Parent Visa Options
Australian Permanent Residents or Citizens may be able to sponsor their parents to live with them in Australia.
There are some options for parents who want to spend time with their children in Australia on a temporary or to live in Australia on a permanent basis.
Check if you qualify!
Permanent Parent Visas
Parent (Subclass 103) visa (offshore)
Aged Parent (subclass 804) visa (onshore)
Contributory Parent (subclass 143) visa (offshore)
Contributory Aged Parent (subclass 864) visa (onshore)
Temporary Parent Visas
Contributory Parent (subclass 173) visa (offshore)
Contributory Aged Parent (subclass 884) visa (onshore)
Temporary Sponsored Parent (subclass 870) visa (offshore)
The Differences
Parent Visas are affordable as they only require a normal application fee. However, they will take more than 30 years to be approved as there is an extremely long queue, because only around 1500 visas can be granted each year
On the other hand, Contributory Parent Visas are generally approved in 5 years, these are more expensive because applicants must make a monetary contribution immediately prior to visa grant. This contribution is currently almost AUD 43,000.00 per person included in the application..
Only “Aged” Parent visas allow applicants to lodge their applications in Australia and be granted a Bridging Visa, so they can remain here while the application is being processed. It is important to note though, that whilst the Bridging Visa will come with no limitations, the applicant will not have access to Medicare and in some cases social security payments until their visa is granted. So while it is beneficial to apply for one of the “Aged” visas, not everyone can.
Balance of Family Test
All provisional and permanent Parent visa applicants must have at least half of their children (including step-children) or more are living in Australia as permanent residents or citizens. This is irrespective of whether they are close or in contact at all with their children.
For parents who don’t pass this test, the Subclass 870 Temporary Parent visa is a good option but it will not lead to permanent residence.
The Benefits
Once a person has been granted a permanent parent visa, they will have access to Medicare immediately and to other government benefits within a specified time. If applying for the Aged versions of the visa onshore, applicants may be able to enroll with Medicare while still on a Bridging Visa.
Assurance of Support
Another mandatory requirement for all permanent parent visas is the provision of an Assurance of Support (AOS).
The Assurance of Support is a legal agreement between the Australian sponsor, or resident or organisation (the assurer) and the Australian Government.. The assurer agrees to support the migrant (the assure) in Australia so that the applicant does not need to rely on government payments.
The AOS is a bond that remains with the Australian government for either 2 or 10 years depending on the visa subclass. The amount to be paid and when payment is due also varies depending on the visa subclass. Each AOS can cover up to 2 adults and an unlimited number of their dependent children.
Temporary Sponsored Parent 870 Visa
The 870 visa allows permanent residents or citizens of Australia to sponsor their parents to live here with them in Australia for a temporary period of up to 3 or 5 five years consecutively. 870 visa holders can reapply for a further extension of stay, however the maximum stay period in total cannot be more than 10 years.
870 visa applicants must be sponsored by their Australian citizen or permanent resident child. The sponsor must have been resident in Australia for at least 4 years and earn a minimum annual income of AUD 83,454.80. If the sponsoring child cannot meet the income requirement then they may be able to combine their income with that of their spouse or another child of the visa applicant.
Furthermore, the sponsor cannot have any serious criminal convictions and the applicant needs to satisfy the health requirements
Importantly, only 2 parents per household can be sponsored at the same time for this visa Subclass.
The 870 visa is great option for those parents who cannot meet the balance of family test and and only wish to reside in Australia for shorter periods of time.
Work with us to ensure that your application is approved quickly!
If you decide to make an application for a Parent Visa using Western Migration's Registered Migration Agent to prepare and lodge the application on your behalf, we will make the whole process:
Simpler: Quite simply, we know what works and what doesn’t, so we will give you clear instructions as to what documents you need to provide. We will prepare your process your application properly and provide all the correct documents to the Department of Immigration.
More efficient: We will use our expertise to maximize your chances of a positive outcome and minimize processing delays, because we lodge decision ready applications.
Stress-free: We will manage the application process for you. We will monitor your application until the Department of Home Affairs approves it and keep you informed of any developments and about any changes in legislation that may affect the outcome of your case.