For families seeking to reunite with their parents in Australia and improve their lives, the prospect of migrating with their parents is a dream come true. There are various types of parent visas available in Australia, which enable eligible parents to travel to Australia with their children who are Australian citizens or permanent residents.
However, visa options can be a bit confusing, as there are various categories, prices, and requirements. This guide covers the options for a visa for parents, eligibility criteria, the visa application process, and the costs of visa applications in simple terms.
Australia has several visa options for parents that help families reunite and maintain family bonds. The selection of the appropriate visa relies on a number of factors, such as eligibility, processing times, cost, and whether the parent would wish to have temporary or permanent residency.
Parent visas are mainly divided into two categories:
1) Permanent parent visa
2) Temporary parent visa
Permanent parent visas allow eligible parents to live in Australia permanently. With these visas, certain privileges are provided, including Medicare and the possibility of securing citizenship after a period of time. However, some of the permanent visa categories can take a long time to process, and/or application fees are involved.
The Parent Visa (Subclass 103) is a pathway to a permanent visa for Parents who would like to live in Australia permanently with their children.
Key Features:
1) Obtain permanent residency in Australia
2) Lower visa application cost compared to contributory visas
3) Access to Medicare after visa approval
4) Permission to sponsor qualified relatives
Although this visa is less expensive, the processing time is extremely long due to high demand and limited places available each year.
The Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143) is one of the most popular parent visas because it offers significantly faster processing.
Key Features:
1) Permanent residency
2) Faster processing as compared to Subclass 103
3) Access to Medicare
4) Eligibility for Australian citizenship
This visa has a much higher application fee because applicants contribute toward future government services and healthcare costs.
The Aged Parent Visa is available for older parents who meet Australia's age requirement for the Age Pension.
Key Features:
1) Permanent residency
2) Ability to remain in Australia while the application is being processed
3) Lower visa cost compared to contributory aged parent visas
3)Processing times can be very long due to limited annual allocations.
The Contributory Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 864) allows eligible older parents to permanently live in Australia with faster processing than non-contributory options.
Key Features:
1) Permanent residency
2) Faster processing than Subclass 804
3) Access to Medicare
4) Ability to stay in Australia during processing if eligible
The visa cost is significantly higher than that of non-contributory options.
Temporary parent visas are visas that enable parents to remain in Australia for a longer period without permanent residence. These visas tend to be processed more quickly and can be reasonably considered by families for a short- or medium-term solution.
No matter which visa category you apply for, there are some critical requirements that you will need to fulfill. There are certain requirements that must be met for a parent visa to Australia. They assist in deciding whether or not parents are able to be sponsored and achieve successful migration to Australia.
One of the most important criteria required for most Australian parent visas is the Balance of Family test. It helps to determine if the nearest family relationship of a parent is mostly in Australia and therefore their eligibility for permanent migration.
A parent satisfies the test if:
a) At least half of their children live permanently in Australia
b) More children live permanently in Australia than in any other single country.
For example, if a parent has four children and two live permanently in Australia, they may satisfy the test. The Sponsored Parent Visa (Subclass 870) does not require this test.
Age requirements vary depending on the parent visa category. While some visas have no age restrictions, aged parent visas are only available to applicants who meet Australia's Age Pension age requirements at the time of application.
For Parent Visa (103) and Contributory Parent Visa (143):
-There are no age requirements for applicants.
For Aged Parent Visa (804) and Contributory Aged Parent Visa (864):
-Applicants must be old enough to qualify for Australia's Age Pension.
All the parent visa applicants must meet Australia's health and character requirements; a complete medical check-up and provide a police clearance certificate. These checks help make sure applicants are healthy and do not pose a risk to the Australian community.
Health Requirements:
1) Complete medical examinations
2) Chest X-rays
3) Provide additional medical reports if requested
Character Requirements:
1) Police clearance certificates
2) If any information about the previous criminal history
The majority of people who apply for a parent visa will need to get an Assurance of Support (AoS). A commitment by a sponsor or someone else to give financial help if the parent requires some government support once in Australia.
Sometimes the assurer will also have to pay a financial bond. This happens because the Australian Government holds the bond for a designated length of time, and it can be returned should all conditions be fulfilled.
There are multiple stages to the parent visa application process. A well-prepared process of paperwork and knowing the requirements can make the whole process easier and faster.
