Bringing Family on Visa 186: Partner, Children and Entitlements
Visa 186 is not just for the main worker — a partner and children can be included in the application as secondary applicants and gain Australian permanent residence together.
Who can be included
Partner or de facto partner: Someone in a legally married relationship or a de facto relationship (living together for at least 12 months before lodging, or in a registered relationship). Same-sex couples are recognised under Australian law.
Children: Children under 18 who are financially dependent. Children aged 18 to 23 may be eligible if they can show they are still financially dependent on a parent and studying full-time. Children aged 23 or over only qualify if they have a disability that makes them dependent long-term.
Stepchildren: A stepchild of the primary applicant or of the accompanying partner may also be eligible, provided they meet the criteria on age and dependency.
What visa they receive
Secondary applicants receive the same type of visa as the primary applicant — that is, the visa 186 PR. Not a temporary dependent visa but genuine permanent residence, with the full entitlements of a permanent resident.
Entitlements after the visa is granted
When the whole family is granted visa 186:
Work: A partner can work for any employer, in any industry. There is no restriction on hours or type of work.
Study: Children can study at Australian public schools without paying the fees charged to international students. A partner can study at TAFE or university at the fees charged to permanent-resident students.
Medicare: The whole family is eligible to enrol in Medicare as soon as they hold visa 186, regardless of nationality.
Social benefits: Some benefits (such as Centrelink) have a 2-year waiting period after gaining PR before you are eligible. Some other benefits may have a longer waiting period.
Apply together or later
Best: Include your family in the application from the start when you lodge visa 186. This is simpler and avoids separate costs and procedures later.
If you don’t want to include them straight away: A partner or children can be lodged as a subsequent entrant (a later application) — that is, after the primary applicant has been granted visa 186. However, note that they must be lodged before any “employer” entitlement of the primary applicant’s 186 expires (if applicable).
Costs for the family
Each secondary applicant must pay a separate visa fee — usually a percentage of the primary fee (depending on age). This is a significant amount for a large family.
In addition to the visa fee, you need to budget for:
- An immigration health examination fee for each person
- A character/police-check fee (if they have lived 12 months or more overseas)
- Translation and certification fees for documents
- Travel costs if examinations are needed at a designated clinic
Family health and character
All secondary applicants must meet the health and character requirements — including children. As visa 186 is permanent residence, the level of scrutiny is usually higher than for a temporary visa.