A parent visa enables parents to reunite with their children and be included in family life. It also offers benefits such as access to the country’s public healthcare system, Medicare, work and study rights, some social security benefits, and the ability to stay in Australia permanently or temporarily.
There are several parent visa options available for those who wish to join their children in Australia, including visitor visas, temporary visas, and permanent parent visas.
Types of Parent Visas
If you’re looking for a parent visa, Australia offers several types based on your needs and intentions.
Visitor Visas (Temporary)
A Visitor Visa (Subclass 600 Visa) allows a parent of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to visit their child for up to 12 months in any 18-month period.
Sponsored Parent Visa (Temporary) (Subclass 870)
The Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa (subclass 870) allows parents to stay in Australia for up to three or five years. It’s created for parents who only wish to visit their children but not settle in Australia indefinitely.
This visa doesn’t require applicants to pass the Balance of Family Test. However, it can be renewable for up to 10 years total.
This visa stops you from applying for a permanent parent visa.
Parent Visas (Permanent)
There are two main categories of visas for parents, including non-contributory and contributory parent visas.
Non-Contributory Parent Visas
Non-contributory parent visas have significantly lower costs compared to contributory visas because applicants do not need to pay a contributory fee. However, this comes with a major disadvantage. A non-contributory parent visa will have a longer processing time, with some applicants waiting up to 30 years.
There are two subclasses of the non-contributory parent visa:
- Non-Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 103) – This visa lets you join an eligible child in Australia. This permanent visa lets parents work and study, sponsor others, and apply for Australian citizenship. You cannot apply for this visa if you have already applied for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa. You apply for this visa outside Australia.
- Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) – To qualify for this permanent visa, you must be 67 or older (old enough for age pension) in Australia. Also, you must apply in Australia, but not in immigration clearance. While you wait for this parent visa to be processed, you will be granted a bridging visa that allows you to live there legally.
Contributory Parent Visas
Parents of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens have another pathway to a permanent parent visa — a contributory parent visa.
This visa type will be processed more quickly, but it will cost much more due to the high cost of the contributory fee (over AUD 40,000). For all of these visas, there are options to split the payment in two installments.
The two subclasses of the permanent contributory parent visa are:
- Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143) – This parent visa allows parents to work and study in the country and apply for citizenship after a while. However, it is highly expensive. You must pass the Balance of Family Test and have Assurance of Support (AoS). You can also apply for this visa if you have applied for a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa first, which lets you spread the cost. If you don’t have a subclass 173 or 600 visa and are not a retiree, you must be outside Australia at processing time. Retirees must be in Australia to apply.
- Contributory Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 864) – The Contributory Aged Parent Visa is created for parents of pension age in Australia (67 or older). The other requirements are the same as for the previous type. You must be in Australia (not in immigration clearance) when applying for this visa. You can apply for this visa directly or after applying for an equivalent temporary visa (subclass 884). Again, this helps you spread the expenses over a number of years.
Eligibility Criteria
The two main requirements are passing the Balance-of-Family Test and having assurance of support.
Balance of Family Test
The aim of this test is to assess your family ties to Australia, and it isn’t waived even in extreme circumstances.
The test states that at least half of the main applicant’s children must have permanent residency or citizenship in Australia, or they are eligible New Zealand citizens usually resident in Australia.
The children counted in this test are your and your partner’s (living) biological, adopted, and stepchildren. You have to pass the Balance-of-Family test to get the following visas:
- Subclass 103 – Parent Visa
- Subclass 143 – Contributory Parent Visa
- Subclass 173 – Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa
- Subclass 804 – Aged Parent Visa
- Subclass 864 – Contributory Aged Parent Visa
- Subclass 884 – Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) Visa
Children on a temporary visa are not eligible.
Assurance of Support (AoS)
The Assurance of Support (AoS) is a legally binding financial commitment to support the parent and ensure they do not rely on government aid. All applications for a permanent Parent category visa require a legal contract of this type.
The period of assurance varies depending on the visa type: it is ten years for contributory and four years for non-contributory parent visas.
The Assurer is typically the child or another relative, who must meet specific income requirements to prove they can support their parent. They must also lodge a monetary bond for with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia before they can establish AoS.
During the period of assurance, if the parent claims a recoverable welfare payment, the assurer is legally required to pay it back to the Govert or face legal consequences.
Application Process
The parent visa application process is complex and long-lasting. As processing times are already long, it’s vital to send all the right documentation the first time. Also, if your visa application is rejected, you will not receive a refund for your application fee.
Steps for Applying
Here is a step-by-step guide outlining the application process.
Ensure You’re Eligible
You must have a child who is an Australian Citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Ensure you meet the right age, health, and character requirements and pass the Balance-of-Family Test. The Australian government may also require other family members to pass these requirements.
You must also not have any outstanding public health debt in Australia or any other kind of debt to the country. You must have health insurance from an Australian provider.
Then, you can pick the right visa, whether it’s a Tourist Visa, a Visitor Visa, a Sponsored Parent Visa, or a Temporary or Permanent visa. For the last two options, decide between contributory and non-contributory visas. Finally, start gathering documentation.
Gather Required Documentation
The documentation you need includes the following (but make sure to get a certified translation of all non-English documents):
- Personal identity documents – A valid passport, birth certificate, national ID card of the main applicant, and proof of change of name.
