How Do I Sponsor My Parents?

How can I sponsor my parents for a parent visa?

Are you dreaming of finally reuniting your parents with the life you’ve built in Australia, so they can help care for your children, share in the everyday milestones, and enjoy the comfort of being close to you? Perhaps you’re eager to spare them from time-consuming, drawn-out visa waiting periods or anxious about ensuring their financial and healthcare needs are taken care of.

Whatever your motivation, be it childcare support, a desire to give back to the parents who helped raise you, or the necessity of having loved ones close by - navigating parent visas can feel both exciting and overwhelming.

In this article, we will explore the key steps, visa options, and considerations you’ll want to know to make the best decision for your family, including faster pathways, cost-saving strategies, and expert guidance designed to streamline the process and bring you greater peace of mind.

Do my parents meet the balance of the family test?

The first and foremost critical question to ask when considering permanent residency for your parents is: does my parent (who is the main applicant) meet the balance of the family test?

Put simply, the majority of your parent's (biological, adopted or step) children must be usually resident of Australia and a Australian permanent residents or citizens.

Where there is no strict legislative definition of what "usually resident" means, the period that is typically referred to is 4 years in the context of parent visas.

Stepchildren: when are they included?

In legal terms, a "step-child" means:

step-child
in relation to a parent, means:
(a) a person who is not the child of the parent but who is the child of the parent's current spouse or de facto partner; or
(b) a person who is not the child of the parent but:
i. who is the child of the parent's former spouse or former de facto partner; and
ii. who has not turned 18; and
iii. in relation to whom the parent has:
A. a parenting order in force under the Family Law Act 1975 under which the parent is the person with whom a child is to live, or who is to be responsible for the child's long-term or day-to-day care, welfare and development; or
B. guardianship or custody, whether jointly or otherwise, under a Commonwealth, State or Territory law or a law in force in a foreign country

In other words, these children may be included in the calculation of the balance of the family test:

1. Children of the main parent visa applicant's current partner or spouse (from their previous relationship);
2. Underaged dependent children of the main parent visa applicant's ex-spouse or ex-partner whom the main parent visa applicant has partial or full legal responsibility over

If the "balance of the family test" is passed, your parents can move onto the next step of determining which permanent parent visa fits their schedule and priorities more. For instance, some parents care about work rights in Australia and would like to work whilst waiting for the parent visa to be processed, whereas others would rather wait for the processing in their home country and are not in that much of a hurry to move to Australia. When choosing a permanent parent visa, it’s important to consider the costs since fees can vary by up to tenfold between options.

Contributory and non-contributory parent visas

There are two categories of parent visas that lead into permanent residency: contributory and non-contributory.

Non-Contributory Parent Visas

These carry longer processing times of over 30 years. The costs are considerably lower (almost one tenth of the cost of a contributory-type parent visa), but usually one must be a pensioner (over 67 years of age) to qualify.

Contributory Parent Visas

These have shorter processing times of around 12 years—still a long wait, but much faster than the non-contributory pathway. However, contributory parent visas cost significantly more than their non-contributory counterpart.

Sponsors of the contributory parent visas are also required to provide an Assurance of Support (AOS) bond to the Australian government. The length of time this bond must remain with Centrelink and the amount required depend on factors such as the visa type, your relationship status, and the number of parents you’re sponsoring.

If your parents are of pension age and are in Australia on a visitor visa (without an 8503 "no further stay" condition or 8531 "leave before visa expiry" condition), they have more visa options available to them

The considerable differences in cost and wait times can make it tricky to decide which visa best suits your parents’ age, financial situation, and health. Seniors, especially those around 70 years old, might feel that waiting 12+ years for PR is unworkable - yet they may be equally concerned about spending large sums of money upfront on a contributory visa. Money that could otherwise be invested or spent on quality private healthcare might end up tied to visa application costs and bonds if the right option isn’t chosen at the outset.

Temporary Parent Visa (3-5 Year Stay)

The temporary parent visa provides a flexible 3-5 year temporary solution for parents who don't meet the balance-of-family test or those who do but prefer a temporary option initially. A sponsorship application must first be approved before the relevant visa can be submitted.

