How to Bring Parents to Australia

Having settled and built a life for yourself in Australia, it is only fair that you consider bringing your parent/s to Australia as well. But the reality is that the process is not as straightforward as many would like it to be. Additionally, it is not something that you should take lightly. You need to make sure that everything is in order, and that all the paperwork has been properly taken care of before submitting it.

If planning on bringing parents to Australia, you should note that there are a number of visas available. They include:

Non-Contributory Visas

Of the options available, this is the cheapest. The cost of parent visa in Australia under this option is $6,000 for the principal applicant. A dependent spouse would further be required to part with a total of $2,000.

Taking into consideration that the number of visas issued this year under this option is limited, you will find that it has a very long waiting list. It could take up to 30 years for your parent visa to be processed.

For one to be eligible for the parent category visa Australia, the parents will need to have a resident sponsor. In addition, they will need to meet character and health requirements, before passing the family balance test.

The balance of family test requires that the parents have half their children residing in Australia. This means that children must be permanent residents.

You will normally find two types of parent visas in this category:

I. Aged parent visa subclass 804

II. Visa subclass 103

Both visa subclass 103 and subclass 804 let parents of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia permanently.

Contributory Visas

If looking for tips on how to bring parents to Australia, you can always consider the second option, which is contributory visas. Unlike the previous category, this type of visas tends to be processed at a much quicker pace. It typically takes less than two years for it to be reviewed.

The cost of parent visa in Australia under this option adds up to $50,000 in total. For the parents to be eligible, they need to meet character and health requirements, have a sponsor and pass the balance of family test. Your parents will additionally need to have a support assurance.

The support assurance is a legal commitment from you (the sponsor) to provide financial support to your parents. The visa includes subclasses 884, 864, 173, and 143.

Visa for the Working Age Parent

If your parents are still working, you can have them apply for the 884 and 173 temporary visas. The two visas will generally cost you between $20,000 and $32,000. It makes it possible for your parents to work in Australia for a period of two years. During this period, your parents will have unfettered access to Medicare services.

When this period expires, they can then make a switch to the 143 permanent visas. The switch will require them to part with an additional $20,000.

Other Option: Visitor Visas

If your parents do not have half their children residing in Australia, the only option available to them will be the visitor visa. The visa falls under subclass 600.

The visa will make it possible for them to visit for up to twelve months. It will cost around $1,000 to acquire. The parents will have to live the country for a period of six months before they can re-apply a second time.