Book a consultation

Australian Parent Visas

Living with your children in Australia – for months, years or forever.

Parent visas for Australia

Stay close to your children in Australia.

On this page:

  • Which parent visas are available for Australia?
  • Who can apply for a parent visa?
  • Which requirements apply?

Visas for parents of Australians

Australia offers parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents several ways to stay close to their family – from repeat long-stay visits through to permanent migration. Which option is right depends on your goal, age, budget and how long you’re prepared to wait. Temporary solutions allow longer stays without permanent migration. If you want to move to your children and grandchildren permanently, you’ll need a parent visa that leads to permanent residency. For applicants of pension age, there are specific Aged Parent options that can be lodged onshore, with a bridging visa to cover the waiting period.

On this page you’ll find a clear overview of the different visa types, key criteria such as the Balance of Family Test, typical rights and common pitfalls.

Temporary visa options for parents of Australians

You’d like to spend a lot of time with your family in Australia, but don’t (yet) want to migrate permanently? In that case there are two main temporary options: the Visitor Visa 600 (for stays of up to 12 months in one stretch) and the Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa 870 (longer continuous stays, up to 10 years in total). Neither visa includes work rights and neither is a direct pathway to permanent residency – but both can be a useful bridge until a permanent parent visa becomes possible or makes sense.

Visitor Visa (subclass 600)

Overview

With a Visitor Visa (subclass 600) you can stay in Australia for up to 12 months at a time. The period of stay starts afresh each time you enter during the visa’s validity. This visa does not allow you to work. It can also be a first step if – once you meet the requirements – you intend to apply for a permanent visa in Australia and obtain a bridging visa that follows on from the Visitor Visa.

What this visa allows:
  • Multiple entries during the validity period (up to 12 months per stay possible)
  • Family visits and support in everyday life – but strictly without work rights
Key requirements:
  • You must show that your stay is temporary and that you intend to return home
  • Health examination is required for applicants aged 75 and over

Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa
(subclass 870)

Overview

This visa allows parents to live in Australia for up to five years in one stretch (and up to 10 years in total with a further visa). It is ideal if grandparents want to provide longer-term support on the ground – for example in the early years with children. A pre-approved sponsorship from the child living in Australia (citizen, PR or eligible New Zealand citizen) is required. The visa is lodged offshore, does not include work rights and does not give access to Medicare. It is not an automatic pathway to PR, but in some cases it can be used as a transitional option until a permanent parent visa is granted.

What this visa allows:
  • Long, continuous stay (up to five years; extendable to a total of up to 10 years)
  • Greater day-to-day support and proximity to family – but without work rights
Key requirements:
  • Approved sponsorship by the child in Australia (residency requirements and minimum income)
  • Sufficient funds, ongoing ties to the home country and suitable health insurance
  • Meeting health and character requirements; application must be lodged outside Australia

Permanent parent visas for Australia (permanent residency)

Some parents don’t just want to visit – they want to make Australia their home, close to their children and grandchildren. There are two main options, depending on age. Parents of pension age can access visa options that are lodged onshore, in Australia, and that allow them to remain in Australia while the permanent visa is processed – usually on a bridging visa. Parents who are younger than pension age must use offshore options only – these visas are lodged from outside Australia and do not automatically provide an onshore bridging solution.

 

Both pathways lead to permanent residency, but differ in key aspects.

Contributory Parent (subclasses 143 & 173)

Age-independent offshore option

This visa category allows parents to live permanently with their children in Australia. With the subclass 143 visa you apply directly for permanent residency.

The subclass 173 visa is a two-year temporary option that can later be converted to the 143 visa.

Contributory Parent visas are particularly relevant for parents – regardless of pension age – who are planning to migrate permanently to Australia and reunite with their family. It’s important to be aware that only a limited number of visas are granted each year. As a result, there are currently significant waiting times before a place becomes available in the queue.

What this visa allows:
  • Permanent migration
  • From grant: access to Medicare, work rights and, later, the option to apply for citizenship
Key requirements:
  • Balance of Family Test is met; sponsorship by the child
  • Assurance of Support (financial bond – usually provided by the sponsor)
  • Health and character requirements

Contributory Aged Parent (subclasses 864 & 884)

Onshore option from pension age

This visa category is for parents who have reached Australian pension age and want to lodge their application in Australia.

With the subclass 864 visa you receive permanent residency, while the subclass 884 initially grants a two-year temporary stay. You can later convert the 884 to the 864 visa.

A key advantage of this option: applicants normally receive a bridging visa that allows them to remain lawfully in Australia while their application is processed.

The substantive requirements are essentially the same as for the Contributory Parent visas, including the Assurance of Support (financial undertaking by the sponsor). Again, because only a limited number of visas is granted each year, you should expect long processing times before a final decision.

What this visa allows:
  • Permanent migration
  • Onshore application with a bridging visa and work rights during processing
Key requirements:
  • Balance of Family Test is met; sponsorship by the child
  • Assurance of Support (financial bond – usually provided by the sponsor)
  • Health and character requirements

Aged Parent (subclass 804)

Onshore option from pension age

The Aged Parent 804 is the non-contributory PR option for parents of pension age that can be lodged onshore. The benefit of this visa is that you receive a bridging visa while you wait, allowing you to stay in Australia from lodgement through to decision. It can be a suitable option if budget is limited and you are prepared to accept very long waiting times.

