In case you have children in Australia, you may need to apply for the parent visa Australia. Parents are eligible to migrate to Australia if their child is Australian or a permanent resident of Australia. Your child, in this case, can be adopted, step-child, or real child. So, don’t hesitate to apply for the parent visa Australia in case you’d like to reunite with your child who lives in Australia.
However, make sure you meet the eligibility requirements before you lodge your application. While it might seem easy to get a parent visa, you could still get a refusal in case you don’t stick to the given requirements.
Parent Visa Categories
If you’re interested in applying for a parent visa Australia, you should familiarize yourself with available visa categories to know what’s required of you. Currently, there are at least six sub-classes of parent visas available in Australia. These sub-classes are further divided into two categories, namely contributory and non-contributory parent visas.
Let’s have a loot at them below.
- Contributory Parent visa (subclass 173 and 143)
The contributory parent visa (subclass 173 and 143) allows a parent to migrate to Australia if they have a child who is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. A subclass 173 parent visa allows parents to live in Australia for at least two years. The visa can’t be extended or renewed. However, if the applicant wishes to extend their stay period in Australia, they can apply for contributory parent subclass 143 within two years of living in Australia on a 173 visa.
With a subclass 143 parent visa, one can obtain permanent residence in Australia. For both visas, the applicant must be sponsored by the child. However, in case the child is below 18 years, the parent can be sponsored by:
- The spouse of the child who must be 18 years and above, a permanent resident of Australia, eligible New Zealand citizen, or an Australian citizen
- The child’s relative or a legal guardian to the child
- A guardian or relative to the child’s spouse in case the spouse is under 18 years but is a permanent resident of Australia, an Australian citizen, or eligible New Zealand Citizen
- A community organization. However, in this case, the applicant must provide valid proof of their relationship with the organization to the immigration department. In case the applicant isn’t related to the organization, they should provide a written agreement from the senior representative as approval that the organization will support the applicant after they arrive in Australia.
Benefits of The Parent Visa
Holding either of the two subclass parent visas comes with lots of benefits. If you’re a contributory parent 173 visa holder, you’re eligible for the following benefits:
- You can live, work, and study in Australia for two years
- You’re eligible for Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses otherwise known as medicare
- The applicant can make trips to Australia several times for two years from the date the visa is issued
On the other hand, contributory parent 143 visa holders are eligible for the following benefits:
- They can live, work, and study in Australia for as long as they want
- They get health coverage from Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
- They can apply to be Australian citizens if they meet the criteria
- They can sponsor eligible relatives to obtain permanent residence in Australia
- They can leave and revisit Australia within five years from the date the visa is granted
Eligibility Criteria
For an applicant to qualify for the subclass 173 parent visa, they must meet the following requirements:
- Their child must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand, citizen
- The child must have been living in Australia legally for more than two years
- The applicant must have a sponsor and should meet the balance of family test
- The applicant must meet health and character requirements
For subclass 143 parent visa, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
- The applicant must be a holder of a contributory subclass 173 parent visa
- The applicant must meet all the requirements applicable to subclass 173 parent visa
- Contributory Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 884 and 864)
This visa allows aged parents to live in Australia if their child is an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or eligible for Newzealand citizenship. The contributory aged parent visa subclass 884 grants applicants permission to live in Australia for two years without extension or renewal. Even so, in case the applicant would like to extend their stay period, they can apply for the subclass 864 before the temporary visa subclass 884 expires.
For both subclass 884 and 864, the benefits and eligibility requirements are the same as those of contributory parent visa (subclass 173 and 143).
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa Subclass 870
This parent visa subclass was launched last year to favour those parents who would like to visit their parents for a longer time in Australia. Initially, parents could only stay with their kids for a few days on a visitor visa.
With the sponsored parent temporary visa subclass 870, parents can now travel to Australia temporarily while they’ve applied for a permanent visa and it’s being processed. Additionally, instead of just visiting for a few days, applicants can now extend their stay for up to five years to spend quality time with their loved ones.
The good thing is that both parents are eligible for sponsorship for this type of visa at the same time. However, sponsors must be able to support their parents financially and provide accommodation during the stay period. They should also be able to cater for their health expenses.
Conclusion
If you’d like to be with your children in Australia either temporarily or permanently, you can check the available parent visas and begin your application. The good thing is that parent visa Australia is currently open, and relatives are still allowed to visit their loved ones despite the pandemic.
Call 1300 066 267 to book a free consultation with No Borders Migration Agents