Proving partner and dependent relationships for a Subclass 988 family application in 2026

Family members can be included in a Maritime Crew (Subclass 988) application, but the relationship is never assumed: each person must lodge a separate application and prove the relationship with documents. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Maritime Crew visa (Subclass 988) official page as at August 2026, a partner must produce either a current marriage certificate or enough documents to show a de facto relationship of at least 12 months before applying; a child under 18 needs documents proving the relationship; and a dependant aged 18 or over needs relationship proof, a completed Form 47a, and financial dependency evidence — plus, at age 23, a medical practitioner's report.

What does a partner actually have to prove?

A partner is asked for three things: identity documents, character documents, and documents about other relationships if those apply. On top of that, the relationship itself has to be evidenced in one of two ways.

Married partners: provide your current marriage certificate.
De facto partners: provide enough documents to prove you have been in a de facto relationship with your partner for at least 12 months before you apply.

The 12-month period runs back from the date of application, and it applies to de facto relationships only — a current marriage certificate replaces it. The Department's identity document list also covers the practical side of proving who you are: colour copies of the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details and issue and expiry dates; a copy of a national identity card (both sides) if you have one; and proof of change of name if you have had one, such as a marriage or divorce certificate, change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or the relevant overseas authority, or documents showing other names you have been known by.

Which documents count as de facto evidence?

The official page lists examples rather than a fixed set: joint bank account statements, billing accounts in joint names, joint leases or mortgages, and documents that show your partner has lived at the same address as you. That list is illustrative, so evidence is assessed on what it shows rather than on how many items you supply.

Two practical readings follow from the wording. First, the documents should cover the 12 months before the application, not just the weeks before it — short, recent evidence does not demonstrate a relationship that existed a year earlier. Second, documents in joint names do the most work, because a joint account, joint lease or joint bill demonstrates a shared household rather than two people who happen to share an address.

What does a dependant under 18 need?

For every dependent under 18 applying with you, the Department asks for identity documents, proof of your relationship with them such as a birth or marriage certificate, copies of adoption papers if applicable, and character documents if applicable. Children under 18 are not asked to complete Form 47a and are not asked for financial dependency evidence — the relationship document carries the case.

What changes once a dependant turns 18?

Age changes the test. To include a child who is over 18, they must fall into one of two categories:

over 18 but not yet turned 23, and dependent on you or your partner; or
over 23, unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations, and dependent on you or your partner.

The documents also expand. Alongside identity documents, documents about their other relationships if applicable, and character documents, you must provide proof that the child is dependent on you:

proof of your relationship with the dependent, such as a birth certificate or adoption papers;
a completed Form 47a, Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over;
proof of financial dependency, such as bank statements, money transfers and rent receipts;
if the child is aged 23 or is likely to turn 23 while the application is being processed, a report from a qualified medical practitioner stating they are dependent on you or your partner due to the total or partial loss of their bodily or mental functions.

Dependant	Proving the relationship	Proving dependency
Under 18	Birth or marriage certificate; adoption papers if applicable	Not separately required
18 or over, not yet 23	Birth certificate or adoption papers	Completed Form 47a plus financial dependency evidence
23 or over	Birth certificate or adoption papers	Form 47a, financial dependency evidence, and a qualified medical practitioner's report

The "likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed" wording is the one that catches families out: a 22-year-old who would cross that line mid-assessment falls into the medical report requirement, so the report has to be planned for rather than requested later. Suppose an applicant has a 22-year-old child who is a full-time student and turns 23 two months after the application date — on the published wording, that child sits in the category that needs the medical practitioner's report, not merely the financial dependency documents.

Do family members have to travel together?

Yes. Members of the family unit can apply for Maritime Crew visas if they are travelling on the same ship as the crew member, with permission from the vessel master, and they must lodge separate application forms. Their visa ceases if the crew member's Maritime Crew visa ceases, if they enter Australia on a ship without the crew member and hold no other valid visa, or if they stop travelling with the crew member and do not leave Australia or get another visa. Family members are not permitted to work in Australia on a Maritime Crew visa. The visa itself lasts three years unless one of the cessation events applies, and there is no visa application charge — the official page lists the cost as free.

What does each family member have to lodge?

Each person travelling to Australia, including children, needs a completed application, and each person holds their own visa; the guidance is to submit family applications together.

Create or open an ImmiAccount and check the document list it shows for your application before submitting.
Complete one application per person, including children.
Attach identity, character and relationship documents for each person.
Submit the family applications together.
Keep each applicant's passport details consistent, because the visa is linked to the passport number used in the application.

Applicants must be outside Australia when they apply, and everyone needs a valid passport before the visa can be granted. A seafarer's identity document is not acceptable, with the exception of Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese seafarer passports; if you hold both a seafarer's passport and a national passport, apply using the national passport. Character documents are requested rather than assumed — the Department will tell you if and when police certificates are needed — and military service records or discharge papers should be provided if applicable. If you cannot apply online, the paper route is Form 1273, Application for a Maritime Crew (Temporary) visa.

Where do family cases tend to be weakest?

The document list is short, which means the weak points are predictable. De facto evidence that starts late leaves the 12-month period partly undocumented. Financial dependency evidence that shows one transfer rather than a pattern does not demonstrate ongoing support. Form 47a is easy to omit for a child who has just turned 18, since the rest of the checklist looks the same as it did a year earlier. And a child approaching 23 needs the medical practitioner's report arranged before submission, not after a request.

Under the Migration Regulations 1994, family members are assessed against secondary criteria rather than the crew member's own criteria, which is why relationship and dependency evidence carries the whole case for them. The Department can request further information under its general powers, and processing timeframes are published as a guide for recently decided applications rather than as a fixed period.

This article describes published requirements as general information and is not advice on any individual case or a substitute for professional advice; the Department's official page remains the current statement of what is required and can change, so check it as at your date of application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we still need 12 months of de facto evidence if we are married?

No. The 12-month requirement applies to de facto relationships; married partners provide their current marriage certificate instead. Identity, character and any documents about previous relationships are still required.

Does an 18-year-old need Form 47a, or only older children?

Form 47a is required for any child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over. Children under 18 are asked for relationship documents such as a birth or marriage certificate, plus adoption papers if applicable, but not Form 47a or financial dependency evidence.

What counts as proof of financial dependency for a dependant aged 18 or over?

The official page gives bank statements, money transfers and rent receipts as examples. The useful test is whether the documents show continuing support rather than a single payment, since dependency is a state that has to be shown over time.

What if my child turns 23 while the application is being decided?

If the child is aged 23 or is likely to turn 23 while the application is being processed, you must also provide a report from a qualified medical practitioner. The report must state that the child is dependent on you or your partner due to the total or partial loss of their bodily or mental functions.

Can my partner or children work in Australia on this visa?

No. Family members are not permitted to work in Australia on a Maritime Crew visa. The crew member's own work is also limited to duties that meet the normal operational duties of an eligible ship.

Do family members need their own application, and is there a fee?

Yes — each person, including children, must have a completed application and holds their own visa, and the guidance is to submit family applications together. The official page lists the cost of this visa as free.

Can a family member use a seafarer's identity document instead of a passport?

Generally no. A seafarer's identity document is not acceptable, except for Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese seafarer passports. If you hold both a seafarer's passport and a national passport, apply using the national passport.