Parent Migration Australia – Parent Visas
What is Parent Visa?
Parent visas allow parents of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen to migrate to Australia. Parents may stay in Australia on a temporary or a permanent basis depending on the visa subclass.
Is the Parent Migration Visa right for you?
Parent migration visas depend on your circumstances. There are either hefty application fees or long waiting times associated with a parent visa. Some visa subclasses allow parents to stay in Australia on a bridging visa while the visa application is in the queue. Other subclasses require parents to be physically overseas at time of application.
Types of Parent Migration Visas
Parent visas can be non-contributory or contributory. A non-contributory visa has a lower application fee but a very long waiting time (30+ years) – applicants may not receive the actual visa in their lifetime. Parent migration visas with a shorter waiting time but high application fee are contributory visas.
The subclass 103 visa is a capped, non-contributory visa that allows parents of a settled Australian citizen, permanent or resident eligible New Zealand citizen migrate to Australia permanently.
This visa allows parents to live, work and study in Australia permanently. They can enrol in Medicare and apply for Australian citizenship once residence requirements have been met.
The subclass 173 visa allows the parents of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen live, work and study in Australia (without government support) for up to 2 years. Parents may also apply for a permanent Contributory Parent Visa (subclass 143).
This visa is for parents aged 65 and over and allows them to live, work and study in Australia permanently. They can enrol in Medicare and apply for Australian citizenship if eligible.
This visa allows parents aged 65 and over to live, work and study in Australia (without government support) for up to two years. Parents may also apply for a permanent Contributory Aged Parent Visa (subclass 864).
The subclass 804 visa allows older parents already holding temporary visas to live in Australia permanently if their child is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. There is a long queue in processing this visa, with waiting times reaching up to 13 years.
In effect from April 2019, the subclass 870 visa is a separate type of parent visa that is temporary, unrestricted by age requirements and not a contributory parent visa. Parents are also not required to meet the balance-of-family test. Other requirements apply.
Key Eligibility Criteria
In addition to fulfilling general health and character requirements, parents must also:
- Meet the balance-of-family test (you have more children living in Australia than in any other country; subclass 870 visa applicants are exempt)
- Be sponsored by an eligible child (a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen)
- Children are generally required to have lived in Australia for at least 2 years prior to application sponsorship
- Some visa subclasses may require an Assurance of Support (AoS) bond
How can Smart Choice Education & Migration help you?
We understand the importance of lodging a successful application for a Parent Migration Australia visa. Smart Choice Education & Migration can help you maximise the chances of a successful outcome by:
- Assessing you/your parents’ eligibility for a parent visa
- Advising on the most effective visa pathway for your parents based on your family’s circumstances
- Liaising with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) on your behalf
- Reviewing your financial documents (where applicable) to ensure they are suitable for immigration purposes
- Lodging your application timely and accurately
