Australia offers both temporary and permanent Parent visas for the parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand (ENZ) citizens. There are various visa types, and the right option will depend on factors such as the parents’ age, whether they’re seeking a temporary stay or permanent residency, and their financial situation.
Overview of permanent Parent visa options
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Subclass 870
Parent Visa Subclass 103
Aged Parent Subclass 804
Contributory Parent (Temporary and Permanent) Subclass 173 / 143
Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary and Permanent) Subclass 884 / 864
Am I eligible for a Parent visa?
To be eligible for a permanent Parent visa, you must meet several key requirements:
- You must meet the Balance of Family Test, meaning at least 50% of your children live permanently in Australia either as a citizen, permanent resident, or ENZ.
- You must meet health and character requirements, including undergoing medical checks and providing police clearances.
- For aged parent visas, you must meet the age requirement for the Australian Aged Pension.
Eligibility can also vary depending on the specific visa subclass (temporary, permanent, contributory, or non-contributory), so it’s important to review the criteria for the visa you intend to apply for. You can read more about the eligibility requirements for each of the visas at our dedicated Parent visa page.
Documents required for a Parent visa application
The table below outlines the document types required for Parent visa applications, along with examples of acceptable documents.
| Common documents for a Parent visa | Sponsor | Primary applicant | Secondary applicants | Dependent applicants |
| Passport bio data page | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Passport sized photograph (x4) | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Change of name documents (if relevant) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| National identity card (if relevant) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Current marriage certificate or evidence of de facto relationship (if relevant) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ |
| Birth certificate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Military service records or discharge papers if served in the armed forces of any country (if relevant) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Completed Form 47PA Application for a parent to migrate to Australia | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Completed Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Evidence of child financial dependency on parent (e.g. Form 47A Details of child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over, school enrolment letter) | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ (if over 18 years of age) |
| Proof of the sponsor’s Australian citizenship or permanent residency | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Proof of the sponsor’s Australian residence (e.g. lease agreements, utility bills showing residential address) | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Proof of non-sponsoring children’s citizenship or permanent residency | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Proof of non-sponsoring children’s place of residence | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| On request | ||||
| A police certificate from every country, including your home country and Australia, where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (if over 16 years of age) |
| Health assessments | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
The above is a general checklist, meaning that depending on your circumstances, alternate documents might be more appropriate.
Documents required where the balance of family test needs to be met
To be eligible for certain Parent visas, you must meet the Balance of Family Test. This test ensures that a majority of your children are living in Australia or are Australian citizens or permanent residents.
To meet the Balance of Family Test, you must provide the following documents:
- Evidence of your relationship to each child (e.g. birth certificates, adoption certificates, official documentation showing the parent-child relationship);
- Evidence of each child’s Australian citizenship or permanent residency (e.g. Australian passport, Australian permanent residency visa, citizenship certificate);
- Evidence that a child should not be included in the Balance of Family Test (e.g. death certificate if the child is deceased).
Documents required where assurance of support is requested
An Assurance of Support (AoS) is a financial commitment made by the sponsor to ensure the parent visa applicant will not rely on government welfare during their stay in Australia. It is required for some Parent visa subclasses to guarantee that the applicant will be supported financially by their sponsor. This only needs to be provided if specifically requested by the Department.
Documents to be provided by the sponsor include:
- Financial Evidence: Documents showing the sponsor’s financial stability, such as recent tax returns, bank statements, payslips, or a letter from an employer.
- Bond Payment: A refundable bond (in some cases) to cover the potential risk of the applicant requiring government assistance.
Certifying Documents
Identity and official documents, such as passports, birth certificates, and marriage certificates, must be certified as true copies by an authorised person. Police certificates do not need to be certified; original copies must be provided instead.
Translating Documents
Any documents not in English must be accompanied by an English translated copy. If translated in Australia, the translation must be done by a NAATI-accredited translator. Translations completed overseas do not have to be accredited but they should include their full name, address and phone number, and qualifications and experience in the language they are translating on each translation.
What happens after I lodge my application?
After submitting the Parent visa application, the Department of Home Affairs will acknowledge receipt in approximately 4 weeks and begin processing your application. Processing times vary by visa subclass and subject to capping and queuing, e.g.:
- Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143): 14 years
- Parent visa (Subclass 103): 31 years
- Aged Parent visa (Subclass 804): 31 years
Please note that these timeframes are estimates and can change based on various factors, including the number of applications and available places in the migration program.
Do you require further assistance?
If you require assistance with your Parent visa application, or have any other immigration related queries, get in touch with our experienced team. Contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone at +61 3 9016 0484.
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