Different Parent Visas in Australia

To migrate to Australia, it’s a dream for many, and once you fulfil it, you definitely wish for your parents to join you. The good news is international borders have opened up for the Australian permanent residents and Australian citizens’ parents. The decision to classify parents as the immediate family of the Australian citizens and the permanent residents has been met with excitement and relief. So, in case you are thinking of bringing your parents to Australia, being an Australian citizen or a permanent resident or an eligible citizen of New Zealand, you can invite your parents to come in and live in Australia for either an unlimited period or a limited one.
With respect to the above, as of now, there are different patent visa options that come with varying processing times and the cost. To provide clarity over all such aspects, get through the below-mentioned data to receive the needed help.

Parent visa holders’ Entitlements

The Australian parent visa holders will be allowed to come and settle in Australia permanently. Further, as the permanent resident, they will be allowed to work and live in the country and will also be entitled to the healthcare benefits and all the social security benefits.
Notably, the applicant immigrating to the country with their parent Australian Visa, they wouldn’t be immediately eligible for the age pension. So, as the permanent residents of Australia who have settled newly, they will be required to wait at least 10 years before they get entitled to the age pension in Australia.

Type of Parent Visa in Australia

Various types of parent visas fall within two major categories, including non-contributory and contributory visas. It gets classified based on the applicant’s age and the temporary and the permanent resident.

1. Permanent Visa- Categories

Permanent Parent Visa

Subclass 143- Contributory Parent Visa

This permanent visa has two ways for making the application. One can apply for it as a retiree, or they can get sponsored by the eligible kids, or relatives or the community organisation. Applying as a retiree, the applicant will be required to meet up with the balance of family test, and they must have an eligible sponsor and Assurance of support.
The subclass 143 visa assures,

• The applicant to move/stay in Australia as a permanent resident.
• Apply for Australian citizenship if they remain eligible.
• Sponsor the eligible family members for coming to Australia.

The applicant can be either outside Australia or in Australia when they are applying for this visa. In case one is applying as a retiree, they are required to be in Australia, but not within immigration clearance when the application has been made. Further, the applicant can be in or outside Australia while the application is decided.

Subclass 103- Parent Visa

This permanent visa allows the applicant to make an application as a retiree and become eligible for visa application without actually meeting the balance of family test or having a sponsorship or Assurance of support. As it remains to be a non-contributory visa, the approval of this visa can take a long time.
The subclass 103 visa assures,

• The applicant to move/stay in Australia as a permanent resident.
• Apply for Australian citizenship if they remain eligible.
• Sponsor the eligible family members for coming to Australia.

The applicant can be either outside Australia or in Australia when they are applying for this visa. In case one is applying as a retiree, they are required to be in Australia, but not within immigration clearance when the application has been made. Further, the applicant can be either in or outside Australia while the application gets decided.

Subclass 804- Aged-parent visa

It is the permanent visa which allows the aged parents to stay with their kids in Australia permanently. This visa is only granted to old age people who are eligible for receiving the Australian age pension (65-67 years). The visa allows the applicant to,

• The applicant to move/stay in Australia as a permanent resident.
• Apply for Australian citizenship if they remain eligible.
• Sponsor the eligible family members for coming to Australia.

The applicant can be either outside Australia or in Australia when they are applying for this visa. In case one is applying as a retiree, they are required to be in Australia, but not within immigration clearance when the application has been made. Further, the applicant can be either in or outside Australia while the application gets decided.

Subclass 864- Contributory Aged Parent Visa

The requirement remains the same as the 804 Visa, but this visa gets processed faster and is quite costly. However, it allows the applicant to,

• The applicant to move/stay in Australia as a permanent resident.
• Enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme.
• Study and work in Australia.

One can apply for this visa as a part of a two-step process. At first, the application can be made for a contributory aged parent (Temporary – Subclass 884) visa. Making an application for an 884 visa and then an 864 visa, allows the applicant to spread the cost of the visa in the upcoming number of years. Further, the applicant must not have already made the application for or must be already holding the sponsored parent (Temporary- Subclass 870) visa when the application is being made for this visa. They can be in Australia but not within immigration clearance while applying.

Temporary Parent Visa- Categories

Subclass 884- Contributory Aged Parent Visa

Applying for this visa allows the applicant to stay in Australia for 2 years at least while they continue to study or work therein without the Government’s support. To apply for this visa, one must have been sponsored by the approved sponsor. Here the sponsor can be the child of the applicant, but in case they are below the age of 18, the eligible relative or the community organisation can also sponsor the visa. The applicant must also be eligible for receiving the age pension in Australia.
One can apply for this visa as a part of a two-step process. At first, the application can be made for a contributory aged parent (Temporary – Subclass 884) visa. Making an application for an 884 visa and then an 864 visa, allows the applicant to spread the cost of the visa in the upcoming number of years. Further, the applicant must not have already made the application for or must be already holding the sponsored parent (Temporary- Subclass 870) visa when the application is being made for the visa. They can be in Australia but not within immigration clearance while applying for the visa.

