If you are the parent of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, you may be eligible to apply for a parent visa to migrate to Australia.
To be eligible for a permanent parent visa you must meet the ‘balance of family test’: If you and your partner have more than one child, at least half of your children must be Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens who live in Australia (or you must have more children who are Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens who live in Australia than children who live in any other country).
Your may be able to include your partner and children under 18 in the visa application to migrate to Australia with you.
Aged parent visas
Aged parent visas are onshore parent visas. If you are over 65 years old and your current visa does not have a ‘no further stay’ condition, you may be eligible to apply for an aged parent visa from inside Australia. If you apply for an aged parent visa, you also must be inside Australia when the visa is granted and you will be granted a bridging visa to stay in Australia while your visa application is being processed.
Contributory parent visas
There are 2 types of parent visas – contributory parent visas and non-contributory parent visas. Contributory parent visas have a very high visa application charge and a shorter visa processing time. Non-contributory parent visas have a lower visa application charge and a very long visa processing time.
Longer term visitor visas for parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents
From 24 November 2012, eligible parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents can be granted visitor visas with a longer validity period.
Visitor visas are usually only valid for 12 months. Parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents can now be granted visitor visas that are valid for up to:
- 18 months for parents who have not previously travelled to Australia
- 3 years for parents who have previously travelled to Australia (and have complied with their visa conditions)
- 5 years for parents who have applied for a permanent parent migrant subclass 103 visa and are in the visa queue
Parents who are granted longer term visitor visas can stay in Australia for up to 12 months each visit, but can only spend a maximum of 12 months in Australia in any 18 month period.
New temporary sponsored parent visa
From 1 July 2019, there will a new visa option for eligible parents of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens – the subclass 870 temporary sponsored parent visa.
The new temporary sponsored parent visa is not subject to the ‘balance of family’ test and allows parents to stay in Australia for either 3 years or 5 years at a time.
Sponsorship applications for this new visa can be lodged from 17 April 2019.
