Bring Your Family With You, or Have Them Join You Later
Whether you're studying, working, or migrating to Australia, our registered migration agents help you keep your spouse, partner, and children with you, with a plan that matches your actual visa pathway, not a generic checklist.
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Quick Facts on Dependent Visas
The essentials, at a glance. Everything else we'll walk you through at your consultation.
What Is a "Dependent Visa"?
A dependent visa is the general term for how your eligible family members, your spouse, de facto partner, or dependent children, join you on, or after, your own Australian visa application. It isn't a single, standalone visa subclass in its own right. Instead, it's a pathway attached to whichever visa you (the primary applicant) hold or are applying for.
If you've been searching for "Australia Dependent Visa" expecting to find one specific visa to apply for, that's worth knowing upfront, because it changes how you should be researching this: the actual process, cost, and timing depend entirely on your own visa type. Two families in seemingly similar situations can face very different processes, a partner joining someone on a Student Visa (500) faces a different pathway, cost, and timeline than a partner joining someone on a Skilled Independent visa (189). Getting this distinction right from the start avoids wasted time researching the wrong process.
Book Your Free ConsultationYour Family's Pathway, by Primary Visa Type
A genuine comparison, so you know exactly which row applies to you before you read any further.
| If you hold / are applying for | Your family can generally | Key thing to know |
|---|---|---|
| Student Visa (500) | Be included in the same application, or apply to join you afterward | Your financial capacity evidence must cover them too, this affects the living-cost figures on your application |
| Working Visa (482 / Skills in Demand) | Be included as dependants on your sponsored visa application | Work rights for accompanying partners vary, we'll confirm exactly what your partner can and can't do |
| Skilled Migration (189 / 190 / 491) | Be included in the same application | Your partner's own skills, qualifications, and English level can sometimes add points to your combined score |
| Employer Nomination Scheme (186) | Be included as dependants on this permanent visa | Often used after building Australian work experience on a temporary visa first |
What You'll Generally Need
The core evidence most family visa applications require, whatever pathway you're on.
Proof of Your Relationship
Marriage certificate, evidence of a de facto relationship (which typically needs to show a genuine, continuing relationship, not just a certificate), or birth certificates for children.
Sufficient Financial Capacity
Evidence you can support your dependants in Australia, calculated on top of your own living-cost requirement.
Health Examinations
With an approved panel physician, for each family member being included.
Police Clearance Certificates
For applicants aged 16 and over. For Filipino applicants, this generally means an NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) clearance.
Appropriate Health Insurance
OSHC for student-visa families, or Medicare access depending on the specific visa type held.
Timing: The Detail Most Families Get Wrong
One of the most common issues we see isn't eligibility. It's timing.
A Few Things Worth Planning Around From Day One
- NBI clearances and police checks have validity windows: if yours (or a family member's) is obtained too early, it may need to be renewed before your visa is decided, adding delay and cost.
- Adding a family member later is usually possible, but not always straightforward: if your partner or children aren't ready to travel with you initially, they can often join later, but the process, cost, and evidence required can differ from including them upfront.
- A dependent child turning 18 during processing can change their eligibility category. If your child is close to 18, this needs to be planned for specifically, not discovered partway through.
- Financial evidence needs to be calculated for your whole family from the start, not adjusted after the fact. Retroactively topping up evidence of funds can raise questions that a correctly prepared application avoids entirely.
It's worth telling us your full family situation at the very first consultation, even if only you're travelling initially.
What's Included in Ignite's Dependent Visa Service
What you're actually paying for, versus doing it alone or via a cheaper, less accountable "fixer."
Eligibility assessment: which dependants are eligible to be included, and under which visa
Evidence guidance: relationship and financial evidence requirements, calculated correctly for your whole family
Health and NBI coordination: timing your health examinations and NBI clearance/police check so nothing expires mid-process
Future planning support: if some family members will join you later rather than immediately
Full application preparation and lodgement: for your family members
Ongoing liaison: with the Department of Home Affairs on your family's behalf
Ready to check your family's eligibility?
Get a free, honest assessment of which family members can join you, and exactly what evidence you'll need.
Frequently Asked Questions
01. Can my husband/wife and kids come with me while I study?+-
In most cases, yes, your spouse/partner and dependent children can be included in your Student Visa (500) application, or apply separately to join you once you've arrived. The right approach depends on your finances, timeline, and whether they're ready to travel with you immediately.
02. Will my partner be able to work in Australia?+-
Work rights for partners and dependants vary by the primary visa type, some carry full work rights for an accompanying partner, others are more limited. We'll confirm exactly what applies to your specific visa pathway.
03. Do I need to be married to include my partner?+-
No, a genuine de facto relationship can also qualify, though it generally needs to be supported by evidence of a continuing relationship (shared finances, cohabitation, or other proof), not just a declaration.
04. What if my child turns 18 while our application is being processed?+-
There are specific rules affecting dependent children who turn 18 during processing. Tell us early so we can plan the application timeline around this rather than risk it becoming a problem partway through.
05. Do all my family members need police clearances?+-
Generally, yes, for anyone aged 16 or over. For Filipino applicants this is typically an NBI clearance. Timing matters, since it needs to remain valid through the visa decision, not just at the point of application.
06. Can my family join me later instead of coming with me straight away?+-
Often, yes, but the process and requirements can differ from including them in your original application. Tell us your full family situation upfront, even if only you're travelling initially, so we can plan the right pathway from day one.
07. Does including my family cost more in visa fees?+-
Yes, most visas charge an additional applicant fee for each family member included, on top of the primary applicant's charge. We'll give you the full, itemised cost breakdown for your specific visa and family size at your consultation.
Don't Navigate This Alone: Keep Your Family's Application on Track
Book a free consultation and find out exactly how to bring your family with you, or have them join you later, without the timing mistakes that cause delays.
Book Your Free Consultation