Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804)
An Australian Aged Parent visa allows older parents who are already on temporary visas to reside permanently in Australia if their child is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
There is currently a long queue for processing this particular visa with waiting times of up to 13 years. The Contributory Aged Parent visa is available to eligible aged parents, however it requires an Assurance of Support bond and a higher application fee.
Highlights
With this visa, aged parents can live permanently with their children in Australia.
From the date the visa is granted, you can travel to and from Australia for five (5) years (aged parents will need a resident return visa or another visa in order to return to Australia after this period).
You will be allowed to work and study in Australia.
Medicare, Australia’s program for health care and expenses, is available to you.
When you become eligible, apply for Australian citizenship.
Key Eligibility requirements
Your child must be:
A citizen of Australia
An Australian permanent resident, or
An eligible New Zealand citizen.
Additionally, if your child is under 18 years of age, you may be sponsored by:
The spouse of your child (must be at least 18 years old and an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen)
The legal guardian of your child or a close family member
A close family member or legal guardian of the spouse of your child
A community organization.
Age requirements for male parents are 65 and older.
If you are a female parent, you will need to look at their Date of Birth (DOB).
The balance of family test will also need to be satisfied by aged parents, and it requires:
You must have half of your children permanently residing in Australia; or
You have more children that are permanent residents in Australia than in any other overseas country.
A person or organization must also commit to providing you with an Assurance of Support.
It is a legal commitment to provide financial support so that you do not have to rely on social security benefits.
You can receive assurance of support from up to three (3) people.
Additionally, you must meet certain health and character requirements
The above list is not exhaustive. It should not be construed as immigration advice, but as general information only.