What is an Australian Parent Visa?

Australian Parent Visa

An Australian Parent Visa (subclass 103) is a type of visa that allows a parent to live in Australia if their child is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand resident residing in Australia.

How do you get an Australian Parent Visa?

The parent visa can be a difficult visa to obtain. There are a few requirements that must be met before you can apply:

  • You must be sponsored by your child. To do this, your child must have been living in Australia legally for two years immediately before you lodge your application.
  • You must have at least half or majority of your children living in Australia permanently.
  • Meet the health and character requirements of applying for an Australian visa.

Due to the extremely high demand for Parent Visas, the wait for approval can be extremely long – sometimes several years. There are alternative visas available which may also suit your circumstances.

What does an Australian Parent Visa let you do?

The Australian Parent Visa is a permanent residence visa. This means that as a visa holder you are able to:

  • Stay indefinitely in Australia
  • Work and study during your stay
  • Enrol in Medicare
  • Apply for Australian citizenship
  • Sponsor your relatives for permanent residence where they are eligible
  • Travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted. If you are trying to return to Australia after that date, you will be required to apply for a different visa.

What do you do if you can’t get an Australian Parent Visa?

Unfortunately this is a visa that is in very high demand and there are limited numbers available. Both of these factors contribute to the extremely long wait times that are associated with this visa. Fortunately, there are alternative pathways you can take which will allow you to obtain permanent residency and potentially citizenship in Australia. Whichever route is best for you can be difficult to navigate which is why it is best to lodge your application through a registered migration agent to avoid mistakes which can be costly and hold up the application process even further.

Talk to us at Emergico to see how we can help you!

Australian Parent Visa

Leanne Stevens

CEO, Emergico // Registered Migration Agent (#1171279)