What this visa allows:
  • Permanent migration
  • Onshore application with a bridging visa and work rights during processing
Key requirements:
  • Balance of Family Test is met; sponsorship by the child
  • Assurance of Support (financial bond – usually provided by the sponsor)
  • Health and character requirements
  • What rights do I have with a parent visa?

With a permanent parent visa, you obtain Australian permanent residency. Once granted, you can live, work and study in Australia indefinitely, have access to Medicare and – once you meet the residence requirements – you may later apply for Australian citizenship. You can leave and re-enter Australia; initially your travel facility is attached to your PR (later, if you plan longer periods overseas, a Resident Return Visa may be required).

To be granted such a visa, you must satisfy the Balance of Family Test and meet the health and character requirements. In addition, an Assurance of Support must be provided by your Australian children (or another eligible assurer) – a financial undertaking that covers certain potential public costs.

  • Key criterion: Balance of Family Test

The Balance of Family Test ensures that parent visas primarily benefit families whose main family focus is in Australia. You pass the test if at least half of your children live permanently in Australia, or if more of your children live in Australia than in any other single country. Biological, adopted and step-children with an appropriate permanent status (in particular citizens and permanent residents) are all taken into account.

All children of all applicants are included in the test. This means children from previous relationships are also relevant. If the Balance of Family Test is not met, permanent parent visas are not available. In that case, you would need to rely on temporary visas or other migration pathways.

  • The key challenge with parent visas: processing times

Processing times are the central factor in any parent visa strategy. Contributory visas involve significantly higher government charges, but are processed with priority. Even so, multi-year processing times are standard. Non-contributory visas are cheaper but come with even longer queues. Reasons include capped annual places, high demand and medical assessments.

What does this mean for your planning?

  • Time strategy: If you want to live together with permanent residency sooner, in practice families usually choose a contributory pathway.
  • Aged & onshore: At pension age, an onshore lodgement can give you a bridging visa – you remain lawfully in Australia, although visa conditions (for example on travel or work) can vary.
  • Cost versus time: Contributory visas are much more expensive but can save many years of waiting. Non-contributory options cost less, but involve a much longer time horizon.
  • Bridging with alternatives: Before reaching pension age, temporary visas can allow longer stays and close family contact.

Which Australian visa suits me?

Parents have different goals: regular visits, extended periods with children and grandchildren, or making Australia their own home and spending retirement here.

Guiding questions:

  • Do you want to visit, live there temporarily, or migrate permanently?
  • Do you meet the Balance of Family Test – and are sponsorship and the required financial undertakings by your children realistic?
  • Are there health issues that need to be considered?

Some visas allow multi-year repeat visits, others grant permanent rights. We outline your realistic options – clearly and in a structured way.

Alternatives to parent visas

A parent visa is not always immediately available or suitable. In such cases there are sensible alternatives to still spend time with your family in Australia:

An eVisitor, ETA or Visitor Visa (subclass 600) allows short to medium-length stays and – depending on the grant – multiple entries during the visa validity.

If you’re not yet of pension age and have a job offer, an employer-sponsored work visa may be an option to live in Australia for several years and stay close to children and grandchildren.

These pathways can act as a bridge until you meet the requirements for a permanent parent visa – or a long-term stay becomes possible via another route.

Your individual parent visa consultation

 

Our consultation makes it clear what is possible – and what isn’t. A registered migration agent guides you step by step, from strategy through to a decision-ready application.

Learn more about our process

Parent Visa - FAQS

FAQS

01 Who can apply for a parent visa?

Parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens whose child’s main place of residence is in Australia. For some visa classes (for example Contributory Parent) the child must also act as sponsor and accept specific financial obligations.

Yes – the Balance of Family Test is mandatory for all permanent parent visas. At least half of your children must live permanently in Australia, or more of your children must live in Australia than in any other single country.

Contributory Parent visas (for example subclasses 143 and 864) generally lead more quickly to permanent residency but involve significantly higher government charges. Non-contributory visas (for example 103 and 804) are cheaper, but waiting times are considerably longer than for contributory options.

It is a financial bond that Australian sponsors must provide to ensure that parents do not rely on certain government welfare benefits. The amount depends on household size and the visa type.

Yes – aged parent visas (804, 864 / 884) require that you have reached Australian pension age. Younger applicants can only use the standard parent visa subclasses.

There is no absolute upper age limit, however.

Then a permanent parent visa is currently not available. Instead, temporary visas such as the Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa (870) or a Visitor Visa (600 / eVisitor) can be used to spend time with your family.

Yes – we assist clients worldwide with applications for temporary and permanent parent visas, assess the prospects of success and handle the entire lodgement process with the Department of Home Affairs.

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH

Want regular updates about living and working in Australia and New Zealand?
Simply subscribe to our newsletter.

You’ll receive our regular updates. You can unsubscribe at any time.