Australian Parent Visas

Australian Visas Ltd specialise in processing Australian parent immigration visa applications to Australia.

Our Australian registered migration agents & expert migration consultants pride themselves on giving honest, reliable Australian immigration advice. We acknowledge not all situations are the same. We give realistic expectations on visa processing procedures and time frames.
Below we compare Australian parent visas for you to evaluate.

Please complete our Free online assessment if you wish to have one of our experienced Australian registered migration agents contact you, regarding your eligibility to apply for an Australian Parent visa .

Overview - Australian Parent

The Parent visa category has recently been amended to include 6 subclasses of Parent visas.

These subclasses of visa fall into 2 broad groups the parent category and the Contributory Parent category.

The contributory parent visa was introduced in 2003 for parents of Australian Citizens or Australian permanent residence who are able to pay a significantly higher second instalment fee and social security bond. Contributory parent visa applicants have their visas processed a lot faster than a parent visa.

A parent visa applicant does not pay the second instalment fee however they can expect to wait a substantial period (a number of years) before being granted a permanent residence visa.

The application can either be made while in Australia or off shore.

The contributory parent visa has been divided into temporary and permanent visa subclasses. If a visa place is available, applicants who meet all the other requirements for the contributory parent visas can choose to pay the entire second instalment of the visa application charge (presently $27,850 Aud) at one time and be granted permanent residence.

Alternatively, subject to visa places being available, and applicants who meet all other requirements for the contributory parent visas can choose to initially to pay 60% of their second visa application charge (presently $16,710 Aud) and be granted a temporary visa valid for 2 years. To be granted permanent residence, the temporary visa holder must apply for a permanent visa before the 2-year temporary visa expires, the temporary visa holder must pay the remaining 40% (presently $11,140 Aud) of their contribution towards health costs to be granted permanent residence.

Capping and queuing
The Australian government will only issue a certain number of parent visas each year, this is called capping and queuing.

Generally, 1000 visa places will be available in the parent category each year and up to 3,500 places will be available in the contributory parent category each year.

If the visa places for one year have been met when you lodge your application, you will be placed in a global queue, provided you have met the basic visa requirements. You are then allocated a queue date, which is the date on which the basic requirements were met. When further places become available, your application will be re-assessed, to determine whether you still meet all the legal requirements for the grant of the visa. Visas are granted in order of the queue date allocated to an applicant.

Applicants who have been placed in a queue can check their approximate position in that queue by using the Queue Position Calculator. This calculator is available on the Department of Immigration's website www.immi.gov.au. The data is updated on a monthly basis.

Visa Requirements for ALL Parent Visas
Generally, the following are requirements for visas in the parent category:

•  The applicant must be a parent of a child who is an Australian citizen,     Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
•  The applicant's child must be settled in Australia (in most cases,     lawfully and permanently resident for at least 2 years) and generally     must sponsor the applicant.
•  The applicant must meet health and character requirements
•  The applicant must pass the balance of family test.

In addition, an assurance of support must be paid for you and any dependent family member included in the application.

Subclasses of Permanent Parent visas
•  Contributory Parent (class CA, Migrant- Subclass 143)
•  Contributory Aged Parent (Class DG, Residence -Subclass 864)
•  Parent (class AX, Migrant - Subclass 103)
•  Aged Parent (class BP, Residence, Subclass 804)

Subclasses of Temporary Parent Visas
•  Contributory Parent (class UT, Temporary, Subclass 173)
•  Contributory Aged Parent (class UU, Temporary, Subclass 884)

Balance of family test
To pass the balance of family test:
•  At least half of the parent's children must live in Australia ; or
•  More children must live in Australia than any other single country.

For example, a parent of five children, three of who live in the United Kingdom and two live in Australia , this parent would fail the balance of family test. However, if one child lives in Spain , one lives in France , one lives in the UK and two live in Australia , the parent would pass as more children live in Australia than any other single country.

Children included in the balance of family test
The following children are counted;
•  Children of both parents, including children of previous marriages or de facto     relationships or either parent, including adopted and step-children, and children in     institutions;
•  Children of both parents, whether they are dependent or self-supporting, single, married     or divorced; and
•  Children whose whereabouts are unknown, or cannot be verified, are counted as being in     their parent's country of usual residence.

