Overview

The Parent visa offers a pathway for Australian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their parents for permanent resident status. Allowing parents to reunite with their families permanently, it provides eligibility to work, access healthcare and more after meeting balance of family and other requirements.

Key Features

– Indefinite stay with unrestricted work and study rights 

– Medicare enrollment to access Australia’s healthcare system

– Option to sponsor eligible relatives under family stream  

– Travel to/from Australia for 5 years then get RRV

– Can apply for Australian citizenship when eligible

Eligibility Factors  

– Balance of Family Test requiring at least 2 children in Australia

– Health and Character clearances 

– Sponsorship by child who is citizen/permanent resident

– Two subtypes with different application fees 

Visa Subcategories

1. Subclass 143 – Contributory Parent visa with fees split into instalments, priority processing but currently has a waiting period of 5+ years.  

2. Subclass 173 – Temporary 2 year stage before applying for a permanent Contributory Parent visa with priority processing but also long queues.

With multi-stage applications and waiting periods, Parent visas allow elder family members to achieve permanent reunification under Australia’s family migration program.