Make sure that all the requirements to obtain the visa prior to applying are fulfilled. The following are the steps:
a) Selection of the appropriate visa under the Parent visa.
b) Passing the Balance of Family Test.
3) Age requirements must be satisfied.
4) The applicant should have an eligible sponsor.
Some common documents needed are:
a) Birth Certificate
b) Family relationship certificate
c) Permanent Resident/Citizen of the sponsoring country
d) Police clearances
e) Medical clearances
Based on the visa that will be applied for, registration for or submission of an expression of interest is required prior to applying for the visa. Always check the current visa requirements before completing the whole application process.
Complete the application form with supporting documents, and payment should be made. All information and documentation are essential in order to prevent any delay or rejection of the application.
The sponsor or assurer is required to file the Assurance of Support requirements and to pay any bond payments if asked for them by the court.
As part of the application process, applicants might need to complete a medical exam. These tests will have to be performed by a medical entity that has been recognised.
Time will vary with:
a) Visa category
b) Annual visa limits
c) Completeness of the applications
d) Individual circumstances
Higher priority is generally given to processing contributory parent visas rather than to non-contributory parent visas.
A decision will be made on your application, and you will be informed by the Department of Home Affairs.
If you got the visa:
1) You will be informed of any conditions of your visa.
2) You can start planning the move to Australia.
In case of refusal of visa:
1) An explanation will be given as to the decision.
2) Details on review and appeal processes can be given
Parent visas can cost a lot, particularly the contributory types. Other expenses that need to be budgeted include medical checks, police certificates, document translation, and Assurance of Support costs.
a) Applicants must pay an initial application fee of about AUD $5,125.
b) Total fee (before visa is granted): around AUD$2,065
c) Total application fee: Approx AUD $7,190 per application
Such visas do not cost as much as other types, and processing times are usually quite long.
a) Application fee: variable, but is about AUD $4,895 on initial application
b) Health insurance premiums: about AUD $48,365 per partner, per year.
c) The total fees paid to the government are the combined of all the fees for each applicant, which is around AUD $53,260 per applicant.
These visas are a lot more expensive but also are typically much more expedient to process.
a) Initial Application fee: typically AUD $3,000 to 4,000.
b) A permanent visa can be applied for later, and visa fees will be paid then.
This option gives families the opportunity to pay the cost in several increments.
There are a number of other costs to consider besides the visa application fee.
a) Main applicant: AUD $10,000
b) Additional adult applicants (per person) AUD $4,000
a) About AUD$300-700 per person
a) The cost of the certificate is about AUD $20 – $150.
b) Translation and Certification: If documents have to be translated or are to be certified, additional costs will be incurred.
Filing a parent visa application may be difficult, particularly regarding the sponsorship, family test, paperwork, and processing time. Prasana International Education Consultancy advises all the way to the visa. The team can help the individual with:
1) Assessing your eligibility
2) Preparing documents
3) Lodging applications
4) Properly answering visa requests
5) Keeping everyone informed on the way forward
The assistance from professionals can help to minimize errors and ease the application process.
For parents wishing to join their children and family members in Australia, the various visas are available. It is important to understand the requirements before applying for the Parent Visa (Subclass 103), Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143), or the Sponsored Parent Visa (Subclass 870) before applying.
To consider, the following factors are important:
1) The Balance of Family Test
2) Sponsorship requirements
3) Health and character examinations.
4) Visa costs
5) Processing times
By taking the time to prepare for the parent visa process and seeking appropriate advice, families can overcome these obstacles and move forward towards their goals of coming to Australia together with their parents.
By being proactive and seeking correct guidance, families can navigate the parent visa process successfully and make their way towards making parents reunite with them in Australia.
The applicants should be either a parent of an Australian citizen, a Permanent Resident, or an eligible New Zealand Citizen and satisfy all the criteria for obtaining a visa.
Parents can get visas like Parent Visa (subclass 103), Contributory Parent Visa (subclass 143), Aged Parent Visa (subclass 804), and Contributory Aged Parent Visa (subclass 864) and live permanently in Australia.
The best visa depends on individual needs. The Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143) is often a quicker visa (Subclass 103) for many families.
In case of rejection of any visa, the Department of Home Affairs will offer an explanation on the grounds of refusal. In certain cases, you might have an option to lodge a review or an appeal application.
This subclass 870 visa allows qualified parents to reside in Australia for periods of either 3 or 5 years, with a total stay period of 10 years based on eligibility criteria.