Stepchildren are only counted if they are;
•  A natural or adopted child of the applicants current spouse; or
•  Under 18 years and a natural or adopted child of a former spouse of the applicant, or a     former spouse of the applicant's current spouse, and the applicant or the applicant's     spouse has a legal responsibility to look after the child.

Children NOT included in the balance of family test
Children will not be included in the balance of family test if they;

•  Are removed from their parents' legal custody by adoption or court    order; or
•  Are registered by the UNHCR as refugees and live in a camp operated    by UNHCR; or
•  Live in a country where they suffer persecution or human rights abuse    and cannot be reunited with their parents in another country.

Children must be "lawfully and permanently resident" in Australia to be counted in as Australian residents in the balance of family test. This means if children have been granted permanent residence or Australian citizenship but are living in outside of Australia on a permanent or long-term basis are no usually counted as residents of Australia when calculating the balance of family test.

However, Australian children who are overseas working for an Australian company but intend to return to Australia and children overseas on a short-term basis, example on a working holiday visa or studying are usually counted as Australian residents.

Children who are in Australia on a temporary visa or are unlawfully in Australia are counted as being in their country of origin.

Visa subclasses and basic requirements

Offshore Parent visa Class AX
(subclass 103- parent visa)
Applicants can either be present in Australia or outside Australia at the time of lodging the application. There is not age requirement. The assurance of support bond is held for 2 years and the applicant must be outside Australia at the time of grant of the permanent visa.

Onshore Parent visa Class BP
(Subclass 804- aged parent visa)
The applicant must be in Australia at the time of making the application. There is an age requirement and the assurance of support bond is held for 2 years. The applicant must be in Australia at the time of grant of the permanent visa.

Contributory Parent visa Class CA
(Subclass 143 - Migrant)
Applicants can either be present in Australia or outside Australia at the time of lodging the application. There is no age requirement and the assurance of support bond is held for 10 year. A substantial second visa application charge (presently $27,850 Aud) must be paid. The applicant must be outside Australia when the permanent visa is granted.

Contributory Parent visa Class UT
(Subclass 173 - Temporary)
Applicants can either be present in Australia or outside Australia at the time of lodging the application. There is no age requirement and there is no assurance of support bond until the corresponding permanent contributory parent visa is applied for. A substantial - 60% of the second visa application charge must be paid, (presently $16,710 Aud). The applicant must be outside Australia when the temporary 2-year visa is granted.

Contributory Aged Parent visa Class DG
(Subclass 864 - Resident)
The applicant must be in Australia at the time of making the application. There is an age requirement and the assurance of support bond is held for 10 years. A substantial second visa application charge (presently $27,850 Aud) must be paid. The applicant must be in Australia at the time of grant of the permanent visa.

Contributory Aged Parent visa Class UU
(Subclass 884 - Temporary)
The applicant must be in Australia at the time of making the application. There is an age requirement and no assurance of support bond is paid until the corresponding permanent contributory parent visa is applied for. A substantial - 60% of the second visa application charge must be paid, (presently $16,710 Aud). The applicant must be in Australia at the time of grant of the temporary 2-year visa.

Contributory Parent visa Class CA
(Subclass 143 - Migrant)
Applicants who held a Contributory parent Class UT , Subclass 173 - Temporary visa can either be present in Australia or outside Australia at the time of lodging the application. There is no age requirement and the assurance of support bond is held for 10 year. The remaining 40% of the substantial second visa application charge must be paid (presently $16,710 Aud). The applicant can either be in Australia or outside of Australia when the permanent visa is granted. The applicant is not required to meet the balance of family test again.

Contributory Aged Parent visa Class DG
(Subclass 864 - Resident)
Applicants who held a Contributory parent Class UU, Subclass 884 - Temporary visa must be present in Australia at the time of lodging the application. The assurance of support bond is held for 10 year. The remaining 40% of the substantial second visa application charge must be paid (presently $16,710 Aud). The applicant must be in Australia when the permanent visa is granted.

The applicant is not required to meet the balance of family test again.

Please complete our Free online assessment if you wish to have one of our experienced Australian registered migration agents contact you, regarding your eligibility to apply for an Australian Parent visa.