Character requirements and the Australian Values Statement for Subclass 445 applicants aged 16+ in 2026
How the character requirement and the Australian Values Statement apply to subclass 445 applicants aged 16 and over, and what evidence is needed in 2026.
A child applying for a Dependent Child visa (subclass 445) must meet the character requirement if they are aged 16 or over, and must also sign an Australian Values Statement if they are 18 years of age or older. According to the Department of Home Affairs Dependent Child visa (subclass 445) official pages, current as at July 2026, the character evidence for a 16- or 17-year-old centres on national police certificates and Form 80, while the values statement obligation begins at 18. This article is general information only and is not personalised advice; requirements can change, and the wording on the official pages should be treated as the deciding reference for your own situation.
Who has to meet the character requirement?
The Department states the subclass 445 criteria in two age bands. A child aged 16 years and over must meet the character requirement, and the Department may also ask other dependent children included in the same application to meet it. Separately, the step-by-step document list describes the police certificate and Form 80 obligations for children over 16.
Because the two official statements are framed slightly differently — one as "16 years and over", one as "over 16" — an applicant sitting exactly at 16 should work from the official pages and supply the character documents rather than assume they are excluded.
| Requirement | Applicant aged 16 or 17 | Applicant aged 18 or over |
|---|---|---|
| Character requirement | Applies | Applies |
| Police certificates | Required (see below) | Required (see below) |
| Form 80 | Required | Required |
| Australian Values Statement | Not required | Required |
| Evidence of financial dependence on the parent | Not required | Required if the applicant is over 18 when the application is made |
What police certificates does a 16+ applicant need?
The Department requires a police certificate from every country the applicant has spent 12 months or more in during the last 10 years, counted from when they turned 16. The test is cumulative residence, not nationality, so a country the applicant has never held citizenship of can still be on the list.
Only one type of certificate is accepted for Australian immigration purposes:
- a National Police Certificate applied for under Code 33 – Immigration/Citizenship, issued by the Australian Federal Police
- standard disclosure certificates are not accepted
- certificates issued by Australian state or territory police are not accepted
For immigration purposes, police certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. That validity period is a practical problem for paper applications that take time to assess, and the Department states it cannot provide progress updates within global visa processing times — so a certificate close to its expiry date at lodgement may need to be re-obtained later.
What else is in the character document set?
Two further items sit in the same part of the official document list.
Form 80. Children over 16 must complete and provide Form 80, Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment. It is a personal particulars form, not a certificate, and it is required in addition to police certificates.
Military service records. If anyone included in the application served in the armed forces of any country, they must provide military service records or discharge papers. This applies to the people listed on the application, not only to the main applicant.
Suppose an applicant turned 16 four years ago, has lived in one country for the whole of that time, and has no military service. On the official wording, that is one police certificate plus Form 80 — and if they are now 18, the values statement as well.
Who has to sign the Australian Values Statement?
The values statement obligation applies to an applicant who is 18 years of age or older. That applicant must:
- have read, or had explained to them, the Life in Australia booklet
- sign an Australian Values Statement confirming they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws
This is the requirement set out on the Department's Australian values page. It is separate from the character assessment: police certificates and Form 80 go to character, the signed statement goes to values, and an 18-year-old applicant has to satisfy both. A 17-year-old does not sign it.
Can a sponsorship or application be refused over criminal history?
Yes, and the risk is not limited to the applicant's own record. The subclass 445 visa requires an approved sponsor, and the official eligibility page sets out consequences tied to registrable offences:
- if the sponsor, or their spouse or de facto partner, has a pending registrable offence charge, the Department states it will refuse the sponsorship and the visa application
- if they have a registrable offence conviction, the sponsorship can be approved only in very limited circumstances
The same page points to the Department's measures for the protection of children material, which sits behind these rules. Applicants and sponsors should read that material alongside the character requirement rather than treat the police certificate as the only character-related hurdle.
What happens if character documents are missing or answers are wrong?
Two consequences are stated on the official pages. First, the Department may not process, or may treat as invalid, an application that is incomplete — the paper application must include proof that the application charge was paid and all relevant supporting documents, lodged by post or courier to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth. Second, if you need to correct something after lodgement, the mechanism is Form 1023, Notification of incorrect answers, which can be uploaded in ImmiAccount once the paper application has been imported, or attached to the relevant online form.
The Department also states there is no refund of the application fee if the application is refused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a 16-year-old subclass 445 applicant need a police certificate?
Yes, on the wording used in the Department's step-by-step document list, children over 16 must provide a police certificate from every country they have spent 12 months or more in over the last 10 years since turning 16. The eligibility page states the character requirement itself applies from 16 years and over, so applicants at the boundary should supply the documents.
Are state or territory police certificates accepted?
No. The Department accepts only National Police Certificates applied for under Code 33 – Immigration/Citizenship and issued by the Australian Federal Police. Standard disclosure certificates and certificates from Australian state or territory police are not accepted.
How long does a police certificate stay valid?
For immigration purposes, a police certificate is valid for 12 months from its date of issue. A certificate that is already close to expiring when the paper application is posted may have passed its validity date by the time the application is assessed.
Does a 17-year-old have to sign the Australian Values Statement?
No. The values statement requirement applies to applicants who are 18 years of age or older, who must also have read or had explained to them the Life in Australia booklet. A 17-year-old still has to meet the character requirement, but does not sign the statement.
What is Form 80 used for?
Form 80, Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment, collects personal history used in the character assessment. Children over 16 included in a subclass 445 application must complete and provide it, in addition to their police certificates.
Can the visa be refused because of the sponsor's record rather than the child's?
It can. The Department states it will refuse the sponsorship and the visa application if the sponsor, or their spouse or de facto partner, has a pending registrable offence charge, and that a registrable offence conviction allows approval only in very limited circumstances.