This visa offers several benefits, including no Assurance of Support bond requirement, faster processing times (3-5 months for sponsorship and 8-10 months for the visa itself), and no balance-of-family test.

Take careful note that there is an important limitation to consider. While in Australia on this temporary visa, you generally cannot apply for a permanent parent visa onshore. This means if you later decide you want a permanent visa, you'll need to wait for your temporary visa to expire naturally, leave Australia for at least 90 days, and only then apply for the permanent visa. Given this restriction, it's crucial to plan your visa strategy carefully before applying. The sequence of your visa applications matters significantly if you want to avoid unnecessary departures from Australia and restarting the entire process.

Bridging visas

The bridging visa is one of the most effective tools for circumventing the long waiting periods of several permanent parent visa types, in that it allows your parent to wait in Australia whilst the visa is being processed.

If your parent is considered to be of pension age, i.e. 67 years old, they might qualify for an aged parent visa onshore, allowing them to remain in Australia while the application is processed—often critical for those who want to be physically present to help with grandchildren or simply prefer the tranquil country life in the Australian suburbs for their retirement!

Health conditions and character

All applicants are required to attend a health exam and satisfy the health criterion. If your parents have long-term health conditions, we advise seeking advice from a registered migration agent/immigration lawyer as to.

The physician performing your required medical assessments needs to determine that issuing your visa would not likely:

• impose substantial healthcare or community service expenses on Australia, or
• limit Australian citizens' or permanent residents' access to healthcare or community services that are currently scarce.

For their medical condition, cost projections will typically be evaluated over a 5-year period (or 3 years if you're 75 or older). However, if they have a chronic or lifelong condition with a predictable progression, the physician will assess your anticipated healthcare costs throughout your remaining expected lifespan, up to a maximum of 10 years. Where costs are estimated to be over $86,000, it will be a bar against approval of the visa. Health exams are necessary for both the subclass 870 and subclass 143 visa.

All applicants are also required to be of "good character" and provide relevant police clearances from countries that they have lived in for longer than 12 months in the last 10 years.

Requirements on sponsors

Sponsors of parents often need to meet certain income tests, which may vary depending on:

• The number of children or other dependents they already support
• How many parents are being sponsored
• Whether another assurer (like a child’s spouse) is also stepping in to support

You can check your estimated Assurance of Support obligations on Centrelink's calculator here to ensure you understand potential financial commitments.

Limitations on applying for a temporary or permanent parent visa onshore, i.e. in Australia

There are some circumstances which can stop applicants from applying for a parent visa in Australia, including but not limited to:

• If your parent's current visa grant shows a visa condition (e.g. 8503 no further stay condition, 8531 leave before visa expiry condition) that stops them from applying for another visa while in Australia
• if your parent holds a sponsored visitor visa
• if your parent had a previous visa refusal or cancellation, and/or does not hold a substantive visa

Choose the right parent visa for faster PR and better use of funds

Once you have applied for a parent visa, switching to a different parent visa category can be complicated. If you withdraw and reapply, you risk losing precious time—and money. Considering how lengthy the wait times can be, it’s crucial to make an informed decision early.

Many sponsors are also mindful of how they spend their money. Instead of tying up a large sum in a contributory visa for a parent who’s already nearing or past 70 (and who may not want to wait another 12 years for PR), they might prefer to retain those funds for private healthcare, retirement investments, or simply to enjoy quality time together without the financial strain.

If you’re feeling uncertain about which path to choose, professional advice tailored to your family’s unique circumstances can safeguard both your finances and your peace of mind. At the end of the day, Australian immigration doesn’t have to be complex when you have the right support.

At Kin Migration, we share resources to help guide your journey. While our posts aim to keep you updated, they're general in nature and cannot replace personalised immigration advice. Laws and requirements change frequently, and information published is accurate at the time of publication. For personalised advice, please consult an OMARA-registered migration agent or an Australian immigration lawyer before proceeding with any application. To seek legal advice or information that is specific to your situation, please book a strategy session now.