Parent visas allow parents of Australian citizen, permanent residents or Eligible New Zealand citizens, to migrate to Australia.  Applicants for an Australian Parent visa must amongst other criteria:

• meet the 'balance of family test'
• be sponsored by an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled.  ‘Settled’ means a person must have been resident in Australia for a reasonable period (usually 2 years).
• Meet health requirements
• Meet character requirements
• Pay a first and second Visa Application Charge (VAC)
• Pay the required Assurance of Support (AoS) 
  

TYPES OF PARENT VISAS

Parent visas are generally split into two categories with the main difference being that the Contributory Parent visas have higher program numbers and caps AND are considerably more expensive than Parent visas.  However, Contributory Parent visas are processed far more quickly than Parent visa applications.

In addition to the above criteria, applicants must meet the following:

PARENT (MIGRANT) VISA

Applicants for this visa:
- can be of any age

- can be inside or outside Australia to lodge the visa application

- must be outside Australia to be granted the visa

- processing time – approximately 10-15 years

CONTRIBUTORY PARENT (MIGRANT) VISA

Applicants for this visa:

- can be of any age

- can be inside or outside Australia to lodge the visa application

- must be outside Australia to be granted the visa except those applicants who hold the Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa who can be inside or outside Australia at time of visa grant processing time – approximately 2-3 years

CONTRIBUTORY PARENT (TEMPORARY) VISA

Applicants for this visa:

- can be of any age

- can be inside or outside Australia to lodge the visa application

- must be outside Australia at time of grant

- processing time – approximately 2-3 years

AGED PARENT (RESIDENCE) VISA

Applicants for this visa:

- must be inside Australia to lodge the visa application

- must be ‘aged’

- must be inside Australia at time of grant.

- processing time – approximately 10-15 years

CONTRIBUTORY AGED PARENT (RESIDENCE) VISA

Applicants for this visa:

- must be inside Australia to lodge the visa application

- must be ‘aged’

- must be outside Australia at time of grant.

- processing time – approximately 2-3 years

CONTRIBUTORY AGED PARENT (TEMPORARY) VISA

Applicants for this visa:

- must be inside Australia to lodge the visa application

- must be ‘aged’

- must be outside Australia at time of grant.

- processing time – approximately 2-3 years

* This visa is temporary for approximately 2 years and allows applicants to stagger the VAC instalments.

To qualify for an Aged Parent visa the primary applicant must be aged (old enough to qualify for an Australian age pension). Men must be over 65 years of age and the age eligibility for women is gradually being increased until 65. The following table indicates at what age women will qualify for an Aged Parent visa as the main applicant:

+ Please note that only one parent needs to be of these ages.