There are several Parent Visa options are available if you would like to have your parents join you in living in Australia. The best option for you and your parents may depend on the following various factors:
- Whether your parents are interested in permanent migration to Australia.
- The age of your parents.
- The length of time they will be able to wait before receiving their permanent residency.
- Your financial means.
Before deciding which pathway will be best for you, it is important to note the general eligibility requirements:
- You must be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident who is living in Australia.
- Your parents must pass the Balance of Family Test- this means that at least half of their children/stepchildren are Australian citizens or permanent residents living in Australia.
- An Assurance of Support payment will need to be made on behalf of each parent.
- Your parents must be able to show good health and character.
There are six Parent visa subclasses divided into two categories:
- Non-Contributory Parent Visas
- Contributory Parent Visas
Non-Contributory Parent Visas
- The Parent visa (Subclass 103) for offshore applicants.
- The Aged Parent visa (Subclass 804) for onshore applicants who meet the age requirement (eligible for the age pension in Australia).
While these two visa options have lower Government Fees, they involve much longer processing times, currently around 30 years, making them less viable for many applicants.
Contributory Parent Visas
The Contributory Parent visa may be applied for onshore or offshore.
Offshore applicants:
- The Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 173) for offshore applicants wishing to spread costs across two applications. This temporary visa is valid for two years, after which the applicant must apply for the subclass 143 visa.
- The Contributory Parent (Migrant) visa (Subclass 143) for offshore applicants who can pay all costs upfront, granting them permanent residency once the application is processed.
You may choose to start your parent’s permanent residency process on a Subclass 173, or a Subclass 143. However, Permanent residency will only be granted upon their Subclass 143 application.
Onshore applicants:
- The Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) for onshore applicants who meet the age requirement and wish to manage costs over two applications. This temporary visa is also valid for two years, leading to a subclass 864 application.
- The Contributory Aged Parent (Residence) visa (Subclass 864) for onshore applicants who can pay all fees upfront, granting permanent residency upon application approval.
You may choose to start your parents’ permanent residency process on a Subclass 173, or a Subclass 143. However, Permanent residency will only be granted upon their Subclass 143 application.
Overview of costs for Contributory Parent Visas
These visas have higher government fees (including a second Visa Application Charge) but typically offer faster processing by the Department of Home Affairs. While processing times for these visas can take up to 12 years, this is still significantly shorter than the non-contributory subclasses.
Assurance of Support
Whilst all other fees are paid to the Department of Home Affairs, the Assurance of Support bond is paid to Centrelink. This bond exists as an agreement between you and Centrelink and is held for a period of 10 years. The bond will be returned to you as long as your parent does not seek Centrelink payments during this ten-year period.
The person who pays the bond is known as the Assurer, and the visa applicant is the Assuree.
An Assurer can be either an individual or an organisation. The Assuree is the visa applicant you support.
An individual assurer must be:
- at least 18 years of age
- an Australian resident
- able to give proof of income for the current and last financial year.
For more information on what is involved in paying the Assurance of Support, please refer to the Services Australia page here.
Next options
If you are seeking to sponsor a parent to remain in Australia, please contact us for an appointment to assess the suitability of the above mentioned options.