Parent Visas

Below is a summary of the options available to parents and the pathway you select will depend on:

• your age
• whether you meet the Balance of family test
• if you have a preference to apply offshore or onshore
• your timetable for relocating to Australia 

The number of parents applying for visas outweigh the places allocated during the program year which means that the processing timetable is lengthy. The Temporay Sponsored Parent pathway (subclass 870) does, however, offer a streamlined pathway with most sponsorships and applications decided within 6 - 8 months.

Contributory Parent - subclass 143 (offshore permanent visa) requires you to:

• be sponsored by a child who is an Australian citizen/permanent resident/eligible NZ citizen
• meet the Balance of Family test
• meet health and character requirements
• arrange an Assurance of Support
• pay the 2nd instalment of the Visa Application Charge (VAC) prior to the visa being granted

Contributory Parent - subclass 173 (offshore temporary visa) requires you to:

• be sponsored by a child who is an Australian citizen/permanent resident/eligible NZ citizen
• meet the Balance of Family test
• meet health and character requirements
• pay the 2nd instalment

This visa subclass allows you to spread the total cost of the permanent visa by applying in 2 steps. If you want to remain in Australia, you must apply for a permanent residence subclass 143 visa within 2 years from the date of your arrival in Australia or 2 years from the date your visa was granted if you were in Australia. This stage will also require you to arrange an Assurance o Support and pay the final instalment of the VAC.

Parent - subclass 103 (offshore)

This is a permanent non-contributory visa. Due to the significant waiting time to be granted a visa, Concept Australia does not recommend this visa pathway as a realistic option to join a child in Australia.

Contributory Parent - subclass 864 (onshore permanent visa) requires you to:

• be in Australia when you apply for the visa
• be 66 years of age (will increase to 67 in July 2023)
• be sponsored by a child who is an Australian citizen/permanent resident/eligible NZ citizen
• meet the Balance of Family test
• meet health and character requirements
• arrange an Assurance of Support
• pay the 2nd instalment of the Visa Application Charge (VAC) prior to the visa being granted

Contributory Parent - subclass 884 (onshore temporary visa) requires you to:

• be in Australia when you apply for the visa
• be 66 years of age (will increase to 67 in July 2023)
• be sponsored by a child who is an Australian citizen/permanent resident/eligible NZ citizen
• meet the Balance of Family test
• meet health and character requirements
• pay the 2nd instalment of the Visa Application Charge (VAC) prior to the visa being granted
  

This visa subclass allows you to spread the total cost of the permanent visa by applying in 2 steps. If you want to remain in Australia, you must apply for a permanent residence subclass 143 visa within 2 years from the date your visa was granted. This stage will also require you to arrange an Assurance of Support and pay the final instalment of the VAC.

Aged Parent - subclass 804 (onshore permanent visa) requires you to:

• be in Australia when you apply for the visa
• be 66 years of age (will increase to 67 in July 2023)
• be sponsored by a child who is an Australian citizen permanent resident/eligible NZ citizen
• meet the Balance of Family test
• meet health and character requirements
• arrange an Assurance of Support

Temporary Sponsored Parent visa - subclass 870

This temporary parent visa can be granted with an initial stay period of 3 or 5 years and can be reneweed up to a maximum overall stay period of 10 years. This visa pathway is an option for parents who have applied for an offshore Contributory Parent subclass 143/173 visa and who would like to spend time in Australia whilst waiting for their offshore visa to be processed. This visa subclass also offers a pathway for parents who are unable to satisfy the Balance of Family test. You can be inside or outside Australia when you apply  for the visa but, if you are inside Australia, your sponsor must obtain approval from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). Parents are not permitted to work in Australia and must arrange adequate heath insurance for their entire stay in Australia. Important: Parents cannot submit a Contibutory or Aged Parent visa whilst they hold a subclass 870 visa.

