102 VISA

• The child has been or is in the process of being adopted by their sponsor.
• The child must be under 18 years of age at the time of adoption, when the application is submitted and when the decision is being made.
• Sponsored by an adoptive parent who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
• Meet the character and health requirements.
• The child must be under 18 at the time of adoption, when the application is submitted and when the decision is made.

There is no processing time for Adoption visa (subclass 102) and the application might take a longer time to process if you don’t fill it correctly or you don’t include all the documents that are needed.

That’s why it’s important to know the documents needed before you apply for this visa. The application also can’t be processed if the applicant doesn’t pay the visa charge incorrectly.

The visa costs for this visa is AUD2,665 for the main applicant, but there is also an additional charge for each of the child’s dependent children who apply for this visa. There might be additional charges for health exams, police clearance certificate, and biometrics.

The child becomes a permanent resident on the day when the visa is granted. As this visa is a permanent visa, this visa lets the child stay in Australia indefinitely. The child should obey all Australia laws and when they have this visa, they can:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely with their adoptive parents.
• The child can apply for Australian citizenship if they are eligible.
• Work and study once they arrive in Australia with this visa.
• Enrol in Australia’s public healthcare scheme.
• Sponsor their relatives to come to Australia.

As the Adoption visa is a permanent visa and this visa is valid for 5 years. You should extend this visa through applying for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) before the visa expires in order to allow the child to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.

1. What are the requirements to be eligible as sponsor for Adoption visa for Australia?
   • To sponsor a child for the Adoptions visa the sponsor must be an Australian citizen or hold an Australian permanent visa.
     The sponsor must be aged 18 or older, and provide adequate accommodation and financial support to child’s needs for their first 2 years in Australia.
   • The sponsor must have adopted the child through legal processes.
2. How if the child is under 18 years of age when the application is lodged, but will turn 18 years old before the application is decided?
   • The child will be not eligible for the Adoptions visa if the child turns 18 years old when the application is still on processing.
   • As the age requirements for this visa is under 18 years of age when the application is submitted and granted.
3. Can the child visit Australia while the application is still on processing?
   • The child can apply for a visitor visa to come to Australia while the child is waiting on an application outcome so long as the temporary visa matches the child intentions come to Australia.
4. When the adoption visa was granted, can the child apply for an Australian citizenship?
   • Yes, the child can apply for an Australian citizenship if the child meet the eligibility for this.
5. Can I adopts a child who is living outside Australia, while I am living in Australia?
   • Yes, you can, with Intercountry adoption you may adopts a child from overseas through authorities in your state and territory.
   • The relevant government authority in the child’s country administers the arrangement overseas.
   • This process is guided by the Hague Convention on intercountry adoption under which Australia has formal adoption arrangements.
   • Intercountry Adoption Australia (ICA) provides comprehensive information about the process. ICA has a range of resources and services to help Australians adopting children from overseas.
6. What is the Hague Adoption Convention?
   • The Hague Adoption Convention exists to protect children concerned and to apply consistent law and process. It also aims to establish a system of cooperation among contracting countries to ensure this as well as to secure recognition of adoptions made in accordance with the Convention in the contracting states.
7. What if i live outside Australia and adopt a child from the country I am living in?
   • If you live overseas and adopt a child from the country you are in, it is called Expatriate adoption.
   • Expatriate adoption occurs through the overseas country’s processes and is finalized in that country.
   • The adoption may include a third country. Australian state and territories are not responsible for expatriate adoptions.
   • They do not assess or approve applications for such adoptions. Expatriate adoptions may not meet legal requirements in Australia.
8. Should I apply the visa offshore?
   • The visa application should be made offshore. The child should be outside Australia when applying for this visa and when the Department gives the decision.
9. Can I include the child’s siblings in the same application?
   • The child’s siblings should make a separate visa applications.
   • However for the child’s dependent children, they can be included to the application.
10. How much is the cost for this visa?
    • The visa fee for the main applicant is AUD 2,665 while the additional applicant under 18 years old is AUD 670, and AUD 1,330 for the additional applicant over 18 years old.
11. How long is the processing time for this visa application?
    • There is no exact period for this visa’s processing time. If you do not fill the application correctly, it might give a longer time for the Department to give you the decision.