Subclass 870- Sponsored Parent Visa (Temporary)

Subclass 870 visa is the temporary visa allowing the parent of the Australian permanent resident or Australian citizen or the eligible New Zealand citizen for visiting Australia for at least up to 3 to 5 years. This visa is a perfect alternative to the visitor visa as it allows the parent to remain in the Australian country for a longer period of time. However, the pathway will require payment of the second installment charge, which ranges between $5000-$10,000, based on whether the parent is making the application for 3 or 5 years.
In this case, unlike permanent visa options, the parents wouldn’t be required to meet the balance of family tests. They must, however, meet up with the core requirements, including,

• Not having outstanding public health debt (Australia).
• Holding and maintaining health insurance from the Australian provider and which remains valid for the intended stay period.

Apart from this, there are certain primary requirements that will be discussed further ahead.

Difference between contributory and non-contributory Visa

• The non-contributory visa takes a much longer time to process even though this attracts the lower amount of government application charge. The contributory visa gets processed a lot faster, but therein the application charge is high.
• Non-contributory parent visas remain subject to capping, which is the number of visas that have been allotted by the minister for the class for that given program year. After the cap is reached, no more visas get granted to the given class in the program year. But in the case of a contributory visa, they have more places available in every single migration program year. They even have significantly shorter periods of wait for the application to get finalised.

Primary requirements for Parent Visa

• For whom the application is being made must be the parent of the permanent resident or the citizen of Australia.
• The applicant must be the parent of the Australian permanent resident or citizen who spent at least 2 years in Australia.
• Balance of family test must be passed- in case of a permanent visa.
• Application that’s lodged onshore for the non-contributory and the contributory parent visa requires the applicant to be at least 66 years of age or more. For lodging an onshore parent application, one must be old enough for receiving the age pension in Australia. Note that the pension age will increase from 66 years of age to 67 years starting from the 1st of July 2023.
• Assurance of support is required for making the application for the permanent parent category visa. It is the legal commitment from the organisation or the individual for giving financial support to the applicant and that they do not rely on the social security payments.
• Applicants must have their health insurance for at least the duration they will be visiting.
• The applicant must have followed all the terms of the previous visa in Australia that they held.
• The applicant must have sufficient funds to cover the expenses while they continue their stay within the country.
• The applicant must enter to stay in Australia just for a short period of time.
• The applicant must be the adoptive, biological, step-parent or parent-in-law of the child living in Australia.

Contributory Aged Parent Visa- Further Criteria

• The main visa applicant must be at least 66 and a half years of age or older. However, in case they have a partner agent younger than this age, they, too, can be included as the secondary applicant.
• The parents will be required to meet the character and health requirements. It is necessary to undertake a medical assessment, HIV test and chest x-ray.

Assurance of Support- Is it similar for all Visa types?

The Assurance of Support, it is the promise for paying back any income support that is provided to the visa holder while they continue with their initial stay in Australia. The support period varies for different visa types.

• 4 years for parent visa- 103 and 804
• 10 years for the contributory parent visa- 143 and 864.

The time period begins as soon as the visa gets granted.

Eligibility Requirements for being an Assurer

The assurer must be,

• An adult, either 18 or above the age of 18.
• The resident of Australia.
• Has been pre-approved by the end of the immigration department.
• Sufficient income for ensuring that they will be able to meet all the debt if there arises. In this case, all the income, liabilities and assets, along with the income of the spouse, it will remain relevant for the assessment of the financial status of the assurer.
• Able to provide assessment notice that has been issued by the Australian Taxation Commissioner for the last two financial years.
• Able to meet the sponsorship obligations, which includes providing information to the immigration department, if required.

The eligible sponsor will not be able to sponsor more than two parents (per household) at any one time. Further, the parents can apply for the multiple subclass 870 visa to remain in Australia for at least a Max period of 10 years.

Get Professional Help to Understand Better

Choosing between so many visa categories can be a daunting task. Therefore it is advised to see professional services that can help in determining for you an appropriate visa pathway. The professionals can also advise upon criteria for being met to receive the visa. Apart from it, there are a lot more aspects covered by them that can be discussed as you reach out for help. So take your time and make a better decision. Contact for advice and better understand the visa choices before you step up.