Subclass 445 duration in 2026: no extension, and what ends the visa

Updated 2026-09-30 · General information, not migration advice · Run by the Arrivau team

No — a Dependent Child visa (subclass 445) cannot be extended to give the child more time in Australia. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' official Dependent Child visa (subclass 445) page, as of July 2026, this is a temporary visa that starts on the date it is granted and runs until the Department decides the parent's permanent Partner visa application, or until the parent withdraws it. On the question of staying longer, the page is blunt: the child can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa, and the Department sends readers to its visa finder to look at other options. What follows is general information drawn from that page, not an assessment of any particular family's circumstances — for a decision about your own case, rely on the official page and, where you need it, a professional opinion.

How long does a subclass 445 visa actually last?

There is no fixed number of months or years attached to the visa. Its length is borrowed from someone else's application: the child can move to or stay in Australia until the Department decides their parent's permanent Partner visa application. That means two children granted on the same day can hold the visa for very different periods, depending on how long the parent's case takes.

This is also why the visa is described as temporary rather than permanent. It is a holding arrangement that keeps a dependent child in step with their parent's Partner visa case, not a stand-alone pathway to stay in Australia indefinitely.

What brings the visa to an end?

The same official page gives two end points, and the visa stops at whichever comes first:

A decision on the parent's permanent Partner visa application. Once the Department decides that application, the 445's purpose is spent.
The parent withdrawing the permanent Partner visa application. Withdrawal ends the 445 as well.

Neither end point is something the child controls, which is the practical risk families underestimate. The child's lawful stay is tied to a case being kept alive and brought to a decision.

What happens if the parent withdraws the Partner visa application?

Withdrawal stops the 445. Suppose a parent decides to withdraw the permanent Partner visa application while the child is in Australia on a 445 — on the Department's own wording, the child's permission to stay under this visa ends at that point, and there is no extension mechanism to fall back on. The Department's guidance for people in this position is to explore other visa options through its visa finder rather than expect more time from the 445 itself.

For a household, the sequencing matters more than the paperwork: the child's transition has to be completed while the parent's permanent Partner visa application is still on foot.

What must happen while the visa is running?

Once the child has been granted the 445, they must apply to be added to their parent's permanent Partner visa application. This is not optional follow-up work — it is stated as an obligation on the page, and it is the mechanism that carries the child from temporary status into the permanent application.

Two related points help with planning:

After the application to add the child has been submitted, the child can enrol in Australia's public healthcare scheme, Medicare.
The child must enter Australia before the date specified in their grant letter, and that first entry date is generally set at 12 months from the date of visa grant.

The child can work and study in Australia and, if eligible, attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program. Travel is unrestricted in frequency while the visa is valid, and the visa is digitally linked to the passport rather than issued as a label.

Does going overseas pause or extend the visa?

No. Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa. A child can travel to and from Australia as often as they wish while it is valid, but a long trip overseas does not stop the clock — the visa still ends at the parent's decision or withdrawal, whenever that happens.

That catches families out when a school year, a family emergency or a medical treatment plan abroad is treated as a way to "wait out" a slow Partner visa decision. It isn't.

Do siblings and the child's own children need separate applications?

Each of the child's siblings must apply for the 445 separately — one application does not cover the whole family. The child's own dependent children are treated differently: they can be included on the child's application when it is made, or at any time before the Department decides it, and they must meet the health requirement. The Department also notes that family members who are not coming to Australia may have to meet the health requirement.

Cost and processing time: what the Department publishes

The official page sets out a visa charge for the main applicant and an additional charge for each dependent child who applies with them, and directs applicants to the Visa Pricing Estimator to work out the actual cost. Health checks, police certificates and biometrics may add further costs, and the estimator does not include those. From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application, recognised through a valid passport from a specified country, with family members also eligible based on the primary applicant's passport.

For timing, the Department publishes a visa processing time guide tool showing times for recently decided applications, described as a guide only and not specific to any individual application. Applications can take longer if they are incomplete, incorrect, slow to verify, or not paid in full at lodgement; if the correct visa application charge is not paid, the Department says it cannot process the application, will let the applicant know, and may return it. An acknowledgement of the application — including advice of any associated bridging visa — is expected within approximately one month of lodgement.

If the child needs to stay longer, where does that leave you?

The 445 is not the instrument for a longer stay. The realistic route is the transition the visa is built around: get the child added to the parent's permanent Partner visa application while that application is alive, and keep the parent's case moving to a decision. If the parent's application is withdrawn or otherwise comes to an end, the child's position has to be rebuilt through a different visa, which is what the Department's visa finder is for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a subclass 445 visa be extended?

No. The Department of Home Affairs states directly that the child cannot stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Its guidance for someone who needs more time is to explore other visa options through its visa finder.

When does the subclass 445 visa end?

It ends when the Department decides the parent's permanent Partner visa application, or when the parent withdraws that application — whichever happens first. It is a temporary visa that starts on the date it is granted.

What happens to the child's 445 if the parent withdraws their Partner visa application?

The visa ends on withdrawal. Because there is no extension available, the child's status depends on the parent's application continuing to a decision, and any further stay would need to come from a different visa.

Can the child get Medicare while holding a 445?

Medicare enrolment is linked to the next step, not to the 445 grant itself. Once an application to add the child to the parent's permanent Partner visa application has been submitted, the child can enrol in Australia's public healthcare scheme, Medicare.

Does travelling outside Australia extend the 445?

No. The child may travel to and from Australia as often as they wish while the visa is valid, but time outside Australia does not extend the visa. The end date is still set by the parent's Partner visa decision or withdrawal.

Do siblings need their own subclass 445 applications?

Yes. Each of the child's siblings must apply for this visa separately. By contrast, the child's own dependent children can be included on the child's application at any time before a decision is made, subject to the health requirement.

How much does the subclass 445 cost?

The Department's page describes a charge for the main applicant plus a charge for each dependent child applying with them, and points applicants to the Visa Pricing Estimator for the actual figure. Costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics are separate and are not included in the estimator.