There can be change in circumstances such as you get married or have a baby after you lodge your student visa which is yet to be finalized. In this situation you would like to add the new family member to your application since the application has not been decided.
The only family member that can be added to an unfinalized student visa application is a child born to the applicant. For this, the child parent should notify the department, of the child birth along with an evidence as soon as practicable.
No other family members can be added after an application is made including dependent children (other than a child born while the application is unfinalized) nor a spouse/de facto partner.
However, the primary student visa applicant needs to inform the department in writing about the new family member if the application has not been decided. For example, if a student visa primary applicant marries after applying for their visa and before a decision is made, they must inform the Department. The new member will be added as a non-accompanying family member to the application and may be able to apply later as a subsequent entrant dependent if the primary applicant is granted a visa.
If the student visa applicant is already married or have a child and makes an error and fails to include a family member in their application, the family member cannot be added to the student’ current application as a family member applicant. In this situation you have two options:
- Continue with the application, once the visa is granted submit a new application for the family members. Or
- Withdraw the current application and submit a new application including all family members.