Australian Family Visas

Parents, remaining relatives, aged dependents and carers of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens meeting policy requirements can apply for Australian permanent residence under parent visa, remaining relative visa, dependent visa or carer visa category.

Provided hereunder is an overview of respective visas:

AUSTRALIAN PARENT VISA REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for Australian parent visa, you must:

be sponsored by your eligible adult child or by an eligible relative if your child is under 18;
obtain assurance of support;
meet balance of family test;
meet health and character requirements;
not have any outstanding debts to the Australian government;
not have had your visa cancelled or refused;
sign Australian value statement.

Australian Parent visas are capped and there is a long queue of applicants. As at February 2021, parent visa applications in queue upto September 2010 have been released for processing. New parent visa applications are likely to take upto 30 years for final processing.

CONTRIBUTORY PARENT VISA REQUIREMENTS

The qualifying requirements for Contributory Parent visa are same as listed above for Parent visa, but there is a higher visa application charge and larger Assurance of Support is required. Parents can either apply for Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (SC 173) or directly apply for Contributory Parent (Migrant) visa (SC 143). You do not need to provide Assurance of Support for Temporary visa. Temporary visa is valid for two years and provides access to Medicare and unrestricted work rights and applying for Permanent visa within two year validity period while holding Temporary visa has following advantages:

visa application charge is spread over time;
you pay substantially reduced first instalment of visa application charge on lodging permanent visa application;
you are not re-assessed against balance of family test (half or more children in Australia);
you are usually not required to undergo further health checks.

Application fee for Temporary visa is A$31,930 for main applicant plus additional fee for each additional applicant, payable in 2 instalments. You pay lower fee in 2 instalments when you apply for Permanent visa while holding Temporary visa.If you decide to directly apply for Permanennt visa (without applying for Temporary visa), application fee is A$ 47,755 for main applicant plus additional charge for each applicant, payable in 2 instalments.

REMAINING RELATIVE VISA REQUIREMENTS

This visa is for near relative of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen living in Australia. Near relative may be your or your partner’s parent or step-parent, your sibling or step sibling, your child or step child not dependent on you. To qualify for this visa, you must meet the requirements mentioned in parent visa and you and/or your partner must not have any near relative living outside Australia.

Remaining Relative visa is also capped and as at February 2021, applications queued up to 2 August 2011 have been released for processing. Estimated processing times for new applicantions lodged now is approximately 50 years.

AGED DEPENDENT RELATIVE VISA REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for this visa, you must:

be financially dependent upon your relative in Australia for at last 3 years;
be of pension age (currently between 65-67 years depending upon your date of birth);
not have a spouse or de-facto partner;
be sponsored by your Australian relative (partner, parent, grandparent, child, grand child, siblings, aunt, uncle niece, nephew including step equivalent);
provide assurance of support;
not have any outstanding debts to Australian government;
meet health and character requirements

There is high demand for this visa and this visa also is also capped. As at February 2021, applications queued up to 2 August 2011 have been released for processing. Estimated processing times for new applicantions lodged now is approximately 50 years.

CARER VISA REQUIREMENTS

To qualify, you must:

be sponsored by your relative or their partner;
relative or their family member has medical condition that requires medical care;
relative or family member cannot get reasonable care from any relative living in Australia or from hospital or welfare services in Australia;
you understand their needs and are able to provide substantial and continuing assistance;
you meet health and character requirements;
you sign Australian values statement.