Subclass 485 Subsequent Entrant: How Your Partner or Child Can Join After Grant

A spouse, de facto partner or dependent child may be able to apply to join the primary holder of an Australian Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa after the visa has been granted. The family member applies for their own visa as a subsequent entrant. The main holder’s grant does not automatically give relatives permission to travel, live, study or work in Australia, and it does not extend the main holder’s visa period.

First confirm which 485 stream was granted

Read the grant notice and identify the stream, grant date, expiry date and visa conditions. Home Affairs provides subsequent-entrant information for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream and the Post-Higher Education Work stream. The rules and application details can depend on the primary holder’s stream and personal history, so do not assume that an old article about a previous 485 stream applies unchanged.

A subsequent entrant application is different from adding a family member before the primary applicant’s application is decided. The relevant Home Affairs stream page explains when a child may be added before decision and when a family member can apply after grant. If the primary application is still undecided, check the instructions for that exact stage before lodging another application.

Check that the relationship meets the family-unit rules

The relationship must fit the migration-law definition of a member of the family unit. For a partner, prepare evidence that supports the claimed relationship and the relevant dates. For a child, gather birth, parentage and, where relevant, custody or parental-consent records. A marriage certificate or birth certificate can be important, but it may not answer every question about identity, dependency or the family circumstances.

Make a timeline of relationship milestones, addresses, periods apart, changes in household and any prior visa applications. Match names and dates across passports, civil documents, forms and supporting records. If documents use different spellings or dates, explain the genuine difference and provide the underlying record; do not alter source documents to force a match.

The family member needs a separate application and decision

The subsequent entrant must lodge the application through the channel and process specified by Home Affairs, provide the requested documents and satisfy the applicable criteria. The department’s subclass 485 pages state that subsequent entrants may apply from inside or outside Australia for the streams described there. Check the exact stream page and the person’s location before relying on that statement, especially if the applicant is in Australia or has a complex visa history.

Each applicant must meet applicable health and character requirements. Depending on the case, Home Affairs may ask for health examinations, police certificates or further information. A request from the department has its own response date. Keep the notice, note the deadline and submit readable evidence through the requested channel.

A lodged application is not a grant. Do not book non-refundable travel, enrol a child on the assumption of a particular visa outcome, or start work based only on the primary holder’s visa. The family member’s travel and work rights depend on their own visa status and conditions. Check the grant notice and VEVO before acting.

Budget for separate charges and keep both visa timelines

Home Affairs says subsequent entrants, including children born offshore, must pay the applicable visa application charge. Check the current official fee at the time of lodgement, because charges can change. Budget other possible expenses, such as health checks, police certificates and document translation, separately. Any professional service fee is separate from government charges and third-party costs.

The primary holder’s visa does not restart when a family member applies or is granted a visa. Record each person’s visa expiry, conditions, location and next action separately. The dates may differ even within one family. If the main holder’s 485 is close to expiry, check the family member’s application timing and the next lawful stay arrangements early; do not assume that a pending application extends every person’s current permission.

A practical document checklist

Before submitting, organise: the main holder’s 485 grant notice and current visa details; each applicant’s passport and identity documents; relationship or dependency evidence; translations required for documents not in English; answers to health and character questions; the current fee and payment method; and any stream-specific forms or instructions. Keep a copy of the lodged application, uploaded files, payment confirmation and any acknowledgement from Home Affairs.

If the family facts are complicated, such as a previous refusal, a relationship that changed after the main visa application, custody issues or a short remaining visa period, get the complete record reviewed before choosing a filing route. A checklist helps organise the evidence, but it cannot determine whether a particular person satisfies the legal criteria.

Official sources and next step

Policy checked: 21 October 2026. Read the current Home Affairs information for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream and Post-Higher Education Work stream, together with the Migration Regulations 1994. The stream pages and legislation are the primary sources; confirm the version that applies on the application date.

For a preliminary review, provide the main holder’s visa stream, grant and expiry dates, each family member’s location, the relationship and any previous visa history.卓越移民 Premiervisa Group can help identify which documents and deadlines need closer checking; eligibility and visa outcomes must be assessed against the full facts and current rules.