Sponsors

The sponsor can be the biological child of the parent or his/her spouse and must be approved before the visa application can be submitted. You can sponsor one or both of your parents, or one or both of your partner's parents or one of your parents and one of your partners parents. You must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident or eligble New Zealand citizen who has been resident in Australia for at least 4 years with a minmum household income of AUD83,454.80 evidenced by the most recent Tax Assessment Notice issued by the Australian Taxation Office.

What is the Balance of Family test?

The balance of family test is applied to all parents with the exception of the Temporary Sponsored Parent visa (subclass 870) or if you are applying as a retiree and hold a retirement visa (sub-classes 410/405). To meet the balance of family test a parent must have at least half of their children and step-children residing permanently in Australia or more children residing in Australia than in any other single country.  

What is an Assurance of Support (AoS)?

An AoS is a legally binding and unconditional commitment by an Australian resident (the assurer) to support the parent (the assuree) and repay any recoverable Australian social security payments that may be paid to the assuree during their AoS period.

Who can give an Assurance of Support?

An assurer must be an Australian permanent resident aged 18 years of age or older and pass the income test for the current and previous financial year. You can have up to 3 assurers to meet the financial requirement or alternatively a genuine incorporated or unincorporated organisation in Australia may also be an assurer.

How much is an Assurance of Support?

For subclass 143 and 864 applicants, the cost is AUD10,000 for the primary applicant plus AUD4,000 for the spouse with the AoS bond held for a period of 10 years. For subclass 804 applicants, the cost is AUD5,000 for the primary applicant and AUD2,000 for the spouse with the AoS bond held for a period of 4 years.

An AoS is not applicable to the Temporary Sponsored Parent subclass 870 visa or if you are applying as a retiree (subclass 143 or 103).

When is the 2nd instalment of the Visa Application Charge requested?

Once you have met all the requirements of the Contributory Parent visa process you will be asked to pay the 2nd instalement of the Visa Application Charge within 70 days. An invoice will be issued by the DHA with payment instructions including the option to pay via BPAY if you have an Australian bank account to avoid surcharges. Usually, the parent visa is granted within a few days of the payment being made.

What is a Bridging visa?

If you are applying for a parent visa in Australia, on lodgement of your application you will automatically be granted a Bridging A visa which will come into effect when the stay period on your visitor visa expires and will allow you to remain in Australia until your parent application is decided. If you need to depart Australia once your Bridging A visa is in effect, you will need to apply for and be granted a Brdging B visa prior to your departure from Australia. 

What services can I expect to receive from Concept Australia?

Our services include:

•      a zoom or telephone appointment to assess your eligibility and to answer your questions
•      certification of your documents by the Registered Migration Agent
•      electronic completion of your visa application form
•      liaising with your son or daughter (sponsor) in Australia
•      advice on health and character issues (if applicable)
•      management of your application at the Parent Visa Centre (PVC)

Fees charged by Concept Australia

Our fees are charged in 2 stages:

1.    On engagement of our services - £695+ VAT
2.    On lodgement of your application with the DHA - £695 + VAT

Why should I only use an agent registered with MARA?

The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) is managed by the DHA who is responsible for monitoring the conduct of registered migration agents both in and outside Australia. MARA approves continuing professional development activities of all registered agents to ensure they maintain up-to-date knowledge of migration law and procedure so that only the highest level of advice and assistance is provided to prospective applicants. The DHA strongly advise that if you need assistance with the visa process that you should only appoint an agent who is registered with the MARA. A person who is not registered cannot offer you legal protection and you run the risk of being exposed to migration fraud by someone who has limited knowledge on immigration procedures and who is not accountable for his/her actions.

Consultations

Consultations are arranged by Zoom or telephone and are designed to help you understand which pathway is appropriate to your circumstances before you commence on the parent visa process. During the consultation we will discuss:

• the parent visa process and your options in detail
• sponsorship requirements (your sponsor is welcome to join the discussion)
• assurance of support requirements
• the total cost of the visa process
• the processing timetable for the various parent visa subclasses
• whether you should lodge an application offshore or onshore
• any questions you may not have found answers to during your research
• potential issues hat may impact on the outcome of your parent visa application