Have you recently migrated to Australia and found yourself longing for the presence of your parents? Do you miss having your parents with you? 

You are not alone!

It’s natural that these are sentiments shared by every foreigner to start a family life and wish to celebrate each of their special moments with their parents.

Living with parents in a foreign country like Australia is not just about giving them a new home; it’s about creating a legacy of memories in a country that is familiar due to its norms and family values. It is also about watching your parents happy and marvel at the iconic Sydney Opera House or simply enjoying BBQ night with them peacefully in the backyard of your home in Australia. 

If you are looking for suitable visa options based on your parents’ and your own personal circumstances, in that case, Parent Visa Australia is a perfect match for you and your family’s unique needs.

 

What is a Parent Visa Australia ?

 

“Parent Visa Australia is a pathway for overseas parents who want to join their children who are already settled as Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens residing in Australia.“

 

Parent visas Australia within the family visa stream are designed to reunite parents with their children in Australia. The stream contains both temporary and permanent streams.

Each year, the Australian Government outlines the specific numbers and types of visas to be provided under Australia’s Migration Program, which includes the Family Visa Australia stream. For the financial year 2022–23, the Australian Government allocated a planning level of 52,500 places to the family stream of the Migration Program.

It has never been an easy task to sponsor/bring your parents to Australia. However, there are various suitable family visa streams in Australia that offer multiple pathways for reuniting your parents, each with its own set of requirements and benefits to accommodate your parents based on different situations and your unique family needs.

 

Common Streams of Australian Parent Visa 

The Australian Government offers a broad range of parent visa options (temporary and permanent) for Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens in Australia to sponsor their parents. These visas are divided into the following streams:

 

• Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143)
• Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 173)
• Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870)
• Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804)
• Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 884)
• Contributory Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 864)

 

Contributory Parent Visa Australia 

A contributory parent visa is a pathway designed for overseas parents to join their child in Australia as permanent residents. This visa also lets them apply for citizenship after living a few years down under. 

This visa is known as a “contributory” parent visa due to the significant investment required during the application process, which is around AUD 40,000 for the main applicant. This reflects the value and commitment to family unity.

Contributory parent visas are allocated to parents who are not yet retired, allowing them to join their children who are already settled in Australia as permanent residents.

This visa is further categorised into the following streams, such as:

 

Temporary Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 173)

It is a gateway for parents who intend to go to Australia temporarily for up to two years. This visa is an initial step toward permanent residency. It grants you the freedom to work and study but is a one-time journey. To extend your stay in Australia as a permanent resident, you must transition your visa to subclass 143. 

Permanent Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143)

This permanent visa stream is considered an anchor in Australia that offers permanent residency. You can apply directly without the prerequisite of two years of living in Australia. You can apply directly for this visa category, or alternatively, you may start with the subclass 143 visa.

 

Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870)

Sponsored Parent Visa is a temporary visa stream that allows the parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens visiting Australia to stay for up to 3 or 5 years in Australia. This visa stream is ideal for parents who want to live with their children and spend quality time with them.

 

 

Contributory Aged Parent Visa Australia 

Contributory aged parent visas offer both a permanent or temporary residency pathway for retired parents of settled Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens who wish to reside in Australia.

The contributory aged parent visa is divided into the following two categories:

 

Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 884)

This temporary visa stream allows old parents to stay in Australia temporarily. It is an initial step through which you can apply for a subclass 864 visa to obtain permanent residency. 

Contributory Aged Parent (Permanent) Visa (Subclass 864)

This subclass is a permanent stream that lets the aged parents stay in Australia permanently. It is called “contributory” because applicants must pay the higher visa application charges, which contribute towards their health and welfare costs in Australia.

 

Eligibility Requirements for Parents Visa Australia

To be eligible for the Parent Visa under Family Visa Australia, applicants must:

• Be a biological parent, legal (including adoptive), or step-parent of the child who can be settled in Australia as a citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen in Australia.
• Be sponsored by an eligible sponsor/child living legally for at least two years in Australia.
• Fulfil the requirements of the balance-of-family test, which requires at least half of your children to live in Australia legally.
• Assure your financial support by your sponsor child that you will not rely on the Australian Government for financial aid after you arrive in Australia. 
• Meet the health and character requirements as allocated by the Australian immigration authorities.

