Parent Migration is for people who have children living permanently in Australia. To be eligible you must:
- Pass the balance of family test.
- Be sponsored by an Eligible Sponsor (see below)
- Pass immigration medical examinations
- Get an Assurance of Support (after requested to do so by the Australian Government)
Some parent migration visa options have additional rules that apply only to that option.
You must be sponsored by one of your children, or their spouse. To be eligible:
- The sponsor must be an:
- Australian Citizen or Australian permanent resident, or
- Eligible New Zealand Citizen (living in Australia on/before 26 February 2001). Eligible New Zealand citizens are required to do a medical examination and provide police clearances. If this is a concern for you, please contact us before taking action. New Zealand citizens can lose their special status in Australia if damaging information is given to the Australian Government.
- The sponsor must be “settled” in Australia, which means they must have lived in Australia for at least two years before they sponsor you.
- If your child is under 18, special rules apply; seek legal advice.
You will pass the balance of family test if your have:
- Half (or more) of your children in Australia permanently; or
- More children living permanently in Australia than in any other country
If you cannot prove where a child resides, the Australian Government will assume they reside in the country of their last known residence.
- Aged Parent Migration
- Contributory Parent Migration
- Contributory Aged Parent Migration
- Parent Migration (No extra rules apply, just those on this page. The queue is very long. Most people choose a different option because this one can take many years to get.)
- Temporary Parent (a new option expected to start in 2019).
Deciding what is your best parent migration option is a complex question. Here are some key considerations:
- How long will it take to get the parent migration visa? There are very long waiting lists for some Parent Visas, currently estimated to be 10-15 years. There are numerous ways to deal with this very long wait. In some cases good advance planning can avoid long periods of uncertainty.
- What will it cost? There is a huge difference between the cheapest and most costly options. For example, in a case we recently considered the price difference was over AUD50,000 for a lone parent seeking to migrate.
- Can the application be made in Australia? Will I be eligible for that? If I apply in Australia can I stay while my application is in the queue? What are my rights if I stay? Do I have access to health care services? If my parent migration visa is refused, is there a backup option?
- Should I sell my house in my home country? Should I transfer assets to Australia?
- When do I have to pass the immigration medical examination? This is an important question, because of the long waiting times. Parents can be required to pass a medical examination at the end of the process, before a visa will be granted. Your health can change significantly over periods longer than 10 years. This is an important consideration when weighing your options.
- Are there alternatives? A good plan considers all possibilities and alternatives. Parents may have other options (for both permanent and temporary visas) that can add convenience and safety to a migration plan.
Choosing the wrong option could mean the loss of a migration opportunity, many years and/or tens of thousands of dollars.