Form 47A: Details of Child or Other Dependent Family Member Aged 18 or Over

What Form 47A is for

Form 47A collects the details of a family unit member aged 18 or over who is connected to a visa application but isn't the primary applicant filling out the main form. It has to be completed separately for each such person — a single 47A doesn't cover multiple dependents.

It applies whether or not the 18-plus family member is actually migrating to Australia. Some visa categories require the Department to know about every member of the applicant's family unit, including adult children who are staying behind, so that the full picture of who's connected to the application is on file — not just the people physically travelling.

This form appears most often in parent visa applications (where an applicant's adult children can be family unit members) and in some skilled visa applications where a broader family unit needs to be declared.

Form 47A vs Form 47PA — don't confuse the two

The similar numbering trips people up constantly. Form 47PA is the parent visa applicant's own application form — the primary document the parent visa applicant themselves completes about their own circumstances (see our dedicated 47PA/40 guide). Form 47A is a completely different document: it's for a dependent family member aged 18 or over who is attached to somebody else's application, not the main applicant's own form.

A simple test: if you're the person actually applying for the parent visa, you (and your sponsor) use 47PA and 40. If you're an adult child of that applicant being declared as a family unit member, you need your own 47A. Getting the wrong form filed against the wrong person's file is a common, avoidable source of processing delay.

The Australian Values Statement inside Form 47A

Form 47A includes an Australian Values Statement that has to be signed by the family member it relates to, if that person is applying to migrate to Australia. There are two situations where the statement isn't required: where the person is being added to an application that was originally lodged before 15 October 2007, or where the person isn't actually seeking to migrate (they're being declared as a family unit member but staying where they are).

Signing the statement is a formal acknowledgment of Australia's values as set out by the Department — it isn't optional paperwork where it applies, and a missing signature on a required Australian Values Statement is one of the more common reasons a 47A gets sent back for correction.

Dependency evidence for adult children

Where the family member on Form 47A is an adult child rather than, say, a spouse, the Department's own guidance on including family members (Form 1496i) sets out three age-based tests. Under 18, the child qualifies without a dependency test. From 18 up to — but not yet turned — 23, the child must be wholly or substantially reliant on the parent (or the parent's partner) more than anyone else for financial support to meet basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter, or be unable to earn a living because of a physical or cognitive limitation. From 23 onward, the only basis is being unable to earn a living due to a physical or cognitive limitation — general financial reliance is no longer enough on its own. In every case the child must also be unmarried, not engaged to be married, and not in a de facto relationship.

Common supporting evidence includes bank records showing regular financial support, evidence of shared housing costs, and a statement describing the dependency relationship. Because this evidence sits alongside Form 47A rather than inside it, it's worth gathering everything together as one document set rather than submitting the form and the evidence separately.

How to complete and lodge Form 47A

Form 47A is free and downloaded from the Department of Home Affairs form-listing page — always use the current version rather than reusing a copy from an earlier application. It asks for the family member's personal, identity and relationship details, and (where relevant) the Australian Values Statement declaration.

Where the primary application is in ImmiAccount, each completed 47A is uploaded as a supporting document against that application, one per dependent family member. Since 22 April 2026 that covers most parent visa applications too — Parent (103), Contributory Parent (143), Aged Parent (804) and Contributory Aged Parent (864) all now lodge online through ImmiAccount. Only the two temporary contributory streams, Contributory Parent (Temporary) (173) and Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (884), remain paper-only; for those, the completed 47A forms go in the paper application bundle sent by post or courier.

Common mistakes with Form 47A

The most frequent issue is simply not realising a separate 47A is needed for every 18-plus family unit member — applicants sometimes assume one combined family form covers everyone, then find the application queried for missing forms. A close second is confusing 47A with 47PA and filing the wrong document against the wrong person.

Other recurring problems: leaving the Australian Values Statement unsigned where it's required; submitting dependency evidence for an adult child without a clear supporting statement tying the evidence together; and using an outdated version of the form downloaded from a third-party site rather than the current Home Affairs PDF.

When a MARA agent is worth involving

For a single adult dependent with a straightforward relationship to the main applicant, Form 47A is generally something applicants complete themselves without help. It's worth getting advice where the family unit composition is more complex — multiple adult dependents, a dependency claim for someone between 18 and 23 that needs to be evidenced carefully, or a family member with their own character or health considerations that could affect the whole application.

A MARA-registered agent can review the full family unit picture before lodgement and make sure every required 47A is filed correctly the first time, rather than triggering a round of Department follow-up requests. Migratio lets you describe your situation once and compare consultation fees from MARA-registered agents who handle your visa type (comparing is free; consults are typically $150–$300 and you pay only if you book).

Who needs to complete Form 47A?

Every family unit member aged 18 or over who is connected to someone else's visa application — most commonly a parent visa or some skilled visa applications — needs their own completed Form 47A, whether or not they're actually migrating to Australia.

What's the difference between Form 47A and Form 47PA?

Form 47PA is the parent visa applicant's own application form for their own circumstances. Form 47A is a separate form for a dependent family member aged 18 or over who is attached to that application, not the primary applicant themselves.

Do I need to sign the Australian Values Statement on Form 47A?

Yes, if you're the family member the form relates to and you're applying to migrate. It's not required if you were added to an application lodged before 15 October 2007, or if you're being declared as a family unit member but aren't seeking to migrate yourself.

Is Form 47A free?

Yes. It's downloaded free from the Department of Home Affairs form-listing page and there's no separate charge to lodge the form itself.

How do I prove an adult child is a dependant on Form 47A?

For a child from 18 up to — but not yet turned — 23, the Department's test is being wholly or substantially reliant on the parent for financial support to meet basic needs (food, clothing, shelter), or unable to earn a living due to a physical or cognitive limitation. From 23 onward, only the physical-or-cognitive-limitation basis applies. Evidence alongside the form typically includes bank records of regular support and a statement describing the dependency — not just an assertion of it.

How do I lodge Form 47A?

If the primary application is in ImmiAccount, upload the completed 47A as a supporting document — since 22 April 2026 that covers four of the six parent visa subclasses (103, 143, 804, 864). Only the two paper-only streams, Contributory Parent (Temporary) (173) and Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (884), include the completed 47A forms in the paper application bundle instead.