Including Dependent Children Over 18 in Subclass 884: Proof Rules 2026
How children over 18 but not yet turned 23, and children who have turned 23 with a disability, can be included in a Subclass 884 application, and the dependency evidence required.
A child does not stop being eligible for inclusion in a Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) application just because they have turned 18 — but from that birthday onwards, inclusion depends on dependency, not on the parent–child relationship alone. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs on its official Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) page, a child can be included as a dependent child only if they are under 18, or over 18 but not yet turned 23 and dependent on you or your partner, or over 23 and unable to earn a living to support themselves because of physical or cognitive limitations while also being dependent on you or your partner. In each of the two over-18 cases you must lodge Form 47A and show at least 12 months of financial dependency before you apply.
Who counts as a dependent child once they turn 18?
The age test and the dependency test are separate questions, and the answer to the second one changes as the child gets older.
| Child's situation | Age condition | Dependency condition | Core documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child under 18 | Under 18 years of age | No dependency test applies | Identity documents, relationship evidence, character documents if applicable |
| Child in the 18–22 band | Over 18 but has not yet turned 23 | Must be dependent on you or your partner | Identity documents, relationship evidence, other-relationship documents, character documents, proof of dependency |
| Child aged 23 or over | Has turned 23 | Must be unable to earn a living because of physical or cognitive limitations, and dependent on you or your partner | Same as above, plus evidence of the disability and of dependency arising from it |
Under the Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, Subclass 884 is a temporary visa that allows a stay of two years and is the step before the permanent Contributory Aged Parent visa (Subclass 864); the main applicant must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when applying. That two-step structure matters for dependants, because the permanent stage is a separate application, and if a child is likely to turn 23 while the 884 application is processed, the Department requires evidence they are dependent on you due to disability.
What does "dependent on you" mean for an 18–22 year old?
The official page does not define dependency in the abstract. It defines it through the evidence it requires: a completed Form 47A Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over, proof of your relationship with the dependant (for example a birth certificate or adoption papers), and proof that the person has been financially dependent on you for at least 12 months before you apply.
For that 12-month financial record the Department lists examples you could provide:
- proof they live with you
- their tax records
- proof they are currently studying
These are examples rather than a fixed quota, and the list reads as alternatives that can sit together. Full-time study is therefore not a substitute for financial dependency — it is one of the documents that helps show how the dependency arose. A child who is studying but fully self-supporting from their own income is a harder case than one who is studying and whose living costs are met by the parent, and the difference has to be visible in the paperwork.
What changes when the child turns 23?
The 18–22 limb ends on the 23rd birthday. From that point the only route is the disability limb, which has two parts that both have to be satisfied: the child is unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations, and the child is dependent on you or your partner. Evidence of a medical condition on its own does not address the dependency half of the test, and evidence of financial support on its own does not address the inability-to-earn half.
There is also a timing rule that catches families who apply while a child is still 22. If your child is likely to turn 23 while the application is being processed, the Department says you will need to provide evidence that they are dependent on you due to disability. Parent visa decisions are released through the Parent visa queue arrangements, so the gap between lodgement and decision can span a birthday; the practical response is to assemble the disability and dependency evidence at lodgement rather than wait to be asked.
Which documents does each dependant aged 18 or over need?
For every dependant aged 18 or over who applies with you, the official page sets out this set:
- identity documents
- evidence of your relationship with them, for example a birth or marriage certificate
- documents about their other relationships, if applicable
- character documents
- proof of dependency
Two details are easy to miss. First, police certificates for character purposes should not be arranged until the Department asks for them. Second, the whole application — including each family member's Form 47A — must be completed in English, and the application is lodged on paper, not online.
Does a child who is not migrating still need Form 47A?
Yes. The Department states that each member of your family aged 18 years or over must complete Form 47A, and that this applies even if they are not migrating. Form 47A is therefore not only a document for people seeking a visa outcome; it is also how the Department records adult family members who are part of the family unit but will not travel on the application.
Non-migrating children also remain relevant to the balance of family test, which is a separate criterion for the parent. The balance of family documents listed on the official page include evidence of how you are related to each child and evidence of each child's Australian citizenship or country of permanent residence, with provision for showing that a child should not be counted at all.
What if you need to add a child after lodging?
Family members can sometimes be added before a decision is made. The Department's process is to complete and send Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement, together with evidence of your relationship and a copy of the family member's passport. Any family member added after you apply must be in Australia when you add them. Separately, if something on the application was answered incorrectly, Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers is the mechanism for correcting it, and changes to family composition are among the changes the Department expects to be told about.
Where dependency files tend to fall short
Assume an applicant includes a 20-year-old who is enrolled at university and lives at home. The relationship proof is straightforward, but the bank records show the parent transferred money only in the three months before lodgement. On the wording of the official page, the 12-month requirement is not met by that record, even though the child is genuinely a student and genuinely living with the parent.
Assume instead an applicant includes a 25-year-old with a cognitive impairment. A specialist report is provided, but nothing shows who pays for housing, food and daily costs. The criteria ask about the inability to earn a living and about dependency, so a file that answers only one of those questions leaves the other unproven.
This is general information about how the published criteria fit together and is not personalised advice; the Department's official page and the Migration Regulations 1994 remain the reference point, and anyone applying with a particular family situation should check the current official wording or obtain professional advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my 22-year-old be included if they are studying full time?
Age alone is not enough once a child is over 18; the child must also be dependent on you or your partner. Proof that they are currently studying is one of the documents the Department lists, but it sits alongside the requirement to show financial dependency for at least 12 months before you apply.
My child turns 23 soon — what should I do?
If your child is likely to turn 23 while the application is being processed, the Department requires evidence that they are dependent on you due to disability. In practice that means preparing the disability and dependency material at lodgement rather than after the birthday passes.
Does a disability automatically qualify a child over 23?
No. For a child who has turned 23, two conditions apply together: they must be unable to earn a living to support themselves because of physical or cognitive limitations, and they must be dependent on you or your partner.
What is Form 47A actually for?
Form 47A Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over records the details of each adult dependant. Every family member aged 18 or over must complete it, including those who are not migrating with you.
What kind of records support the 12-month financial dependency test?
The Department's listed examples are proof the dependant lives with you, their tax records, and proof they are currently studying. Whatever combination you rely on, the records need to cover the 12 months before lodgement and be capable of being dated.
Can I add a child to my application after I have lodged it?
You may be able to, before a decision is made, by completing Form 1436 with evidence of your relationship and a copy of the family member's passport. Any family member added after lodgement must be in Australia at the time they are added.