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Lunar New Year’s Day
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Yesterday we mentioned that the processing wait time for contributory Parent visas has been extended from 14 years to 15 years!Read the details here:Parent Visa Mid-Financial-Year Grant Data Released|How many places are left? Contributory wait time extended to 15 years!
As we have always said, Parent Visa wait times will only keep getting longer, even if your parents have no plans to settle in Australia in the short term, you should at least lodge a queued-stream application to get them in the queue, so you have a contingency if plans change later!
The next question then is: which category of migration visa should you lodge for your parents?Contributory or queued? Aged or general?
If your parents clearly want to migrate — lodge a contributory Subclass 143 or 864 directly
Option 1: Subclass 143 is the Contributory Parent visa
It requires payment of a contribution charge, is lodged offshore, and in terms of wait time is currently the only reasonably realistic Parent visa pathway.
Please note:
– The contribution for the contributory Parent visa is only paid when the application is processed. For FY25–26 the amount is still AUD 43,600 per applicant. If you lodge the visa application now, this “big fee” will not need to be paid until at least 10 years later; the contribution amount is determined by the lodgement date, so if the contribution fee rises in the future, applications already lodged will not be affected.
–What you need to pay now is the Subclass 143 visa application fee. 。The visa application fee increases every financial year, so lodging earlier will save you some money. For FY25–26 visa application fees, please contact us to find out more!
Option 2: Subclass 864 is the Contributory Aged Parent visa
Subclass 864 also requires the contribution charge, and it can be lodged onshore. The advantage of the 864 compared with the 143 is that after lodgement, a bridging visa allows the parents to remain in Australia the whole time — but in return the parents must meet the “aged” age requirement.
Please note:Getting the “aged” age requirement wrong is a common mistake made by DIY applicants or unqualified agents, wasting not just money but also the precious time of our elderly parents. So please be sure to engage an experienced professional agent to confirm — feel free to contact us to find out more!
If your parents are not very keen on migrating — lodge the queued Subclass 103 Parent visa first
Option 3:Many people assume that if their parents currently have no plans or little interest in migrating, they should just wait and see.Wrong — do not wait, and there is no need to wait. As mentioned above, the Parent visa queue is extremely long, so do not waste this time needlessly.You can lodge the queued Subclass 103 Parent visa for them first to get them in line.
Then when they eventually decide to migrate, you can convert to the contributory stream at any time.When converting a queued Parent visa (such as Subclass 103 or 804) to a contributory Parent visa (such as 143 or 864), the time already spent in the queue is counted towards the processing.
In addition, we recommend nominating the older parent as the primary applicant for the 103 — this way, you can convert to the Contributory Aged Parent Subclass 864 visa sooner, and the biggest advantage of converting to the 864 is the bridging visa it provides.
The Subclass 103 currently has a 30-year wait (yes, you read that right — 30 years), but if, in the end, your parents decide not to migrate to Australia after all, there is also an opportunity to apply for a refund of the Subclass 103 application fee.
If you want your parents to come to Australia now and stay with you long-term
there are a few temporary-stream visas that can be lodged alongside the permanent residence visa
1. Subclass 600 Visitor visa
Advantages: fast processing and a simple application
If you have already lodged the Parent visa, when applying for the Visitor visa you can apply for a 3-year or 5-year Visitor visa. You can stay up to 12 months out of every 18 months, and a medical examination is required.
Parents who prefer not to undergo a medical or who do not need to stay long-term can of course choose the 1-year or 3-year option, with a maximum stay of 3 months per visit.
Drawbacks: parents must repeatedly renew the visa and travel in and out of the country
The maximum stay per visit is 12 months, after which they must depart Australia for a period of time.
Moreover, continuously renewing the Visitor visa from within Australia to try to remain “uninterruptedly” onshore is something the Department is currently cracking down on heavily。Once their previous Visitor visa expires, parents are advised to depart Australia, remain offshore for a period of time, and only then lodge a new Visitor visa application.
2. Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa
Repeated renewals and travel in and out are not ideal for families who need grandparents to help care for young children — a single departure may last six months, leaving too long a gap. In this situation the Subclass 870 is a good choice.
The application process is: the child first obtains sponsor approval, and once approved, the parents lodge the Subclass 870 visa from offshore.
Advantages:Long periods of stay, with near-seamless continuity
The Subclass 870 visa allows parents to stay for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, and once the first 870 expires, it can be renewed once more, for a cumulative maximum of 10 years.
If the parents’ Visitor visa is still valid after they lodge the Subclass 870 offshore, they can enter Australia to wait for the 870 grant, apply for a bridging visa upon entry, and remain onshore until the 870 is granted — giving a seamless transition.
Challenges: higher fees, with income requirements on the sponsoring child
The main challenge of the 870 is the income requirement on the sponsor (the child).Annual income for the previous financial year must reach AUD 83,454.80, or if combining income with a spouse, the sponsor’s own income must make up at least 50% of the total (that is, at least AUD 41,727.40).
The Subclass 870 visa fee is also on the higher side. The fee for a 3-year visa is AUD 5,895 (FY24–25), and for a 5-year visa it is AUD 11,785 (FY24–25).。
If the parents intend to migrate, the migration visa should be lodged first, followed by the Subclass 870.
From temporary visa to permanent residence
— contact us to help your parents understand
the most comprehensive and suitable pathway!
(Photographed in 2021)
New Subclass 189 invitation round imminent — end-of-January EOI backlog update for popular occupations, invitation-score forecast!
Up to 3,000–5,000 more Subclass 189 invitations possible; grants progressing to November! Subclass 190 and 491 grant months blossoming across the board
Skilled migration points-test reform consultation paper released! Which items do they unanimously agree to change, and how?
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