Parent visas

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Parent visas in Australia are designed to allow the parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens to join their children and live in Australia. These visas aim to promote family reunification. 

Contributory Parent Visas

• Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 173): This is a temporary visa that allows parents to live in Australia for up to two years. It requires a higher visa application fee but allows parents to later apply for permanent residency.
• Contributory Parent (Migrant) Visa (Subclass 143): This is the permanent stage of the Contributory Parent Visa. It requires contributory fee before the time of decision.
• Contributory Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 864): This is a permanent visa for aged parents who meet the age requirement.

Non-Contributory Visas

• Parent Visa (Subclass 103) is a permanent visa that allows parents to live in Australia indefinitely. It is intended for parents who meet the criteria and are willing to wait for a longer processing time. 
• Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) is also a permanent visa but is designed for aged parents who meet the age requirement. It is intended for parents who meet the criteria and are willing to wait for a longer processing time. 

Temporary Parent Visa

• Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870): This is a temporary visa that allows parents to live in Australia for up to five years at a time. Unlike contributory parent visas, the application fee is significantly lower.  There is no balance-of-family test for this visa.

Balance-of-Family Test 

One of the key eligibility criteria for most parent visas is the balance-of-family test. To meet this test, at least half of the applicant's children must be living in Australia as Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens 

Assurance of Support 

To be granted a parent visa, applicants are generally required to have an Australian sponsor who provides an Assurance of Support. This is a legal commitment to provide financial support to the visa holder so that they do not rely on social welfare assistance. 

Processing times for parent visas can vary significantly. Contributory parent visas generally have shorter processing times compared to non-contributory parent visas.