Forms 40CH and 47CH: Sponsoring and Applying for a Child Visa

What each form does

Form 47CH, 'Application for migration to Australia by a child', is the visa application itself, made on behalf of the child. Form 40CH, 'Sponsorship for a child to migrate to Australia', is completed by the sponsor — the parent, relative or guardian (as applicable to the visa) who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 or over. In Part O the sponsor gives a written undertaking to provide support, including accommodation and financial assistance, for the child's first 2 years in Australia (or the 2 years after grant, if the child applies in Australia). An Orphan Relative sponsor must usually have been lawfully resident in Australia for about 2 years.

Home Affairs asks for both forms to be lodged together, with the Visa Application Charge; the sponsorship establishes that someone in Australia is taking responsibility for the child's arrival, while the application form covers the child's own details, identity documents and eligibility criteria.

Which subclasses use these forms

Form 47CH covers two visa classes, and the applicant ticks one at Part A, Question 2:

• Child (Migrant) (Class AH), applied for outside Australia: subclass 101 (Child), 102 (Adoption) and 117 (Orphan Relative)
• Child (Residence) (Class BT), applied for in Australia: subclass 802 (Child) and 837 (Orphan Relative)

A valid application is assessed against every subclass in the class ticked. The Home Affairs pages for both the 101 and the 802 list Form 47CH and Form 40CH as the two forms to complete and send together, so the pair applies onshore as well as offshore.

The 47CH sets out different criteria for each type: a child 18 or over (101/802) must be financially dependent on the Australian parent, and also under 25 and a full-time student, unless they're unable to work because of a disability — a stricter, form-specific test than the general dependent-child definition used to include a child on someone else's visa; adoption (102) involves an Australian state or territory central authority, or a full overseas adoption where an adoptive parent lived overseas for at least 12 months before applying; and an Orphan Relative (117/837) must be under 18 with a relative sponsor who can care for them because no parent is able to. The form lists the Adoption documents separately, so read the section for your subclass before starting.

Who signs when the applicant is a minor

Form 47CH states that if the applicant is under 16, the child's parent, relative or guardian may complete and sign the form on the child's behalf (depending on the visa applied for). The Australian values statement in the form must also be signed by each person aged 18 or over who is included in it. Separately, the Home Affairs visa pages ask children over 16 to complete Form 80 for the character assessment.

The sponsor on Form 40CH is a separate person from whoever signs the 47CH in some family structures (for example, a grandparent sponsoring while a parent completes the application), so it's worth being clear on who is playing which role before starting either form.

Custody, consent and Form 1229

Where a parent or another person with legal parental responsibility for the child isn't included in the visa application — most commonly because the parents are separated, or one parent is remaining overseas — Home Affairs generally needs documented consent from every person with parental responsibility before granting the visa. This is most often provided through Form 1229, 'Consent to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years', covered in full in our dedicated guide, or through a statutory declaration giving consent. Form 47CH says either must come with a certified copy of that person's identification showing their signature (for example a passport or driver's licence). The requirement is also met if the sponsoring parent holds a valid court order permitting them to permanently remove the child from the child's home country, or a valid Australian child order with which the visa grant would be consistent.

In blended families, or where a parent's whereabouts or willingness to consent is uncertain, this documentation can take longer to gather than the forms themselves.

Paper lodgement and paying the charge

Home Affairs states that the child visas must be applied for on paper. Form 47CH (design date 06/26) directs applicants to send the forms and documents by post to the Department of Home Affairs, Child and Other Family Processing Centre, Locked Bag 7, Northbridge WA 6865, or by courier to the same centre at 836 Wellington Street, West Perth WA 6005; the Home Affairs page warns that an application submitted anywhere else, or in any other way, is not valid.

The Visa Application Charge is paid before lodging, through ImmiAccount (My Payments > Manage Payments > Pre-Pay Paper Service), and an application is not valid unless the charge is paid in full. The form also asks for a residential address where the applicant will live while the application is processed — a post office box is not accepted, and leaving the address out makes the application invalid.

What to check before you lodge

Confirm the current version of both forms directly from the Home Affairs form-listing page rather than reusing an older saved copy — like most Home Affairs forms, these are updated periodically. Confirm which subclass fits your family's circumstances (101, 102, 117, 802 and 837 cover different situations) and tick the right visa class at Part A, Question 2. And identify early whether Form 1229 consent, a court order, or a statutory declaration will be needed from a non-applying parent, because gathering that documentation often takes longer than completing the forms themselves.

What is the difference between Form 40CH and Form 47CH?

Form 40CH is the sponsorship form, completed by the sponsor (a parent, relative or guardian who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 or over), including an undertaking to support the child for their first 2 years. Form 47CH is the visa application itself, made for the child.

Which child visa subclasses use Forms 40CH and 47CH?

Form 47CH covers the Child (Migrant) class — subclasses 101, 102 and 117, applied for outside Australia — and the Child (Residence) class — subclasses 802 and 837, applied for in Australia. The Home Affairs pages for both the 101 and the 802 ask for Forms 47CH and 40CH to be sent together.

Who signs Form 47CH if the applicant is a child?

Form 47CH states that for a child under 16, the child's parent, relative or guardian may complete and sign the form on the child's behalf, depending on the visa. Each person aged 18 or over included in the form also signs the Australian values statement.

Do child visa applications need Form 1229 as well?

Often, yes — where a parent or other person with legal parental responsibility isn't part of the application, Home Affairs generally needs documented consent from them, via Form 1229 or a statutory declaration, each with a certified copy of that person's signed identification; a qualifying court order can satisfy the requirement instead. See our dedicated Form 1229 guide.

Can child visa applications be lodged online?

No. Home Affairs states that these visas must be applied for on paper, sent by post or courier to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth. The Visa Application Charge is paid beforehand through ImmiAccount's Pre-Pay Paper Service.