Do you wish to Sponsor your Parents to Migrate to Australia?

Parent visas allow applicants to live in Australia on a temporary or permanent basis. We have prepared some useful information for you regarding the main requirements for different options. Please note, various factors need to be considered for each individual situation and depending on your particular situation it may be possible to fast-track the process or reduce costs overall. For more detailed information regarding your specific situation, we recommend you arrange an appointment with our Parent visa specialist. Our Registered Migration Specialist will conduct a full assessment and advise which visa option is best for you.

Parent visa subclasses include:

  • Parent Visitor visa (Subclass 870) temporary residency
  • 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 

The main requirements for the long term Parent visas are as follows:
*the following requirements do not apply to the Parent Visitor 870 visa

  • Applicants 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 organization 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
  • Applicants must meet health and character requirements
  • Family members such as partner or dependent children can be added to the application in some cases
  • Applicants must have no outstanding debts owing to the commonwealth
  • Once applicants are granted a Parent visa, they can work and study in Australia and access medicare
  • 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
  • There is no age limit for parent visas however for Aged parent visas, applicants must meet the aged requirement

Parent Visitor visa (Subclass 870) temporary residency

  • Processing time approx 1-2 months
  • 3-5 year visa duration with the possibility to renew
  • Government application fees are $5500-$10,500 per person depending on whether you apply for a 3 or 5 year visa
  • There is no age limit
  • You can apply for this visa if you are outside Australia in most cases
  • This visa can be granted whether you are in or outside Australia
  • Health insurance is required for the duration of the visa
  • Health and character requirements may be required in some cases

Parent Visa (Subclass 103) permanent residency

  • 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
  • You can apply for this visa if you are inside or outside Australia
  • If you are inside Australia you must have no restrictions to apply for this visa
  • This visa can only be granted if you are outside Australia
  • Health and character requirements for all applicants are not required at time of lodgment
  • An assurance of support bond is required for 2 years
  • In most cases, as this visa can be granted only whilst the applicant is outside Australia, it is not possible to obtain a Bridging visa

Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) permanent residency

  • Processing time approx 15-17 years, in some cases this can be fast tracked
  • Government application fees are lower than contributory parent visas – approx $6-7,000
  • Must meet the aged requirement at the time of application
  • You must lodge this application onshore, when you are in Australia
  • You must be in Australian when the visa is granted
  • If you are inside Australia you must have no restrictions to apply for this visa
  • 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
  • A Bridging visa is available to remain in Australia work, medicare and study rights may also be possible

Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 173) temporary residency

  • Processing time approx. 16-20 months
  • No age limit
  • Temporary residency duration is for 2 years
  • Application fees are higher than for parent visas – approx $50,000 government application fees
  • By applying for this visa you can spread the costs for the next stage, permanent residency so that you don’t need to pay all fees for permanent residency straight away
  • You can lodge this application from outside Australia
  • If you are inside Australia you must have no restrictions to apply for this visa
  • In some cases, you may need to be outside Australia when the visa is granted
  • Health and character requirements for all applicants are not required at time of lodgement
  • An assurance of support bond is not required for this temporary visa
  • In most cases, it is not possible to obtain a Bridging visa

Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) permanent residency

  • Processing time approx. 20-26 months
  • Application fees are higher than for parent visas – approx $50,000 government application fees
  • No age limit
  • Health and character requirements for all applicants are not required at time of lodgement
  • An assurance of support bond may be required
  • In most cases you must be offshore, outside Australia to lodge this application
  • To live in Australia whilst the application is being processed you may need to apply for a Tourist/Visitor visa or Parent 870 long term tourist visa or other visa you may be eligible for

Contributory Aged Parent (Subclass 884) temporary residency

  • Processing time approx. 20-26 months
  • Must meet the aged requirement at the time of application
  • Temporary residency duration is for 2 years
  • Application fees are higher than for aged parent visas
  • By applying for this visa you can spread the costs for permanent residency so that you don’t need to pay all fees for permanent residency straight away
  • You must lodge this application when you are in Australia and have no restrictions to apply for this visa
  • You can be in or outside Australia when the visa is granted
  • Health and character requirements for all applicants are normally required at time of lodgement and in some cases at a later stage
  • An assurance of support bond is required for this temporary visa
  • A Bridging visa is available to remain in Australia however work and study rights do not apply

Contributory Aged Parent visa (Subclass 864) permanent residency

  • Processing time approx. 18-24 months
  • Application fees are higher than for aged parent visas
  • Must meet the aged requirement at the time of application
  • This application can be lodged when you are in Australia
  • When you are inside Australia you must have no restrictions to apply for this visa
  • You can be in or outside Australia when the visa is granted
  • Health and character requirements for all applicants are normally required at time of lodgement and in some cases at a later stage
  • An assurance of support bond is required for 10 years
  • A Bridging visa is available to remain in Australia however work and study rights do not apply

To ensure you obtain precise information for your specific situation please arrange an appointment with our parent visa specialist. Our Registered Migration Specialist will conduct a full assessment and advise which visa option is best for you.