The adoption visa (subclass 102) lets a child adopted overseas by an Australian resident live here permanently. Registered migration agents in Brisbane can help. Call us.
The adoption visa (subclass 102) lets a child who has been, or is going to be, adopted by an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen come to live in Australia permanently. It’s the migration side of intercountry adoption, and it works alongside the adoption process itself, which is run by state and territory authorities. Adoption is emotional and the paperwork is heavy, so getting the visa side right matters. Our registered migration agents in Brisbane help adoptive families through it.
The adoption visa is a permanent visa for a child adopted overseas by an Australian parent. The main subclass is the subclass 102. It’s for a child under 18 who has been adopted, or is in the process of being adopted, by a parent who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
It’s important to understand that the visa is only one half of the picture. The adoption itself is handled through recognised adoption processes, usually a state or territory central authority working within Australia’s intercountry adoption arrangements. The visa lets the adopted child enter and live in Australia once the adoption side is in order. If your child is a biological or already-settled dependent rather than a new overseas adoption, the child visa may be the right pathway instead.
Broadly, overseas adoptions that lead to an adoption visa fall into two situations, and which one applies affects how the visa runs.
Adoption through a recognised intercountry program. Australia has arrangements with a number of overseas countries, managed by state and territory central authorities. Most intercountry adoptions go through this route.
Expatriate adoption. Where an Australian parent has been living overseas for a period and adopts a child under that country’s laws, a different set of rules can apply.
These pathways have different evidence and approval requirements, so one of the first things we do is work out which one fits your family, and how the visa lines up with the adoption approvals.
The adoptive parent needs to be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, and generally has to have been approved by the relevant Australian adoption authority. The child usually needs to be under 18 at the time of application and meet health and character requirements appropriate to their age. Because eligibility depends on both the migration rules and the adoption approvals, the two processes have to move in step.
This is the part families most often ask us about. The department that grants the visa doesn’t run the adoption. That’s done by state and territory adoption authorities working within Australia’s intercountry adoption framework and the arrangements Australia has with particular countries. Our job is the migration side: making sure the visa application is correct, complete, and timed to work with the adoption approvals you’re getting from the authorities. We’ll tell you clearly where our work ends and the adoption authority’s begins, so nothing falls through the gap.
An adoption visa carries a government application charge, separate from the costs of the adoption process itself, and processing times depend on the department’s workload and how the adoption approvals line up. Because these figures change, we’ll give you the current visa fee and a realistic timeframe in your consultation. The adoption process on the authority side has its own timeline, which we’ll factor into the plan.
We confirm whether the subclass 102 or another pathway, such as a child visa, fits your situation.
We work out which adoption route applies, intercountry program or expatriate, and what the visa needs for each.
We prepare the visa application so it lines up with the adoption approvals from the relevant authority.
We make clear which parts are handled by the state or territory adoption authority, so you’re not left guessing.
We respond to any requests from the department and keep the visa side moving.
It’s a permanent visa for a child under 18 who has been, or is being, adopted overseas by an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. It lets the adopted child live in Australia permanently once the adoption is in order.
No. The adoption is managed by state and territory adoption authorities within Australia’s intercountry adoption arrangements. The visa is the migration step that lets the adopted child enter and live in Australia. We handle the visa side and coordinate it with your adoption approvals.
A child visa is generally for a biological or already-recognised dependent child. The adoption visa is for a child newly adopted overseas through an intercountry or expatriate process. See our Child Visa page, and we’ll confirm which applies to your family.
Generally, yes. The adoptive parent usually needs approval from the relevant Australian adoption authority, and the visa works alongside that approval. The two processes run together rather than one replacing the other.
Sometimes, but relative and informal adoptions have specific rules and don’t always fit the standard adoption visa. This is exactly the kind of situation to check with us before you make plans.
The adoption visa is generally for a child under 18 at the time of application. Older children usually need a different pathway, which we can advise on.
Yes. The subclass 102 is a permanent visa, so once granted, the child can live, study and work in Australia as a permanent resident.
Yes. Expatriate adoptions have their own rules, and we work with families in that situation, including those still overseas.