- Relationship documents – You must prove your relationship with your child through birth certificate or adoption papers. You must also provide marriage or divorce papers if applicable (e.g.,for step children).
- Proof of Australian Status – Your child must prove they are a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen with a copy of their passport, citizenship certificate, or permanent resident visa.
- Balance of Family documents – Include your overseas children’s proof of residency and birth certificates for all your children. Include death certificates for any deceased children.
- Health and character documents – Include police certificates from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the past ten years and your medical examination results (from an approved physician).
- Financial documents – This includes Assurance of Support (AoS) documents.
- Form 40 (Sponsorship for Migration to Australia) – The child of the main applicant must complete this form to become an approved parent sponsor.
- Dependant documents – Forms and documents for any dependant that is migrating with you.
- Partner documents – Identity, character, and other relationship documents.
- Photographs – Four clear, new, 45mm x 35mm photographs of anyone included in the application
Complete Apdependentisa applicants must complete the following forms:
- Form 47PA – This form contains the Application for a parent to migrate to Australia.
- Form 80 – This form covers Personal particulars for assessment, including character assessment.
- Form 47A – This form covers details of dependent family members, even if they do not plan to migrate with you.
- Form 47PT – This form contains the Application for migration to Australia by a Contributory Parent (Temporary) or Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa holder.
- Form 54 – This form covers your Family composition.
- Form 956A – This form enables someone to receive your correspondence. It’s called the Appointment or withdrawal of an authorized recipient.
- Form 956 – This form covers the Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner, or exempt person
You can also apply online through your ImmiAccount.
Lodge the Application
You can complete the visa application process online or send a paper application by mail.
If you want to apply online:
- Register and log in to your ImmiAccount.
- Complete the relevant forms online.
- Upload the required documents.
- Pay the application fee (fees vary depending on the visa type).
If you want to apply by mail:
- Send the completed forms and supporting documents to the Parent Visa Centre in Australia.
- Send certified copies of all documents.
Pay the Visa Application Charge
The Visa Application Charge will depend on the visa type and how you want to pay for it. You can see the pricing for all visa types on the official Department of Home Affairs website.
Complete Health and Character Checks
First, undergo medical examinations as directed by the Department of Home Affairs, and obtain a police check from every country you’ve lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Do not do any of these things until the DHA asks you to.
You may also be asked to provide a military record, a letter of good conduct from an employer, or additional forms.
Manage Assurance of Support
The Department of Home Affairs will notify you when it’s time to organize the Assurance of Support. Your insurer will then have to complete the AoS process through Services Australia and lodge a bond. There may be additional documents necessary for this step, including their tax documents and payslips.
Wait for the Decision
You will receive a visa grant notification or request for further information via your ImmiAcAdditional documents may elements
Applicants must meet health and character requirements to receive a parent visa.
The health requirements are there to protect public health from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, so most requirements focus on these types of screenings. Depending on your age and the country you come from, your medical assessments may include:
- A physical exam
- A Tuberculosis screening test
- Chest X-ray
- HIV test
- Blood test
- Hepatitis B test
Pregnant people and those who plan to work in the Australian healthcare system may need additional tests.
Character requirements include police reports and checks from all countries in which you have resided for over 12 months in the past 10 years. You may also be asked to provide your military record. In Form 80, you will be asked about your criminal record and other personal assessment details.
Processing Times and Costs
Processing times vary depending on the type of visa, the documentation you provide, and the number of places available in the parent visa migration program.
Contributory vs. Non-Contributory Visas
Contributory visas have a shorter processing time than non-contributory visas, although it is still fairly long.
For new visa applications, the estimated processing times are as follows:
- 14 years for a contributory parent visa
- 31 years for a non-contributory parent or aged parent visa
This doesn’t mean your individual application will take this long. The time it takes will depend on your application, your documentation, how quickly you respond to requests, as well as how quickly external agencies work.
While both types of visas can get you permanent residence in the end, their costs are quite different. The Contributory Parent Visa (subclass 143) and the Contributory Ageandisa both cost AUD48,495, and you can split the cost into two installments.
In contrast, the Non-Contributory Parent Visa and the Aged Parent Visa cost AUD5,125 and up. You can also pay these fees in two stages.
Temporary Sponsored Parent Visa Costs
The costs of the Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa vary depending on its validity period. If you’re getting a three-year visa, it will cost you AUD5,895 total. For a five-year visa, you’ll have to pay AUD11,785.
The base application charge for this visa is AUD1,180, and you pay the rest before the visa is granted. Eligible sponsors pay a fee of AUD420 to apply for sponsorship.
Beat the Queue – Apply for a Visa From Within Australia
There are two main pathways for parents to apply for a visa from within Australia and spend more time with their children legally: one is for parents of pension age, while the other focuses on contributory temporary visas.
If you’re 67 and older, you can and must apply for a permanent visa within Australia (subclass 804 and subclass 864 are created for aged parents). While you won’t become an Australian permanent resident immediately, you will receive a bridging visa that lets you be with your children and participate in family life.
You can also start with a suitable temporary visa (with or without a contributory fee) that lets you apply for permanent residency after you meet the requirements. This can also help you spread your costs over more years. Look into the Contributory Parent Temporary visa (subclass 173) and Contributory Aged Parent Temporary visa (subclass 884).