Understanding Your Options for an Older Person Visa in Australia
Navigating Australia's immigration system to bring an elderly parent to the country can seem complex. While there isn't a single visa officially called the “older person visa,” the Australian Government provides several dedicated Parent and Aged Parent visa streams [1, 2, 3, 4]. These pathways are designed for parents of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens [1, 2, 3, 4]. The right visa for your family depends on several factors, including the applicant's age, whether they are applying from inside or outside Australia, and your family's financial situation and timeline [1, 2, 3, 4].
The main distinction lies between Contributory and Non-Contributory visas [5, 6]. Contributory visas have significantly higher application costs but are processed much faster. Non-contributory visas are more affordable but are subject to extremely long waiting periods, often spanning decades, due to government caps [5, 6].
Non-Contributory Parent Visas: The Low-Cost, Long-Wait Pathway
These visas are characterized by lower government fees but are placed in a queue that can be up to 30 years long [5, 6]. They are a potential option for families who are not in a hurry and wish to minimize upfront costs [5, 6].
Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804)
This permanent visa is for aged parents who apply while they are in Australia [1]. A key advantage is that applicants are typically granted a Bridging Visa, allowing them to remain in Australia while their application is processed [1].
Parent Visa (Subclass 103)
This is the offshore equivalent of the Subclass 804 visa, for parents applying from outside Australia [3]. Like the 804, it has a very long waiting list [3, 5, 6].
Contributory Parent Visas: The Faster, High-Cost Pathway
For families who can afford the substantial financial contribution, these visas offer a much faster route to permanent residency [2, 4, 6]. The contribution helps offset healthcare costs, and while processing takes several years, it's faster than non-contributory options [2, 4, 5, 6].
Contributory Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 864)
This permanent visa is for aged parents applying while in Australia [2]. It combines onshore application benefits with faster contributory processing [2].
Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143)
This permanent visa is for parents applying from outside Australia [4]. It's the offshore equivalent of the Subclass 864 for the quickest permanent pathway from overseas [4].
Temporary and Staged Visa Options
Australia also offers temporary and two-step visa options [6, 7].
- Staged Contributory Visas (Subclasses 173/884): These two-year temporary visas are a first step towards their permanent counterparts (143 and 864). Subclass 173 is for offshore applicants, and Subclass 884 is for onshore applicants [6, 7]. This allows splitting the large contributory cost [6, 7].
- Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870): This is a temporary visa (3 or 5 years, up to 10 total) that does not lead to permanent residency [6, 7]. It doesn't require the 'Balance of Family Test' and is good for long-term visits [6, 7].
Comparison of Key Parent Visas
A comparison of key parent visas can be found on {Link: VisAustralia https://www.visaustralia.com/family-visas/parent/}. It highlights differences in location of application, visa type, estimated cost, and estimated processing time for options like the Aged Parent (804), Parent (103), Contributory Aged Parent (864), Contributory Parent (143), and Sponsored Parent (870) visas [5, 6].
Core Eligibility Requirements
Most permanent parent visas require [1, 2, 3, 4, 6]:
- Sponsorship: By a settled eligible child [1, 2, 3, 4, 6].
- Balance of Family Test: At least half your children live permanently in Australia, or more children live there than any other single country (doesn't apply to Subclass 870) [6].
- Assurance of Support (AoS): A commitment from your sponsor (or other) to provide financial support [6].
- Health and Character: Meeting Australia's requirements [1, 2, 3, 4].
Conclusion
Choosing the right 'older person visa' involves balancing cost, waiting time, and personal circumstances [6]. Contributory streams (143/864) offer a faster, expensive path, while Non-Contributory (103/804) are affordable with very long waits [5, 6]. The temporary Subclass 870 is a flexible alternative [6, 7]. Due to complexity, consulting the official {Link: Department of Home Affairs website https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/} or a registered migration agent is highly recommended.
