For parents who wish to join their children in Australia but prefer a lower-cost visa option, the Parent visas (non-contributory stream) may be suitable. These visas are permanent but involve extremely long waiting times due to limited places available each year.
The two main options in this stream are:
- Subclass 103 – Parent visa
- Subclass 804 – Aged Parent visa
Subclass 103 – Parent Visa
The Subclass 103 visa is a permanent visa for parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens.
- Grants permanent residency in Australia.
- Allows access to Medicare and eventually eligibility for Australian citizenship.
- Can be applied for from inside or outside Australia.
- Processing time is extremely long — currently estimated at around 30 years for new applications (Home Affairs).
Who Can Apply? (Subclass 103)
To be eligible for the Subclass 103, applicants must:
- Have a sponsor: Your sponsor must be your biological, adopted, or step child, who is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident usually living in Australia, or an eligible New Zealand citizen usually living in Australia.
- Meet the Balance of Family Test.
- Meet the health and character requirements.
- Have an Assurance of Support (AoS).
- Have paid back any debt to the Australian Government.
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused.
- Sign the Australian Values Statement.
- Meet the “best interests of the child” requirement, if relevant.
- Not already hold or have applied for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 870).
- Meet all applicable visa conditions and follow Australian law.
Subclass 804 – Aged Parent Visa
The Subclass 804 visa is also a permanent visa, but it is designed for parents who have reached the Australian pension age (to be eligible for the Age Pension, you must be at least 67 years of age) and are already in Australia at the time of application.
- Grants permanent residency in Australia.
- Provides access to Medicare and eventual eligibility for citizenship.
- Must be applied for onshore (while you are in Australia).
- Processing time is extremely long — currently estimated at around 30 years for new applications (Home Affairs).
Who Can Apply? (Subclass 804)
To be eligible for the Subclass 804, applicants must:
- Have a sponsor: Your sponsor must be your biological, adopted, or step child, who is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident usually living in Australia, or an eligible New Zealand citizen usually living in Australia.
- Be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia.
- Meet the Balance of Family Test.
- Meet the health and character requirements.
- Have an Assurance of Support (AoS).
- Have paid back any debt to the Australian Government.
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused.
- Sign the Australian Values Statement.
- Meet the “best interests of the child” requirement, if relevant.
- Not already hold or have applied for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 870).
- Meet all applicable visa conditions and follow Australian law.
Balance of Family Test
This test ensures that most of your family ties are in Australia. You will meet the requirement if:
- At least half of your children live permanently in Australia, or
- More of your children live permanently in Australia than in any other single country.
Children must be Australian citizens, permanent residents usually living in Australia, or eligible New Zealand citizens usually living in Australia. Children living overseas or in Australia on temporary visas are not counted.
Why Choose the Parent Visa Pathway (103 & 804)?
- Lower Cost: Application fees are less compared to contributory parent visas.
- Permanent Residency: Both visas provide direct permanent residency if granted.
- Family Reunification: A way to live with your children and grandchildren in Australia.
Important Note
Processing times for the Parent (Subclass 103) and Aged Parent (Subclass 804) visas are extremely long — currently estimated at around 30 years. Applicants who wish to move sooner are strongly encouraged to consider the Contributory Parent visa options (Subclass 173/143 or 884/864) despite their higher costs, as they have much shorter waiting periods.
