Subclass 445 application process 2026: paper lodgement, payment and importing to ImmiAccount
You lodge a Dependent Child visa (Subclass 445) application on paper, pay the application charge before you post it, and only afterwards bring the case into ImmiAccount: the import step becomes available once the Department of Home Affairs issues your acknowledgement letter, and it requires the application ID, the child's date of birth, and an identity document number (passport, ImmiCard or Titre de Voyage). This sequence comes from the Australian Department of Home Affairs "Dependent Child visa (Subclass 445)" official page, as of July 2026.
Do I have to lodge Subclass 445 on paper?
Yes. The official page states that this visa must be applied for on paper, using Form 918 Application for a subclass 445 (temporary) visa by a dependent child. The form must be completed in English, and applications cannot be submitted in person. If an application is submitted at any other office or in any other way, it is not valid, and the department does not consider invalid applications further.
Paper lodgement does not mean you are cut off from online tools — it only means the lodgement step is paper. The department's own workflow moves the case online afterwards, which is why the acknowledgement letter matters so much.
What has to be in the envelope before I post it?
The department lists three things that must travel with the form: proof that you have paid the application charge, all relevant supporting documents, and correct prepaid postage. Missing any of these can make the application invalid, in which case the department will notify you and, if requested, return it.
Supporting documents depend on the child's age and circumstances, but the categories on the official page include:
- Identity: pages of the child's current passport showing photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates; a national identity card if they have one; proof of change of name where relevant.
- Photographs: 4 recent passport-size photos (45mm x 35mm) of the child and of any other dependent child included, less than 6 months old, good quality colour (no laser copies), full face against a plain light-coloured background.
- Character: children over 16 must provide a police certificate from every country they have spent 12 months or more in over the last 10 years since turning 16. For Australia, only National Police Certificates applied for under Code 33 – Immigration/Citizenship issued by the Australian Federal Police are accepted, and police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date. Children over 16 must also complete Form 80. Military service records or discharge papers are required where applicable.
- Relationship to the parent: a birth certificate, marriage certificate, adoption certificate, or an officially issued and maintained family status certificate or family book.
- Financial dependency: if the child is over 18 when the application is made, evidence of dependence on the parent holding the temporary Partner or Dependent Child visa for basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing, plus how long that support has been provided — bank statements, money transfers or rent receipts are given as examples.
Only certified copies should be sent; original documents should not be posted with the application. Keep a copy of the completed application and supporting documents for your own records.
Where do I send the paper application?
Both channels go to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth; use the one that matches how you are sending it, and include correct prepaid postage.
| Method | Address |
|---|---|
| By post | Department of Home Affairs, Child and Other Family Processing Centre, Locked Bag 7, NORTHBRIDGE WA 6865, AUSTRALIA |
| By courier | Department of Home Affairs, Child and Other Family Processing Centre, Wellington Central, 836 Wellington Street, WEST PERTH WA 6005, AUSTRALIA |
When does payment happen, and what does the visa cost?
Payment comes first. You must pay the application charge before you post the application, and the department will not process the application until payment is made; proof of payment goes inside the envelope. The page also warns that the department cannot process an application if the correct visa application charge is not paid — it will let you know and may return the application.
The official page directs applicants to the Visa Pricing Estimator to work out the cost for the main applicant, noting there is also a charge for each dependent child applying with the main applicant, plus possible separate costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics that the estimator does not cover. From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application, recognised by a valid passport from a specified country (Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu); family members are eligible on the basis of the primary applicant's passport.
How do I import the paper application into ImmiAccount?
Importing happens after lodgement, not before. Once you receive the acknowledgement letter, create a new ImmiAccount or log into an existing one and import the application by entering:
- the application ID;
- the date of birth;
- the identity document number — passport, ImmiCard or Titre de Voyage number.
The official page says you can import any new and existing applications for this visa made in Australia. For context on timing, the department indicates you should receive acknowledgement of the application (and advice of any associated bridging visa) within approximately one month after lodgement.
