Migrants often have a painful choice to make: do they move to a new country promising a better life and more opportunities for themselves and their children, or do they remain in their native country because they need to stay close to and support their parents? Fortunately, migrants to Australia have an easier decision, because there is a range of Australian visas for parents of migrants.
An Introductory Guide To The Parent Visa Australia
Our Advice When Applying For A Parent Visa
A lot of patience is required for the long and often complicated Australian visas for the parent application process. Four Corners Emigration has a step-by-step procedure for family transfers to Australia, to help you systemically navigate the complex and delicate course of action required. We highly recommend you work with us, so we can help you choose the most favourable Parent Visa Australia option for your circumstances and give you the best prospect of achieving your aim – being reunited with your loved ones.
Ready To Get Started With Your Parent Visa?
4 Tips To Get Your Parent Visa Application Right
COVID-19 Travel Ban Exemptions
If you already hold an Australian Parent Visa you are exempt from the coronavirus travel ban and can travel to Australia. Once arriving in Australia you must quarantine for 14 days at a designated facility, such as a hotel in your port of arrival.
If you do not have an Australian Parent Visa and you are considering applying, due to current COVID-19 restrictions, your visa won’t be finalised.
We will keep this section updated if any changes are made to these regulations with regards to parent visas, travel bans and quarantine.
We have been successfully lodging travel ban exemptions, as per the relevant legislation, for our clients who are eligible to apply. We have also managed to get grants for clients who had previously tried to apply on their own and received a refusal. So, even if you have previously been unsuccessful, we can still help.
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7 Types Of Parent Visa Australia
Each of the seven types of Parent Visa Australia is applicable to a different set of circumstances and each has its own eligibility conditions. Four Corners Emigration can guide you in choosing the most appropriate Australian visas for parents and assisting you through the entire application process.
1. Parent Visa – Subclass 103
This is a permanent residency visa, allowing parents or step-parents of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, and settled New Zealand citizens, to move to Australia. Once they have arrived, parents can sponsor further eligible family members to come to Australia, and can also apply for Australian citizenship.
You must be outside Australia at the time this visa is granted. Additionally, you must not have a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa Subclass 870 (see No.4 below), and you must meet all the eligibility requirements.
Eligibility requirements for Visa Subclass 103
- Retiree or sponsored. Apply either as a retiree (if you hold, or previously held, a specified type of Retirement Visa) or via a sponsor (usually your eligible child, but there are other options if your child is under 18)
- Balance-of-family test. Examines what proportion of your children are already living in Australia. Retiree applicants don’t need to pass this test.
- Assurance of support. An agreement from your eligible child to provide accommodation and financial support, so that you will not need to rely on government assistance in Australia. Retiree applicants don’t need this agreement.
- Health insurance. Visa holders must have adequate private health insurance unless a citizen of a country with a reciprocal healthcare agreement.
- Child’s best interests. If you have an eligible child in Australia under 18, the visa will only be granted if it is considered to be in the best interests of the child.
- Health and character. You must pass the required tests.
- Australian values. The Life in Australia booklet is required reading, and you must sign an Australian Values Statement.
- No government debt. Neither you nor any member of your family can owe money to the Australian Government.
- No visa cancellation or denial. A previous visa that was cancelled, or a visa application that was denied, may make you ineligible.
2. Contributory Parent Visa – Subclass 143
The Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 is essentially the same, as regards its permanent residency permission and eligibility requirements, as the Parent Visa Subclass 103. But there are differences in cost and processing times. The Department of Home Affairs fee for the Subclass 143 Visa currently starts at around AUD48,000, whereas the Subclass 103 Visa is much cheaper, starting at around AUD7,000. But the processing time is much shorter for the Subclass 143 Visa.
3. Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa – Subclass 173
This is a temporary visa, not a permanent residency visa. It allows parents or step-parents of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, and settled New Zealand citizens, to live in Australia (including working and studying) for up to two years.
Once you hold this visa you can, however, apply for a permanent residency visa, the Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 (above). Applying for the Subclass 173 Visa first means that you can spread the high cost of the Subclass 143 Visa over several years.
You must be sponsored by your eligible child (i.e. the retiree pathway is not available). All other eligibility conditions are identical to the requirements for Parent Visa Subclass 103 (No. 1 above), except that the following are not required:
- Assurance of support
- Health insurance
4. Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa – Subclass 870
Once again, this is a temporary rather than a permanent residency visa, but the permitted temporary stay is longer than for the Subclass 173 Visa (above). However, a Subclass 870 Visa does not permit the visa holder to work in Australia.
Visa holders can visit Australia for up to three years or five years per visa. (A higher cost applies for the longer visa.) Further visa applications may be made once the initial visa has expired, but the maximum allowed period in Australia is 10 years.
