Parent visas let the parents of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen come to live in Australia.
They are among the most straightforward visas to understand and among the hardest to plan around. The eligibility rules are clear. The waiting times are long, and they differ enormously between the contributory and non-contributory options.
Almost every parent visa requires the parent to meet the balance of family test. It compares how many of your children live permanently in Australia against how many live elsewhere.
It is worth checking this first, before anything else. It decides eligibility for a great many families, and no amount of preparation elsewhere in the application changes the answer.
The test counts all children, including stepchildren and adopted children, and it has particular rules for children whose whereabouts are unknown or who cannot be counted.
Permanent residence, applied for from outside Australia, at a substantially higher cost than the non-contributory options. The higher charge is what buys the shorter queue.
A temporary visa that allows the second instalment toward permanent residence to be paid later. It suits families who want to spread the cost.
The contributory permanent visa for aged parents applying from inside Australia.
The non-contributory permanent parent visa, applied for from outside Australia. Substantially cheaper and with a queue measured in decades rather than years.
The non-contributory option for aged parents applying from inside Australia.
This is the decision that shapes everything else, and it is a genuine trade off rather than an obvious choice.
Contributory visas cost considerably more and move considerably faster. Non-contributory visas cost far less and involve waiting periods long enough that, for many applicants, age becomes the deciding factor.
We will not tell you which to choose without understanding your circumstances. What we will do is set out honestly what each one means for your family, including the parts people find uncomfortable to hear.
Aged parent visas can be applied for from inside Australia. The rest are offshore applications.
Applying onshore can allow a bridging visa while the application is decided, which for a very long queue is a significant practical difference. Whether that is available depends on the parent’s current visa and its conditions.
The balance of family test, misunderstood at the outset.
Assurance of support. Most parent visas require one, and it involves a financial commitment and a bond from the person giving it.
Health. Parent visas involve health assessments, and applicants in this age group are more likely to encounter the health requirement as a real issue. Where it arises, a waiver may be available for some visas.
Time. Circumstances change over a long queue. Sponsors move, health changes, and the department has to be kept informed.
We work out which parent visa is realistically open to your family, including whether the balance of family test is met, and we are straight about the waiting times attached to each option.
We prepare the application, the sponsorship and the assurance of support, and we deal with the department throughout what is usually a long process.
We cannot shorten a queue and no one can. We can make sure you are in the right one.
Call 1300 368 933 to talk through your situation with an immigration lawyer.
