Subclasses 189, 190 and 887 have been processed fairly quickly lately, and many of you have just landed your PR. Congratulations!

Once their own visa is granted, most people start thinking about their parents’ visas. For parent migration, even a paid Subclass 143 lodged now faces a queue of 10 years or more (The Department says: parent migration means waiting at least 12 years! What about the paid stream? The latest Subclass 143 waiting-time estimate, plus the visas that can get your parents to Australia sooner!)

All you can really do is lodge early and join the queue. But if your immediate concern is getting your parents to Australia soon and having them stay for a while, the visitor visa is still the first choice.

Some of you then ask: a visitor visa is still a bit of a hassle — is there a visa that lets parents stay for much longer in one go.

Indeed — whether it’s helping with the grandchildren, health concerns or age, it would be even better if parents could stay in Australia continuously for three to five years. Is there such a visa?

Yes there is — the Subclass 870 visa!

This is a relatively new visa. In this article we’ll walk you through what the Subclass 870 visa is, what its specific requirements are, and what you need to keep in mind.

870

visa — application requirements

The Subclass 870 visa was proposed by the Labor Party at the federal election three years ago and was formally introduced after they won. Its biggest advantage over the Subclass 600 visitor visa is that the 870 lets parents stay in Australia continuously for 3 or 5 years in one go, and of course they can come and go from Australia freely during that period. After that, it can be renewed once more.

Basic application requirements

– Have an Australian PR or Citizen as the sponsor (aged 18 or over). The applicant can be the sponsor’s biological parent, legal parent (including adoptive parent), step-parent or parent-in-law

– The sponsor has lived in Australia for at least 4 years (including any earlier non-PR time)

– The sponsor’s income must be above AUD 84,000; this can be household income

– A single household can hold only one sponsorship approval at any one time, and can sponsor up to two parents.

Applying for the 870 does not require passing the balance-of-family test, so it also suits those who cannot lodge parent migration because they can’t pass the balance-of-family test, but who still want to keep their parents close by for long-term care.

Frequently Asked Questions — Q&A

NO.1

How long does processing take?

The Subclass 870 application is a two-step process. First, the sponsor obtains sponsorship approval, then the applicant lodges the visa.

The current waiting time for sponsorship approval is 1-2 months (we had a client lodge their sponsorship in early February this year and receive approval in early March). The Subclass 870 visa itself takes about 2-3 months (several of our clients who lodged in November/December last year were granted in early February this year)

NO.2

Can it be lodged onshore? Is there a bridging visa?

The 870 can still be lodged onshore at present, but you need to lodge for and obtain permission.

If the sponsorship is approved onshore, the visa must be lodged within 60 days, and a bridging visa is issued once it is lodged. If, while waiting for sponsorship approval, the visa currently held expires (most parents are in Australia on a visitor visa), then you must lodge another visitor visa to bridge the gap.

So if your parents’ visitor visa is due to expire within six months, we recommend starting the sponsorship application as soon as possible.

NO.3

When does the income requirement need to be met?

The income requirement looks only at last financial year’s Notice of Assessment (NOA) — specifically whether the taxable income shown on it is met. If it wasn’t met last financial year, you can work on it this financial year and aim to start the application after 1 July.

There are exactly three months left in this financial year, so anyone who has just received PR and finds the requirement isn’t met yet still has time to lift their income, then prepare to lodge for their parents after the new financial year begins on 1 July.

NO.4 Is it a substitute for parent migration?

Although the 870 can run for up to 10 years, it was defined from the outset as a long-term temporary visa. The 870 cannot be converted directly to PR, and while holding an 870 you are not permitted to lodge a parent migration application. So the order of lodgement between the 870 and parent migration matters a great deal: lodge the parent migration first, then lodge the 870.

NO.5

What exactly are the 870 application fees?

*2022-23 financial year

Sponsorship application fee: AUD 420

Visa fee: AUD 5,090 for the 3-year option; AUD 10,180 for the 5-year option

The visa fee is paid in two instalments: an initial payment of around AUD 1,000, with the balance payable before the visa is granted.

If you’d like to lodge a Subclass 870 visa,

or learn more about this visa’s requirements in detail,

you’re welcome to get in touch by adding our consultant below.

Recent Newstarsec

Subclass 870 success stories

Two sponsorship approvals granted

Lodged December 2022

Approved mid-January 2023

Sponsorship approval granted

Lodged mid-September 2022

Approved after about 2 months’ wait

Two Subclass 870 grants

Both granted after about 2 months’ wait

Sponsoring two parents at once

Visa lodged late November 2022

Granted early February 2023

Another sponsoring two parents at once

Visa lodged late October 2022

Granted before Christmas 2022

Past articles

Reform proposal: scrap the occupation lists for both Subclass 189 and employer sponsorship — high salaries rule!

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Overseas finance / marketing / engineering / managers are the biggest winners in this round of NSW Subclass 190!

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A strong month for skilled migration in March! Queensland makes the list! Great opportunities with NSW RDA

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Just got your PR and want your parents to stay in Australia for 3 to 5 years or longer? You can — with this visa! No repeated renewals, no constant trips in and out!

Reform proposal: scrap the occupation lists for both Subclass 189 and employer sponsorship — high salaries rule!

Overseas finance / marketing / engineering / managers are the biggest winners in this round of NSW Subclass 190!

A strong month for skilled migration in March! Queensland makes the list! Great opportunities with NSW RDA

A strong month for skilled migration in March! Queensland makes the list! Great opportunities with NSW RDA

A strong month for skilled migration in March! Queensland makes the list! Great opportunities with NSW RDA

A strong month for skilled migration in March! Queensland makes the list! Great opportunities with NSW RDA

A strong month for skilled migration in March! Queensland makes the list! Great opportunities with NSW RDA

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