What can I do once the application is in ImmiAccount?
Importing gives you access to online services for that application. Through ImmiAccount you can attach supporting documents, view messages, update your details, view application status, apply for a Bridging Visa, and withdraw the application. It is also the default channel for follow-up material: if you did not include all necessary documents when you applied, or the department later asks for more, you provide them as soon as you can, uploading them into ImmiAccount if the application has been imported.
What if something is missing, wrong, or changes later?
Late material is expected to be handled promptly rather than held back. Documents requested after lodgement go into ImmiAccount; if you cannot use ImmiAccount, the department points to the Child and Orphan Relative Visa Processing Centre online form. Mistakes on the application should be notified as soon as possible using Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers, uploaded through ImmiAccount where possible.
Changes that must be reported include changes to the child's phone number, email, address or passport, changes to relationship status, the birth of a child, and a decision to withdraw. The child's own dependent children can be added to the application at any time before a decision is made, and each sibling must apply separately for this visa.
What should I expect while the application is being processed?
The department states it cannot provide updates on progress within global visa processing times and will contact you if anything further is needed. You will be told when to arrange health examinations, and biometrics may be requested. Processing can take longer if the form is not filled in correctly, required documents are missing, information takes time to verify, or full payment was not made at initial lodgement.
If the child was in Australia when the application was submitted, the department grants a bridging visa; if the current visa expires before a decision, the bridging visa starts and the child can remain in Australia while the new application is processed — but they must hold a valid visa to stay lawful. A child who applied onshore and travels overseas during processing needs a valid visa to return to Australia. Timelines, requests and outcomes vary with the facts of each case, and this article is general information only rather than advice tailored to your circumstances; the official page — and, where the facts are complicated, a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person, who are the only people the department recognises as able to give immigration assistance — is the reference to rely on.
How is the decision delivered?
The child can be inside or outside Australia when the decision is made, and the department gives the outcome in writing. If the visa is granted, the notice includes the visa grant number, the date the visa starts, and any visa conditions; the grant letter also specifies a first entry date, generally set at 12 months from the date of grant. The visa is digitally linked to the passport rather than issued as a label.
If the visa is refused, the department tells you why and whether there is a right to a review of the decision. The application fee is not refunded if the application is refused. Once granted, the child must apply to be added to their parent's permanent Partner visa application, and this temporary visa runs until that permanent application is decided or withdrawn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I lodge Subclass 445 online in ImmiAccount?
No. The Department of Home Affairs states this visa must be applied for on paper, using Form 918, and applications cannot be submitted in person or at any other office, as those are not valid. ImmiAccount comes into play after lodgement, when you import the paper application once the acknowledgement letter arrives.
Do I have to pay before I post the application?
Yes — you must pay the application charge before posting, and the department will not process the application until payment is made. Proof of payment must be included in the envelope along with the form and supporting documents.
When can I import the paper application into ImmiAccount?
After you receive your acknowledgement letter for the paper application; the department indicates acknowledgement should arrive within approximately one month of lodgement. Importing is described for new and existing applications made in Australia.
What three details do I need to import the application?
The application ID, the date of birth, and the identity document number, which can be a passport, ImmiCard or Titre de Voyage number. You enter these after creating a new ImmiAccount or logging into an existing one.
Should I post original documents with Form 918?
No. The department instructs applicants to send certified copies only, not original documents, and to keep a copy of the completed application and supporting documents for their own records.
What happens if the child needs to travel while the application is processed?
If the child applied while onshore and travels overseas during processing, they need a valid visa to return to Australia. Where the child applied in Australia, a bridging visa is granted and starts if their current visa expires before a decision, allowing them to stay lawfully during processing.
Is the fee refunded if the 445 application is refused?
No. The official page states that the department will not refund the application fee if the application is refused. The written decision will explain the refusal and whether there is a right to a review.