If your child is already overseas and dependent on you, it’s usually better to start the Child 101 process early rather than waiting “until things settle”. Processing can be slow, and you’ll want time to line up school enrolment, housing and any partner/parent visas. In consults we look at your current visa, income, housing and your child’s schooling to build a realistic start date instead of guessing.

For separated parents, the Department expects clear proof that you’re legally allowed to bring the child to Australia. That can be:

• court orders giving you sole parental responsibility or permission to relocate, or
• a properly witnessed consent letter from the other parent, plus ID and contact details, or
• evidence that the other parent is deceased or cannot be located (with attempts made to contact them).
  We help you match your real situation to the right evidence so your application doesn’t stall on custody issues.

It depends on timing:

• If you expect PR soon and the child is very young, we might plan to add them to your partner or skilled PR once granted.
• If PR is still a long way off, a Child 101 may give your child a clearer path to join you.
  We usually map out both timelines (your PR vs the Child 101) so you’re not stuck with a child offshore for years just because everyone was waiting on the “perfect” option.

Yes, inconsistent spelling or dates is a very common reason for extra questions. Before we lodge, we:

• fix names where possible via passport or birth-certificate corrections,
• prepare change-of-name documents or statutory declarations, and
• make sure your own visas, coursework documents and identity records line up.
  Cleaning this up early avoids delays or doubts later about whether the sponsoring parent and the person on your Australian records are actually the same.

There’s no single dollar figure, but case officers do look at realistic living arrangements. We help you pull together:

• current income (wages, partner income, family support),
• lease or property details showing where your child will live, and
• a simple support plan for school fees, childcare and health costs.
  The goal is to show that your child won’t be left in a precarious situation once they move, even if you’re still early in your Australian journey.

Yes, if there are major changes to your living or financial arrangements, it’s better to explain them proactively. The 801 assessment looks at how you manage your life together – home, bills, future plans – not just income levels. If your partner has switched from full-time work to casual, study or self-employment, we help you show how you’re still sharing responsibilities and planning long-term, so normal life changes don’t look like relationship risk.

Both are possible, but they have different fees, processing and risk profiles. Including the child on a partner visa can be simpler if they’ll travel with that parent, but a separate Child 101 sometimes gives more flexibility when parents are in different countries or on different timelines. In strategy calls we map out travel plans, custody arrangements and who is likely to get their visa first, then choose the structure that keeps the family together with the least back-and-forth.