Parent Visas · Australia
Parent visas, planned properly
Every parent visa pathway involves queues, costs and trade offs. We compare them honestly, then build the strategy that suits your family.
Start Here
First, the honest part
All Australian parent visas are capped and queued. As a result, the pathway you choose matters enormously. Some queues move in years. Others currently run for decades. Moreover, the wrong choice can shut your parents out of better options later. Therefore, we always start with strategy, not forms.
Your Options
Four pathways, four different trade offs
01
Contributory parent visas
Subclasses 143 and 173 offshore, plus 864 and 884 for aged parents onshore. These queues move much faster. However, the visa application charge is substantially higher.
02
Non contributory parent visas
Subclass 103 offshore and subclass 804 for aged parents onshore. The cost is far lower. In return, the queues currently run for decades.
03
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) 870
Three or five years at a time, up to ten years in total. There is no pathway to permanent residence and no work rights. In addition, the sponsor must meet an income test.
04
Long stay visitor strategy
While a parent waits in the queue, a long validity visitor visa can allow stays of up to twelve months at a time under current policy. Consequently, many families combine a queued application with regular long visits.
The Rules
What every family should know
Balance of Family test
At least half of your parents' children must live permanently in Australia. Alternatively, more must live here than in any other single country.
Strict health rules
Several contributory visas have no health waiver at all. If one applicant fails the health requirement, the whole application fails.
Assurance of Support
Permanent parent visas require a ten year Assurance of Support from an assurer, including a refundable bond.
Aged parent rules
Onshore parent visas are limited to aged parents. In practice, that means they must have reached Australian pension age.
One application at a time
Generally, a new parent visa cannot be lodged while another parent visa application remains unresolved. Timing therefore matters.
Online lodgement
Parent visas can now be lodged online. We prepare the application, lodge it, and manage it through to a decision.
Costs
Fixed professional fees, official government charges
We charge fixed professional fees, agreed in writing before work begins. Government visa application charges are separate and change over time. For current figures, always check the Federal Register of Legislation or the ImmiAccount fee estimator. Before you commit to any pathway, we confirm the exact numbers for your family in writing.
Common Questions
Parent visa questions, answered plainly
How long will it take?
Queue times change and differ by subclass. Contributory queues are far shorter than non contributory queues, which currently run for decades. We give you the latest published estimates in your consultation.
Can my parents wait in Australia?
Sometimes. Onshore aged parent applicants may be able to remain lawfully while their application is processed. Meanwhile, offshore applicants can often visit on long validity visitor visas.
What if a parent has health issues?
It depends on the subclass. Some visas have no health waiver at all. For that reason, we assess health risk before your family spends money on an application.
Which pathway is cheapest?
Non contributory visas cost less but take far longer. We map the costs and timing side by side, so your family can make the decision with full information.
Ready to plan your parents' pathway?
Book a consultation. We will compare every option for your family, in plain language, with the numbers confirmed in writing.
03 8108 8748 · info@skylinemigrationlawyers.com.au