There are a number of pathways for Parents to obtain Permanent and Temporary residency in Australia.

Since early 2019 sponsors who wish to bring their parents to Australia for three to five years will be able to apply for the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) subclass 870 visa.

PARENT VISA PATHWAYS

Parent visa subclasses include:

Parent Visa (Subclass 103) permanent residency
Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) permanent residency
Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 173) temporary residency
Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) permanent residency
Contributory Aged Parent (Subclass 884) temporary residency
Contributory Aged Parent visa (Subclass 864) permanent residency

This factsheet will address the permanent pathways only.

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY FOR A PARENT VISA

The main requirements for Parent visas are as follows:

The Applicant for the visa must have a child who is a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Applicants must be sponsored by their child or child’s spouse or de-facto partner in Australia if they are over 18 years of age (If the applicant’s child is under 18 years of age, a spouse or de-facto partner, guardian or community organisation can sponsor the applicant)
The child must have lived in Australia lawfully for two years immediately before the application is lodged (a shorter period can be considered in some cases if the applicant can prove that they are settled)
Applicants must satisfy the balance of family test, this relates to the number of children applicants have living inside and outside Australia
The health and character requirements must be met by the Applicant
An assurance of support bond is required from the applicant’s sponsor when the application is ready to be finalized. This payment is required to ensure that the applicant has funds to support himself so that he/she does not need to rely on government social security. The bond will be refunded once the applicant obtains a visa. Any debts to the commonwealth will be deducted.

PERMANENT VISAS PARENT VISA (SUBCLASS 103)

Processing time up to 30 years, in some cases this can be fast tracked
Application fees are significantly lower than contributory parent visas
There is no age limit
Apply offshore or onshore
This visa can only be granted if you are offshore
Health and character requirements for all applicants are not required at time of application
An assurance of support bond is required for 2 years

AGED PARENT VISA (SUBCLASS 804)

Processing time around 15-17 years, in some cases this can be fast tracked
Application fees are lower than contributory parent visas
Must meet the aged requirement at the time of application
You must lodge this application onshore, in Australia
This visa can only be granted if you are outside Australia
Health and character requirements for all applicants are required at time of lodgement and in some cases at a later date
An assurance of support bond is required for 2 years

CONTRIBUTORY PARENT VISA (SUBCLASS 143)

Processing time approx. 20-26 months
Application fees are higher than for parent visas – around $50,000 per application
There is no age limit
Apply offshore or onshore
This visa can only be granted if you are offshore
Health and character requirements for all applicants are not required at time of lodgement
An assurance of support bond is required for 10 years

Tips for Permanent Parent Visas:

Once applicants are granted a Parent visa, they can work and study in Australia and access Medicare.
Family members such as a partner or dependent children can be added to the application in some cases.
Applicants must have no outstanding debts owing to the Commonwealth.
There is no age limit for parent visas however for Aged parent visas, applicants must be of the relevant age.
A refusal for one of these visas is likely reviewable at the AAT.

HOW WE CAN HELP WITH YOUR PERMANENT PARENT VISA APPLICATION

One of the main issues that can arise with a Parent Visa application is difficulty of determining the right visa pathway at the outset of your application.

Our Immigration Lawyers can advise you on which Parent Visa is the right type of visa for you, and with demonstrating to the Department of Home Affairs that you meet the eligibility criteria. Please contact us today for further information and advice.

If you have received a visa refusal, then the solicitors at Summit Migration may be able to assist. Find out more about appeals for visa refusals here. Alternatively, you may be eligible for Ministerial Intervention.

How Can We Help

Summit Migration provides free 15-minute, no-obligation phone consultation. Claim your free telephone consultation today. Call us on (07) 31777609 to speak to a Registered Migration Agent about your matter.