Child Visa Subclass 802 — document translation guide
The Child Visa (Subclass 802) is the onshore permanent visa for dependent children of Australian citizens or permanent residents already in Australia. For the latest requirements, always check homeaffairs.gov.au.
Who Is the Child Visa Subclass 802 Generally For?
The Child Visa (Subclass 802) is decided while the child is physically in Australia, and that single fact shapes the whole application. Because it is lodged onshore, a valid application normally attracts a bridging visa that keeps the child lawfully in the country while the case is processed, and the child must generally remain in Australia at the time the decision is made. Applicants holding a substantive visa with condition 8503 (no further stay) must have that condition waived before an onshore application can be validly lodged.
Evidence for an onshore case is built around the child's presence and current circumstances in Australia as well as the parental relationship. Case officers commonly look at the child's current visa and travel history, school enrolment or care arrangements in Australia, and the sponsoring parent's residence here. Where the child arrived on a visitor or student visa, the surrounding documents (school records, guardianship arrangements, custody or consent paperwork from the other parent) become part of the picture.
Which translations matter most here: the birth certificate remains the core relationship document, but onshore files frequently also need translated custody, guardianship or consent orders showing that the non-migrating parent agrees to the child living permanently in Australia, plus adoption orders where the relationship is adoptive. Any foreign-language school records or medical documents supporting the child's circumstances in Australia must be translated by a NAATI-certified translator as well.
Sequencing tip for onshore families: lodgement timing matters more than it does offshore, because a lapse between the current visa expiring and lodging the 802 can leave the child unlawful. Have translations of the birth certificate and any consent or custody documents ready before the current visa's expiry rather than after it.
Child Visa Subclass 802 — Document Checklist
Documents commonly used for Child Visa Subclass 802 applications. Not every document applies to every applicant — always verify on homeaffairs.gov.au.
Processing Times
Processing times for this visa are published by the Department of Home Affairs and are updated regularly. Always check the official DHA tool before planning your application.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few of the issues we most often see with documents prepared for visa applications.
Submitting uncertified or self-translated documents — Australian authorities generally require NAATI-certified translations for documents not in English.
Providing incomplete translations that omit stamps, seals or marginal notes from the original document.
Using documents that have expired or been superseded (for example, an old passport bio page).
Submitting low-quality scans or photos where text is partially unreadable.
Mismatched names across documents without a supporting change-of-name certificate or statutory declaration.
Missing pages — translators can only certify what they can clearly see.
People Also Need
Back to Family Visas
Parent category overview.
Family Visas — Document Checklist
Documents commonly translated for this category.
Birth Certificate Translation
Adoption Records Translation
Other Visas in Family Visas
Subclass 103 — Parent
Non-contributory parent visa.
Subclass 143 — Contributory Parent
Contributory parent visa.
Subclass 101 — Child
Offshore child visa.
Related Document Translations
Birth Certificate Translation
NAATI-certified, from $59 per page.
Adoption Records Translation
NAATI-certified, from $59 per page.
Marriage Certificate Translation
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Related Checklists
Frequently Asked Questions — Child Visa Subclass 802 Translation
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