Parent Visas

What is the difference between the Aged Parent Visas and the Parent Visas?

Depending on the age of the applicants, they will need to apply for a Parent visa with respect to their current age. To be eligible to apply for an Aged Parent visa, you will need to be eligible for the ‘Aged Pension’ in Australia.

Requirements for a Sponsored or Contributory Parent Visa

• You must have a child who is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen who is willing to sponsor you
• Your child must have been a legal resident in Australia for at least two years
• Meet the age requirements as set out by the regulations
• Meet the balance of family test
• Meet health and character requirements

What is the Balance of Family Test?

In order to be eligible to apply for any Parent visa, you will need to be able to prove that you satisfy the balance of family test. The balance of family test is used by the Australian government to measure your connection and ties to Australia.

You meet the balance of family test requirement if you either:

• Have at least half (or 50%) of your children living permanently in Australia.
• More of your children live in Australia permanently than in any other country.

What can you do with an Australian Immigration Parent Visa?

An Immigration Parent visa allows you to either keep your parents in Australia for a long period of time, possibly even permanently, or to bring your parents to Australia from overseas.

The Parent visas for Australia acknowledge the need for individuals to have their parents with them to reduce the physical strains which travel can have on our elderly generation.

Contributory Aged Parent visas (subclasses 864 and 884) allow parents to stay in Australia while the visa is being processed. These two visa streams however have high costs associated with them.

Non-contributory Parent visas are considerably lower in costs and don’t attract large visa application charges, however, could take a few decades to be processed due to the demand for the visa. The Aged Parent (subclass 804) visa allows your parents to be onshore for the duration of the processing time on a bridging visa.

In order to be eligible for an Australian Parent visa, you will need to be able to pass the balance of family test which measures your connection and ties to Australia.

You meet the eligibility for this test if you:

• Have at least 50% of your children living permanently in Australia; or
• Have more of your children living permanently in Australia than in any other country.

Parent Visa Costs in Australia

Many factors go into the cost of client matters at Ethos Migration Lawyers. This is one of the most important reasons we encourage all prospective applicants and sponsors to complete a consultation. This consultation allows both parties to assess all requirements and examine which Parent visa and migration pathway may be the most appropriate and successful for you and your family.

The Department of Home Affairs Parent Visa cost for Australia ranges quite drastically, with the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 173 and 143) options costing upwards of AUD $50,000.00 per applicant. The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870), Aged Parent (subclass 804) and Parent (subclass 103) visas have a much lower application charge, however, some have extremely long processing times.

Parent Visa Processing Times

The Parent visa processing time can vary significantly depending on which visa you would be eligible for and applying for. Many factors can affect the processing or waiting time of these visas which is why it is important to consult with the best lawyers and agents to ensure a solid application is submitted on your behalf.

The waiting time for an Aged Parent visa (subclass 804) or Parent visa (subclass 103) can take up to 30 years to be granted from the time you apply to the Department of Home Affairs. Parent visas are capped and queued meaning that once the Department reaches the number of visa places available in the current Migration Program year, they will then move on to the applications which have been queued for the following year.

The different parent visa Australia processing times can change for many different reasons including but not limited to:

• Changes in planning levels
• The number of visa applications submitted
• The number of visa applications withdrawn or refused
• Changes to processing directions
• Ministerial Intervention cases
• Administrative Appeals Tribunal remits

As there is such a long waiting time for some of these Parent visa streams, the Department does not give out a live updated processing time, however, they suggest that Contributory Parent visas can take up to 58 months, and Non-Contributory Parent and Aged Parent visas can take approximately 30 years.

Due to these long processing times, most applicants consider applying for the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 173 and 143) options.

Our Expertise in Parent Migration Visas in Australia

Ethos Migration Lawyers ensure that our clients feel at ease when engaging us to handle their Australian Parent visa applications. Parent visas for Australia can be confusing, costly, and stressful. Our lawyers and agents strive to make the processing as stress-free and as simple as possible for both you and your parents.

Family migration can be a very stressful and nervous time for people and that is why you need an agency you can rely on to provide professional and qualified advice. Ethos Migration Lawyers ensure we are there every step of the way through your parent visa to Australia visa journey.

Our immigration lawyers will manage the entire process on your behalf, ensuring each requirement is met and a successful outcome is achieved. Your Australian Parent visa is too important not to get right the first time.

For more information on how we can provide expert assistance for your Temporary & Permanent Parent Visa applications in Australia, get in touch with our nearby Melbourne team at Ethos Migration Lawyers today. Call on 1300 083 843 or book a consultation online.