Parent Visa Australia

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Parent Visa Australia

Australian Parent Visas

Australian Parent Visa enables parents of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen to live in Australia. To apply for a parent visa, you must be sponsored by your child, or another eligible sponsor, in Australia.

Which Australian visas for parent is right for you?

There are six different types of sponsorship available, but they all have their pros and cons. Let’s take a look at the scenarios involving each type to help make your decision easier!

Types of Parent Visas

There are 4 main types of parent visa application that you can apply for to bring your parents to Australia.

Subclass 870 - Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa

This temporary visa lets a parent of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen visit Australia for up to 3 or 5 years.

Subclass 173/143 - Contributory Parent Visa

The Contributory Parent visa allows parents to permanently migrate to Australia if their child is an Australian citizen,Australian permanent resident or eligible NZ citizen.

Subclass 884/864 - Contributory Aged Parent Visa

This visa lets the aged parent of a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen to migrate to Australia.

Subclass 103/804 - Parent & Aged Parent Visa

This permanent visa lets an older parent/aged parent move to Australia if more of their children live in Australia than any other country. This visa can take up to 30 years.

Key Parent Visa Eligibility

Read more about the eligibility requirements for Parent Visas in Australia.

Subclass 173
Subclass 884
Subclass 870

To be eligible for a Subclass 173, you must:

Have an eligible sponsor;
be sponsored by an eligible child who is a settled Australian citizen, Australian Permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen;
meet the balance-of-family test;
meet all visa conditions and follow Australian law;
not have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (Subclass 870) visa when applying for this visa; and
Meet health and character requirements.

To be eligible for a Subclass 884, you must:

Must be 67 years or older.
be sponsored by an eligible child who is a settled Australian citizen, Australian Permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
meet the balance-of-family test
meet all visa conditions and follow Australian law
not have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (Subclass 870) visa when applying for this visa
Meet health and character requirements.
Not have any "no further stay" condition in your current visa.

To be eligible for a Subclass 870, you must:

Be the biological, legal (including adoptive) parent, step-parent or parent-in-law of the Parent Sponsor;
Be at least 18 years of age;
Have an approved Parent Sponsor;
Have met and complied with any previous visa obligations;
Meet the health and character requirements;
Have a genuine intention to stay in Australia temporarily; and
Have adequate health insurance.

How do I meet the
Balance of Family Test?

You meet the balance of family test if:

At least half of your children and step-children are eligible children

A child is an eligible child if they are:

an Australian citizen, or
an Australian permanent resident usually resident in Australia, or
an eligible New Zealand citizen usually resident in Australia

Any other child of the parent is an ineligible child.

More eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country

Children are not counted if they:

are deceased
have been removed from their parents' exclusive legal custody by adoption, court order or operation of law
are registered by UNHCR as refugees and live in a camp operated by the UNHCR
live in a country where they suffer persecution or human rights abuse and can't be reunited with their parents in another country

Permanent Visa Eligibility

Subclass 143
Subclass 864
Subclass 103
Subclass 804

To be eligible for a Subclass 143 application, you must:

have an eligible sponsor child who is a settled Australian citizen, Permanent resident or Eligible New Zealand citizen, unless you are applying for the Retirement Pathway
Meet the balance of family test
Have assurance of support
Meet health and character support
Have eligible health insurance.

To be eligible for a Subclass 864, you must:

Be 67 years or older.
Not have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa;
Have an eligible sponsor;
Meet health and character requirements;
Meet the balance-of-family test;
Have an assurance of support; and
Meet all visa conditions and follow Australian law.

To be eligible for a Subclass 103, you must:

Not apply for this visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa;
Have a sponsor or apply as a retiree;
Meet health and character requirements;
Meet the balance-of-family test;
Have health insurance;
Have an assurance of support; and
Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused.

To be eligible for a Subclass 804, you must:

Be 67 years or older.
Not apply for this visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa;
Have a sponsor or apply as a retiree;
Meet health and character requirements;
Meet the balance-of-family test;
Have health insurance;
Have an assurance of support; and
Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused.

What Australian Parent Visa is
suitable for me?

Choosing an appropriate Australian visa for parents is essential. Therefore, we’ve broken down major differences between each parent visa subclass so you can make an informed decision.

Subclass 870 - Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa

Subclass 870 is suitable for parents only wishing to stay temporarily in Australia for up to five years.

Subclass 173/143 - Contributory Parent Visa

Subclass 143 is the suitable pathway for parents under 67 years old wanting to achieve permanent residency within 4-5 years. Subclass 143 can be applied directly but is, however, a costly application.

Subclass 884/864 - Contributory Aged Parent Visa

Subclass 864 is the suitable pathway for parents aged 67 years or over wanting to achieve permanent residency within 4-5 years. Subclass 864 will also grant applicants bridging visas to remain in Australia until a decision is made in their visa application.

Subclass 103/804 - Parent & Aged Parent Visa

Subclass 864 is a suitable pathway for parents to receive permanent residency in Australia. The processing time for this visa can take up to 30 years, with no bridging visa issued at the time of application.