Arriving on a 117 Visa in 2026: Incoming Passenger Card and First Entry Date Rules

Updated 2026-09-27 · General information, not migration advice · Run by the Arrivau team

Every person arriving in Australia must complete an Incoming Passenger Card, and that includes a child travelling on an Orphan Relative visa (subclass 117), who must also make their first entry by the date shown in the visa grant letter. Both requirements come from the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Orphan Relative visa (subclass 117) page. The rest of this article is general information for the relative waiting at the arrivals gate, not an assessment of any particular child's case — where a family is unsure, the official page and a properly qualified professional should have the last word.

What should the sponsor check before the child boards the plane?

Start with two documents, because the child needs both: a valid visa to enter Australia, and a valid passport or other travel document. One without the other will stop the trip at check-in rather than at the Australian border.

The grant letter is the second thing to read carefully. When the Department grants this visa it writes to say what the visa grant number is, the date the visa starts, the visa conditions, and the date by which the child must have entered Australia. Have that letter to hand in the arrivals hall, not just in a suitcase.

The other piece of timing that catches families out is booking too early. The Department's step-by-step guidance says not to arrange travel until it has advised in writing that the visa has been granted. A confirmed ticket bought before that letter arrives is a risk the sponsor carries alone.

Where is the first entry date, and when is it usually set?

The must-enter-by date is the one printed in the child's grant letter — there is no separate document for it. The Home Affairs page adds that the first entry date is generally set at 12 months from the date of visa grant, so for most families the deadline sits about a year after approval, and the practical job is simply to read the letter rather than guess.

That date is what the sponsor should work backwards from when arranging flights, school enrolment and the pickup itself. If the letter and any other record seem to disagree, the letter is the document the border will be read against.

What if the first entry date has already passed?

The child can still travel. The official page states that if the child does not travel before the first entry date, they may travel with an expired first entry arrival date, as long as the visa itself is still valid. An expired first entry date is not, by itself, a bar to boarding or to entry.

The flip side matters just as much: the same page warns that the visa may still be subject to cancellation before arrival or at the border. So the honest answer for a sponsor is that a late first entry is possible but not guaranteed, and no one at the airport — sponsor included — can decide the outcome in advance.

How does the sponsor check the visa is still valid before the flight?

Use VEVO, the Department's online visa entitlement check, before the child flies and again on the day of travel. It is where visa validity, conditions and the end date of the travel facility are shown, and it is the same system the Department points to for confirming whether a 117 visa remains in effect.

This check is worth doing even when the grant letter is recent. A visa can be affected by later events, and discovering a problem from the sponsor's home country is far easier than discovering it at a border counter.

Will there be a visa label in the child's passport?

No. The Department digitally links the child's visa to their passport, so there is no label or sticker to look for. What the family receives instead is the grant notification letter with the visa grant number, which is what is used to access the digital visa record.

For a sponsor this mostly means one thing: don't be alarmed by an empty visa pages section, and don't let anyone at a transit desk talk the child out of travelling on the basis that there is "no visa in the passport".

What has to be filled in on arrival?

The Incoming Passenger Card. The Australian Border Force page on the Incoming Passenger Card is the authority for a rule the Home Affairs page repeats: all people arriving in Australia must complete one. Every arriving person, including the child, is covered by that requirement.

Practically, whoever is escorting the child should be ready to help with the card, since a young child travelling to join relatives will not be filling in travel and contact details unaided. Having the passport, flight details and the Australian address where the child will be staying within easy reach makes the process quicker.

Can the child use SmartGate instead of a staffed counter?

Maybe, if they are old enough. The Home Affairs page describes an automated process using facial recognition technology and an ePassport, and says children aged 16 or over might be able to leave the airport using SmartGate. Under 16, plan for the normal counter, as the page mentions SmartGate only from age 16.

Note the wording on both counts: "might be able to". Even a 16-year-old with an ePassport can be directed to an officer, and that is not a sign that anything has gone wrong.

What happens in the arrivals hall, and what can the sponsor not do there?

A child arriving on a late first entry can be dealt with at the border, up to and including cancellation of the visa. Beyond that specific risk, the child and their family members are expected to meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws from the moment they arrive.

One point is worth saying plainly to any child coming to live with relatives: the sponsor cannot cancel the visa, withdraw it, or otherwise influence the child's residency status in Australia. The child's right to stay does not depend on the relationship staying smooth. The Home Affairs page also points to rights and protections that apply to everyone resident in Australia, including freedom from abuse and exploitation, and to support services such as Kids Helpline and 1800RESPECT; in an emergency, the number is Triple Zero (000).

What actually starts on the day the child enters?

For citizenship purposes, the child's permanent residence starts on the day they enter Australia on this visa. That entry date is worth recording carefully, because years later it is the date citizenship calculations run from — and the Department's movement records service can be used to obtain proof of travel in and out of Australia.

The travel facility works differently, and this is where sponsors often misjudge things: the child can travel to and from Australia as many times as they want for 5 years from the date the visa was granted, not from the date they first arrive. A first entry close to the 12-month point therefore leaves less of that five-year window free for later travel, after which a Resident Return visa would be needed. The end date can be confirmed in VEVO.

Two further points shape life after arrival. The child may be able to work or study from the date the visa was granted, and dependants cannot be added to this visa after a decision has been made. Once in Australia, the family must tell the Department about changes to the child's passport, a change of name, and the birth of a child.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a child on a 117 visa have to complete an Incoming Passenger Card?

Yes. The requirement that all people arriving in Australia complete an Incoming Passenger Card applies to every arriving person, including a child granted an Orphan Relative visa (subclass 117). The card is an Australian Border Force requirement, and the Home Affairs page for this visa repeats it under "At the border".

What happens if the first entry date in the grant letter has already passed?

The child can still travel, provided the visa itself is still valid — the official page says travel is possible with an expired first entry arrival date. The risk is that the visa may still be cancelled before arrival or at the border, so the situation should be checked in VEVO before booking.

How can a sponsor confirm the 117 visa is still valid before the flight?

Use VEVO, the Department of Home Affairs' online visa check, which shows visa validity, conditions and when the travel facility ends. Checking shortly before travel is sensible even for a recently granted visa.

Will the child get a visa label in their passport?

No. The visa is digitally linked to the passport, and the grant notification letter contains the visa grant number used to access the digital record. The absence of a sticker in the passport is expected and is not evidence that the visa is missing.

Can a child under 16 use SmartGate on arrival?

The Home Affairs page mentions SmartGate only for children aged 16 or over, and even then says they "might" be able to use it, since the system relies on facial recognition and an ePassport. Younger children should be expected to go through a staffed counter.

Does the 5-year travel facility start from the grant date or the entry date?

From the grant date. The child may travel to and from Australia as often as they wish for 5 years from the date the visa was granted, so a late first entry uses up part of that period rather than starting it.

When does permanent residence begin for citizenship purposes?

On the day the child enters Australia on this visa. That is the date used later for citizenship eligibility, which is why keeping a record of the actual arrival date — including through official movement records — is worthwhile.