apply for a new visa for your baby. And, if you currently have an unfinalised visa application before the Department, then your baby will automatically be added to that application, after you have notified us of your baby’s birth.
Adding your Baby to your Current Visa
You can sign in to ImmiAccount and apply for a subsequent entrant on your existing visa. Or, if you want to add your baby to a pending visa application that is not yet finalised, sign in to ImmiAccount and upload these documents:
- Form 1022 – Notification of changes in circumstances
- a colour scan of your baby’s birth certificate
- a colour scan of your baby’s passport pages (showing photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates)
If the baby doesn’t have a passport yet, you can provide the Department with copies of your baby’s passport pages later. However, you must send them as soon as you can.
Alternatively, if your visa application in ImmiAccount is finalised or you did not apply for your visa via ImmiAccount, post these documents to your nearest Department of Home Affairs office.
- Form 1022 – Notification of changes in circumstances
- a certified copy of your baby’s birth certificate
- a certified copy of your baby’s passport pages (showing photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates)
Please note that adding a child as a subsequent entrant on your current visa requires the payment of a visa application charge. However, it is free to include your baby in an unfinalised visa application.
When you have provided all the relevant documentation to the Department to support your application, your baby will be included in any unfinalised visa applications you have lodged, and the baby will be assessed along with yourself and any other dependents for a decision on your visa.
Your baby must, however, meet all requirements for visa grant. For example, this includes:
- being included in a sponsorship (where applicable)
- meeting the health requirement
- having a valid passport for travel (where applicable).
If your baby is applying separately as a subsequent entrant for one of the listed visas, they will have to be assessed separately. And, if you do not tell us about your baby:
- you cannot access Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) for your baby
- you and your baby might be delayed at the airport if your baby attempts to travel
Scenario:
What if my visa application has already been refused by the time I notify the department of my baby’s birth?
In such cases, you must still notify the Department of your baby’s birth as soon as possible, even if your baby does not have a passport yet. Unfortunately, your baby’s visa application will most likely be refused as well. This will, however, allow your baby to also seek merits review where applicable. If your baby has not had a refusal in their own right, the merits review tribunal will most likely have no jurisdiction to consider their application for merits review until the Department has actually refused your baby first.
Our Registered Migration Agents at Migration Centre of Australia have been in the migration industry for many years and have helped thousands of clients onshore and offshore. We are trained professionals in Australian Migration Law and we are trusted providers in the industry for our services. If you have recently had a baby, or you have had your application refused before you had a baby, contact us today on (02) 4626 1002 or send us an email at info@migrationcentreofaustralia.com.au and one of my registered migration agents will be ready to help you.
