Can dependent children be included in a Subclass 114 application in 2026?
Yes. A Subclass 114 (Aged Dependent Relative) application can include your dependent children and stepchildren — and according to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Aged Dependent Relative visa (Subclass 114) official page, those two groups are the only people who count as members of your family unit for this visa. That narrow definition is the starting point for everything else: who can travel with you, what evidence you must gather, and what you must disclose about relatives who are staying behind.
What does "member of the family unit" mean for a Subclass 114 application?
For this visa the family unit is deliberately small. The Department's page lists your family members as your dependent child and stepchild — no partner or other relatives. That is consistent with the eligibility rules on the same page, which require the main applicant to have no partner at all.
Two consequences follow from this. First, a child who no longer meets the dependency test cannot simply "come along" as a family member; they would need to qualify in their own right. Second, "dependent child" and "stepchild" are legal categories rather than informal descriptions, and the Migration Regulations 1994 is where those terms are defined. The Department's page sets out the working test; if you need the exact statutory wording, the regulations as currently in force are the controlling text, so check the latest published version rather than any summary.
Who counts as a dependent child, and how old can they be?
The Department's document checklist sets out three routes:
- Under 18 — included as a dependent child, with identity documents and proof of the relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate.
- Over 18 but not yet 23 — can be included if dependent on you or your partner.
- Over 23 — can be included only if they are unable to earn a living to support themselves because of physical or cognitive limitations, and are dependent on you or your partner.
The page states plainly that your child or stepchild must usually be under 23 to be included. The over-23 route is an exception, not a second general rule, and it requires information about the physical or cognitive limitation alongside the dependency evidence.
What does an adult dependent child have to prove?
Anyone 18 or older included in the application needs identity documents, documents about their other relationships where relevant, character documents, and proof of dependency.
Proof of dependency is specific. You must complete Form 47a Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over, provide proof of the relationship such as a birth certificate or adoption papers, and show that the person has been financially dependent on you for at least 12 months before you apply. Suggested evidence includes proof that they live with you, their tax records, and proof that they are currently studying.
Imagine an applicant whose 21-year-old daughter is at university and lives at home. The relationship is not in doubt; the 12-month financial dependency is the part that has to be documented, and Form 47a is the form the Department uses to capture those details.
What is needed for a child under 18?
For every dependent under 18 applying with you, the page requires identity documents, proof of your relationship with them (such as a birth or marriage certificate), and character documents where applicable.
The additional step is consent. You must obtain consent for any applicant under 18 from everyone who has a legal right to decide where the child lives and who is not coming to Australia with the child. That person completes either Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years or a statutory declaration giving consent for the child to stay in Australia on this visa.
There are alternatives: you can instead show an Australian court order allowing the child to migrate, or that the laws of your home country allow it. Whichever route you use, include an identity document showing the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration — a passport or driver's licence, for example — plus adoption papers or other court documents where relevant.
If the child will not be staying with a relative or legal guardian, Form 1257 Undertaking declaration is also required, signed by the person they will stay with. Separately, the Department's eligibility page states it will not grant the visa if granting it would not be in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
Do you have to declare children who are not migrating?
Yes. The Department's page says you will be required to include details of all your family members in the application form, whether they are migrating or not.
This surprises some applicants, because the natural reading of a "family member" question is "who is coming with me". For Subclass 114 it is broader: the form asks about the family unit, and non-migrating members can still carry consequences. The page notes that family members who are not coming to Australia might also have to meet the health requirement, and the character section says other non-migrating family members might be asked to meet the character requirement as well. The identity section adds a sharper warning: if you cannot prove your identity, the Department might not grant any family members listed on your application a visa for 10 years.
The practical rule is therefore to disclose fully at lodgement rather than after a question is raised.
Can children be added to the application later?
You can include members of the family unit when you apply, and the page also says you may be able to add them at any time before a decision is made. To do that you complete and send Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement, together with evidence of the relationship and the family member's passport.
Two cautions appear on the same page. Family members added after you apply must be in Australia when you add them — which sits awkwardly alongside the rule that you and all applicants must be outside Australia when you apply and when the application is decided, so this is a point where the current wording of the official page should be checked before relying on it. And any added family members must meet the health and character requirements.
What else changes when you include children?
Three things follow from adding family members:
- Health and character. Family members applying with you must meet the health requirement and the character requirement. Do not arrange police certificates until the Department asks.
- Assurance of support. The assurance of support covers you and any family members who come to Australia with you on this visa, and you provide it when the Department asks.
- Cost. The page states there is an extra charge for each family member who applies with you, and that the first instalment is payable when you apply. No figure is quoted here because the amount depends on the current visa pricing; use the Department's own pricing information for the figure that applies to you.
This article is general information about how the published rules work and is not personalised advice about your circumstances; because individual family structures vary, and because fees, forms and processing arrangements change, the official page and any professional advice you choose to obtain should be treated as the authority for your own decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a stepchild be included if I am not their biological parent?
Yes. The Department lists both a dependent child and a stepchild as family members for this visa. You still need to prove the relationship, and the identity documents and proof of relationship (such as a birth or marriage certificate) are part of the required evidence.
Is there an upper age limit for an included child?
Usually yes — the page says your child or stepchild must be under 23 to be included. A child over 23 can still be included only if they cannot earn a living to support themselves because of physical or cognitive limitations and are dependent on you or your partner.
How long must an adult child have been financially dependent?
At least 12 months before you apply. You show this with Form 47a plus supporting evidence such as proof they live with you, their tax records, and proof they are currently studying.
What if the other parent is not migrating to Australia?
You need their consent if they have a legal right to decide where the child lives. That consent is given on Form 1229 or by statutory declaration, or you can instead rely on an Australian court order or show that your home country's laws allow the child to migrate.
Do I have to list adult children who are independent and not coming?
Yes. The Department requires details of all your family members in the application form, whether they are migrating or not. Non-migrating family members might also be asked to meet the health and character requirements.
Can I add a child after I have already lodged?
Possibly, before a decision is made. You would complete Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement with evidence of the relationship and the family member's passport, and the added member must meet the health and character requirements.