How can I get my Parents to Australia? – Australian parent visa options
One of the issues that I receive a large number of enquiries from Australian citizens, permanent resident and eligible New Zealand citizens is how can they get their parents to join them in Australia on a temporary or permanent basis.
The level of enquiry through COVID-19 has escalated as families feel they have been torn apart for extended periods.
Temporary Visas
The recent amendments to the temporary tourist visa requirements that has included parents in the dentition of ‘immediate family’ to apply for a visitor visa has been a significant initiative.
These visas can take about one month to process and allows quick access to their families here in Australia.
Whilst this visa is usually granted for a period of a stay for no longer that three months, it can be granted for up to twelve (12) months depending on the circumstances.
There is a family sponsored version of the tourist visa which can be granted up to twelve (12) months, but the processing time can be much longer than the normal tourist visa.
A longer more robust visa is the sponsored parent temporary visa which can be granted for up to three or five years at a time, up to a cumulative period of ten (10) years.
This is a very popular visa but can take up to twelve (12) months to be processed.
Permanent Visas
Permanent parent visas have six different streams, and they are split up between contributory and non-contributory visas.
The type of visa will also depend on your age and if you are classified as an aged parent or not.
Generally aged parents are considered those people who would be eligible for an Australian pension.
Men are considered aged parents if they are older than sixty five (65) years of age and for women it will depend on when they were born, with a minimum of sixty three (63) years of age
All of these visas require you to be sponsored by your child including a natural, adopted or step-child.
The child must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
You must also pass the ‘balance of family test’ which means at least half of your children have to be permanent residents in Australia and you have more children living permanently in Australia than in any other country.
The current processing time for parent visas is over thirty (30) years and even if you pay a contribution, it can still be over five (5) years.
Unfortunately, these queues are only getting longer for parent visas.
It is for this reason it is very important to get expert advice as to your options for parent visas as soon as possible.
How can FC Lawyers help with your parent visa?
At FC Lawyers our expert team which includes accredited specialists in immigration law and experienced migration agents, have helped hundreds of families to reunite and settle their parents in Australia.
There are a range of options and strategies that need to be considered and in some circumstances the parents can even live in Australia whilst their visa is being processed.
Contact our team to discuss your requirements or the process of a temporary and permanent parent visa.
