189 Skilled Independent Subsequent Entrant Checklist 2026
This checklist is for a partner or dependent child seeking to join someone connected to a Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) permanent visa. The 189 is a points-tested permanent visa with no sponsor or nominator, and family members are normally included at the time of application — so if you were not part of the original lodgement, the right visa for you to apply for depends on your circumstances. Confirm your eligibility and pathway with the Department of Home Affairs before starting.
The core evidence is your relationship to the primary person: a marriage certificate or genuine de facto evidence for a partner, or birth certificates establishing parentage for a child, supported by full identity documents for everyone included. Any document not in English must be accompanied by a certified NAATI-accredited translation.
Health examinations through an approved panel physician and police clearances for each country you have lived in long enough to require a character check round out most applications. Use the personalised builder below to see the exact document list for your relationship type and situation.
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Read our guide: Subsequent Entrant Visas Explained →Identity documents
4 itemsClear colour scan of the photo page of your current valid passport.
Official birth certificate showing your full name and date of birth.
Recent 45mm × 35mm colour photos against a plain background.
Marriage certificate, deed poll or other official proof if your name differs from your birth certificate.
Relationship to primary applicant
3 itemsMarriage certificate or statutory declaration and supporting evidence of a de facto relationship with the primary applicant.
Copy of the primary applicant's passport bio-data page or current visa grant notice, confirming the relationship to the primary applicant.
Required only if this child is under 18 and will travel to or from Australia without both parents or legal guardians present. Include a completed Form 1229 (Consent to Minors Travelling) plus a certified copy of photo ID for each parent or guardian not travelling.
Health documents
1 itemMedical examination completed through an approved Panel Physician or by booking a Health Assessment Portal (HAP) appointment. Results are sent directly to the Department of Home Affairs. Book early — appointments can take several weeks.
Character documents
2 itemsNational police certificates from each country you have lived in for 12 or more months since age 16 (including Australia).
Completed Form 80 for Character Assessment, required for applicants aged 16 or over. Fill for free →
Ready to lodge your Skilled Independent – Subsequent Entrant?
Answer a few quick questions to get a checklist tailored to your exact situation — only the documents that apply to you. Upload each file, then export a clean ZIP ready to attach.
Build my personalised checklist →Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need for a Skilled Independent – Subsequent Entrant (Subclass 189-dep) application?
The Skilled Independent – Subsequent Entrant (Subclass 189-dep) typically requires 10 documents across 4 categories: Identity documents, Relationship to primary applicant, Health documents, Character documents. Use the personalised builder above to filter this list to your exact circumstances — it removes items that don't apply based on your profile.
How do I prepare my documents for the Skilled Independent – Subsequent Entrant?
Work through each category in the checklist. Scan or photograph every document as a clear colour PDF at 150–200 DPI. The Department of Home Affairs (ImmiAccount) has a 5 MB per-file limit — compress any oversized file using VisaPacks' built-in tool. Combine multi-page documents (e.g. bank statements, payslips) into a single PDF using Merge. VisaPacks automatically renames your files on export, ready to attach to your ImmiAccount lodgement.
Can I prepare my Skilled Independent – Subsequent Entrant documents myself without a migration agent?
Yes. Many applicants successfully self-prepare their documents using publicly available Department of Home Affairs guidance. VisaPacks provides a free personalised document checklist and upload tool to help you organise everything correctly. For complex cases — such as those involving previous refusals, health waivers, character issues, or difficult relationship circumstances — consulting a registered migration agent (MARA) may be worthwhile.
What file format should Skilled Independent – Subsequent Entrant documents be in?
The Department of Home Affairs accepts PDF, JPG, and PNG files up to 5 MB each. Most documents should be submitted as PDF. Passport photos can be JPG. If a scan exceeds 5 MB, use VisaPacks' built-in PDF compressor to reduce file size while maintaining legibility — it uses three quality levels (screen, standard, or high) so you can choose the right trade-off.
Is this checklist official Department of Home Affairs guidance?
No. This checklist is based on publicly available Department of Home Affairs guidance but is maintained by VisaPacks as a convenience tool only — it is not legal advice and does not replace the assessment of a registered migration agent. Always verify current requirements on the Department of Home Affairs website.
What are the most common mistakes when preparing Skilled Independent – Subsequent Entrant documents?
The most common errors are: exceeding the 5 MB per-file ImmiAccount limit without compressing first; omitting certified NAATI translations for non-English documents; submitting uncertified copies when originals or certified copies are required; including documents expiring within 6 months (particularly passports); and forgetting documents for a spouse or dependent children on the same application. VisaPacks addresses all of these — it includes a built-in PDF compressor, auto-naming to a consistent convention, and per-applicant sections for family members included in the application.
How does VisaPacks compare to the Department of Home Affairs checklist tool?
The Department of Home Affairs website shows a static document list for each visa type. VisaPacks goes further: it personalises the list to your circumstances (employment type, relationship status, whether children are included), lets you upload documents against each item, includes built-in PDF compression and merging to meet the 5 MB limit, auto-renames files to a consistent naming convention, and exports a complete ready-to-lodge ZIP. VisaPacks is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Home Affairs.