 

 

Application Process for Parent Visa Australia

The parent Visa Australia (subclass 103) application process involves a series of essential steps that both the applicants( parent) and the sponsor (child) need to follow. Here is the  step-by-step process to help you get your prior parent visa to Australia:

Check Eligibility Criteria

The first step is to check your eligibility to ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria set by the Australian Government  , which includes having an eligible child settled in Australia as an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.

Get Sponsorship

The next most important step is that your sponsoring child must be willing to support you financially as well as provide you with accommodation for up to two years. 

Forms and Documentation

 The parents are required to complete the visa application forms and collect necessary documents, such as identity cards, relationship status evidence, and other supporting documents required for application submission. 

Health & Character Requirements

Additionally,  parents must meet certain health and character requirements, including medical examinations and police certificates.

Application Submission

Parents must submit the completed application forms prepared appropriately, along with the required documentation and the visa application fee receipt.

Acknowledgement of Receipt

Once the application is submitted from your side, the Department of Home Affairs will acknowledge receipt of the application and provide a bridging visa if applicable.

Parent Visa Australia Processing Times

The parent visa application may proceed within a considerable amount of time because of capping and queuing by the Department of Home Affairs. However, the parent visa application processing time may vary from case to case and according to various circumstances. For temporary parent visa processing time may range from 137 days to 9 months, while permanent parent visa processing time may possibly take approximately 12 years to proceed.

 

Estimated Cost & Fee for Parent Visa Application

Here is an estimated parent visa cost for Australia and fee allocated by the Australian Government:

Application Fees

Currently, the estimated application fee for a single parent visa applicant with Parent Visa Australia (subclass 103) is AUD 6,490.

Additional Applicants

If additional family members are included in the visa application, extra charges may be applied to each member/applicant.

 

Bring Your Parents to Australia With the Help of the Migration!

If you want to repay the love and care towards your parents that is bestowed upon you. Then, the parent visa Australia is an opportunity to bring them to Australia to live and stay with you.

We know several parent visa options are available, but it is important to choose one that may be a perfect fit for you and your parents’ unique situations. Before getting started with your parent visa application, you must consider consulting with a registered parent visa migration agent at the Migration for personalised guidance and expert advice.

 

 

Schedule an online consultation with our expert migration agent, Nasir Nawaz, and get expert advice. No matter how complex your situation, he will offer rock-solid strategies!

 

FAQs 

Q: 1 Is there an age requirement for the Parent Visa (subclass 103)?

No, there are no age requirements for parents to apply for a parent visa in Australia subclass 103. However, if parents are aged, they may be eligible for the Aged Parent Visa (subclass 804).

 

Q: 2 Can I work and study in Australia with a Parent Visa (subclass 103)?

Yes,  holders of parent visas (subclass 103) have the right to work and study in Australia.

 

Q:3 What is the balance-of-family test for the Parent Visa (subclass 103)?

The balance-of-family test requires parents to have at least half of their children living permanently in Australia or more eligible children living in any other country.

 

Q: 4 What is the parent visa Australia waiting time?

The Parent Visa Australia waiting time can be quite lengthy. According to the latest update on May 31, 2024, the Parent Visa (subclass 103) applications with a queue date up to December 2011 have been released for final processing. For the subclass 804 Aged Parent Visa applications with a queue date up to January 2013 are also being processed. However the estimated processing time frame for contributory parent visas is 12 years while parent and ageing parent visas are 29 years.

 

Q: 5 What is the duration of Stay in Australia via Parent Visa Australia?

It will depend on your prior parent visa stream and how long you can stay in Australia. The Parent Visa subclass 103 permits the parents of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens to move to Australia temporarily for up to 10 years and even permanently.