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Applicants for Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas should:

• have been sponsored by an approved parent sponsor
• be no less than 18 years old
• be physically located outside Australia for at least the previous 90 days
• be the parent of a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, or an eligible citizen of New Zealand who has themselves been living in Australia for at least four years, and who has an annual income of no less than AUD 83,454.80
• meet the standard good health and character requirements for Australian visas

NB: The balance of family test is not a prerequisite for this temporary visa

Applications for this visa cost:

• $5,000 for up to three years’ validity
• $10,000 for three to five years’ validity

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Scenario 1

• You are submitting your application from outside Australia
• Your child is currently living in Australia
• You are aiming to become a permanent resident of Australia

Best option: Parent Visa (subclass 103)

In order to be eligible to apply for a Parent Visa (subclass 103), you should:

• Be able to pass the balance of family test
• Meet the minimum good health and character requirements
• Have lined up an appropriate sponsor

Processing time

• Very long – as much as 30 years

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Scenario 2:

• You are submitting your application from outside of Australia
• Your child is currently living in Australia
• You are intending to move to Australia to live there on a temporary basis for up to two years
• You are willing to pay an increased visa application fee in order to have your application processed more quickly

Best option: Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa (subclass 173)

To be eligible to apply for a Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa (subclass 173), the applying parent shouldt:

• be able to pass the balance of family test
• meet the good health and character requirements for Australian visa applications.

Applying from inside or outside of Australia

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Scenario 3:

• You can be physically located either inside or outside Australia
• Your child is already resident in Australia
• Your goal is to become a permanent resident of Australia
• You are happy to pay a higher application fee in order to have your application considered and processed more quickly

Best option: Contributory Parent Visa (subclass 143)

In order to be eligible to apply for a Contributory Parent Visa (subclass 143), a parent should:

• meet the good health and character requirements for Australian visa applications
• be able to pass the balance of family test
• have a sponsor who can offer a formal assurance of support

Processing time

Processing times for this visa can vary depending on how many of this type of visa are permitted to be granted each year.

Individuals who already hold a Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) can submit an application to convert it into a Permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) before their temporary visa expires.

Applying from within Australia

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Scenario 4:

• You are physically located in Australia when you apply
• Your child is a legal (and not temporary) resident of Australia
• You are intending to become a permanent resident of Australia
• You are (usually) at least 65 years old

Best option: Aged Parent Visa (subclass 804)

In order to submit an application for an Aged Parent visa (subclass 804), a parent should:

• meet the minimum age requirement
• pass the balance of family test
• meet Australia’s good health and character requirements for visa applications

Processing time

Very long – as much as 30 years

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Scenario 5:

• You are physically located in Australia at the point of application
• Your child is a legal, non-temporary resident of Australia
• You intend to reside in Australia for a maximum of two years
• You are (usually) at least 65 years old
• You are willing to pay a higher application fee in order to have your application processed more quickly

Best option: Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) Visa (subclass 884)

Applicants for the Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) Visa (subclass 884) should:

• be at least 65 years old
• pass the balance of family test
• have a sponsor.

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Scenario 6:

• You are physically located in Australia when you submit your application
• Your child is a legal, non-temporary resident of Australia
• You intend to become a permanent resident of Australia
• You are at least 65 years old
• You are willing to pay a more substantial visa fee

Best option: Contributory Aged Parent Visa (subclass 864)

Applicants for the Contributory Aged Parent Visa (subclass 864) should:

• meet the minimum age requirement and balance of family test
• meet the good health and character requirements for Australian visas
• have a sponsor who can provide a formal assurance of support

Holders of Temporary Contributory Aged Parent Visas (subclass 884) may be eligible to apply to convert that visa into a permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 864) before their current visa expires.

Processing times can vary depending on the category and type of visa, as well as on the current workload and backlog of Australian immigration authorities.

A formal Assurance of Support is a prerequisite for a number of types of visa. Put simply, it is a formal commitment to the Australian government that an individual will provide financial and moral assistance to an applicant and any accompanying family members during the first two years of their residence in Australia. The individual providing the assurance of support also commits to repaying any social security payments that may be granted to the applicant and/or their family.

Australia’s goverment has the power to set a limit for each type and category of visa, effectively setting a maximum number of that visa which can be awarded each year. This limit is often referred to as a visa cap.

Both the Aged Parent visa and Parent visa categories are capped; however, Contributory Parent category visas are not.

Applicants for visas which have already reached their cap will be placed in a queue, and their applications considered only when there are visa remaining to be awarded.