Before applying for this visa, you must have an approved Parent Sponsor (i.e. your eligible child). Once the Parent Sponsor has been approved, you must lodge your visa application within six months (or within 60 days if you receive permission to apply while you are in Australia).
Eligibility requirements for Visa Subclass 870
- Previous visa obligations. You must have complied with the requirements of any Australian visas you held formerly.
- Health and character. You must pass the required tests.
- Financial viability. You must be able to support yourself financially while in Australia (without being able to work).
- Temporary stay intention. You cannot apply for a permanent residency visa while you have this visa, but if you have already applied for a permanent residency visa (which may have a long processing time) and are awaiting the result, you can apply for this visa (faster processing time) to allow you to visit Australia temporarily.
- Health insurance. Visa holders must have adequate private health insurance unless a citizen of a country with a reciprocal healthcare agreement.
- No government debt. Neither you nor any member of your family can owe money to the Australian Government.
5. Aged Parent Visa – Subclass 804
This is a permanent residency visa designed for aged parents and step-parents of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, and settled New Zealand citizens. Visa holders can sponsor other eligible family members for a visa and also apply for Australian citizenship.
Applicants must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia (currently 66 years old, but gradually increasing to 67 years by 1st July 2023) and can only apply for this visa while they are already in Australia on a temporary visa. However, there is a long processing time of many years as a result of a long queue, and you might be better served by a Contributory Aged Parent Visa Subclass 864 (see below), which has a much shorter processing time but a much higher application fee.
Eligibility requirements for this visa are similar to those for the Parent Visa Subclass 103 (No. 1 above), except that:
- No retiree pathway. You must be sponsored, usually by your eligible child.
- Health insurance. Not required.
6. Parent Visa – Subclass 103
The Contributory Aged Parent Visa Subclass 864 is essentially the same, as regards its permanent residency permission and eligibility requirements, as the Aged Parent Visa Subclass 804. The only real differences lie in cost and processing times. The Department of Home Affairs fee for the Subclass 864 Visa currently starts at around AUD48,000, whereas the Subclass 804 Visa is much cheaper, starting at around AUD7,000. But the processing time is much shorter for the Subclass 864 Visa.
7. Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) Visa – Subclass 884
Similar to the Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa Subclass 173 (No. 3 above), this is a temporary visa, not a permanent residency visa. It allows parents and step-parents of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, and settled New Zealand citizens, to live in Australia (including working and studying) for up to two years.
The major differences to the Subclass 173 Visa are:
- Age. You must be old enough to receive the Australian age pension (currently 66 years old, but gradually increasing to 67 years by 1st July 2023).
- In Australia when you apply. You must be already in Australia on another temporary visa when you apply for this one.
- No ’no further stay’ condition’. The visa on which you are currently in Australia must not have a ‘no further stay’ condition.
All other eligibility conditions are similar to the Subclass 173 Visa.
Once you hold this visa you can, however, apply for a permanent residency visa, the Contributory Aged Parent Visa Subclass 864 (above). Applying for the Subclass 884 Visa first means that you can spread the high cost of the Subclass 864 Visa over several years.
Find Out Where To Start With Your Parent Visa
How Long Are Parent Visas Taking To Be Processed?
Pros And Cons Of Different Parent Visa Applications
Benefits Of Working With A Specialist Immigration Agent At Four Corners Emigration
Professional Migration Specialists
Four Corners Emigration is one of the world’s leading migration specialists, assisting over 61,000 individuals, small businesses and multinationals since 1996. We provide expert advice and visa services for temporary and permanent entry to Australia and work with organisations and individuals currently in Australia and around the world.
Using a professional migration agent is a wise move with a Parent Visa Australia because if the right documentation is not provided, the whole thing can fall over. That could have a significant impact on a parent or their family.
With longer processing times and issues with medical and police checks expiring, you need a professional to manage the process. This helps reduce stresses and costs to you.
If parents and children hope to reunite in Australia, it has to be done properly. Our promise, and what we have done for the last 23 years, is to look after these people. We feel with our clients, and take pride in bringing parents and families together via a Parent Visa Australia.
Our consultants, including founder Matthew Garvey, are registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority.
Providing You With Support And Stability
Our aim is to ensure our clients have access to accurate advice, strategies and support to realise their goal of migrating to Australia. Through expert knowledge and professionalism supported by exemplary customer service, we aspire to be the market leader and most trusted supplier of migration services in the world.
We have a highly successful track record across a wide range of industries and professional fields and are committed to delivering tailored, people-focused visa solutions providing you with stability and the peace of mind you deserve.
We adhere to the OMARA Code of Conduct and are members of the Migration Institute of Australia. We currently have offices in Australia, South Africa and the UK.
Our Promise To You
Our promise is an expression of our values – quality, leadership, integrity and care.
We take responsibility for the QUALITY of our work; we provide LEADERSHIP not only as a company but as individuals; we act with INTEGRITY in all we do, and we CARE deeply about our clients.