🇦🇺family Visa
Parent Visa
Australia
Last updated: December 17, 2025
Duration
Permanent residence (renewable)
Visa Fee
$5,040-$43,600
Time
Due to annual caps and long queues, estimated 30–50 years in many cases.
Complexity
High
About this Visa
The Parent visa (subclass 103) is a permanent visa that allows parents of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen to migrate to Australia. It is a non‑contributory parent visa with very limited annual places and extremely long queues.
Key Benefits
- Permanent residence in Australia for the parent and eligible family members
- Right to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely
- Access to Medicare (public healthcare) once enrolled
- Pathway to Australian citizenship if other criteria are met
- Ability to sponsor eligible relatives in the future
- Five‑year travel facility with option to apply for a Resident Return visa after expiry
Eligibility & Requirements
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicant must be the biological, adoptive or stepparent of a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
- The sponsoring child (or alternative sponsor) must be at least 18 years of age and settled in Australia.
- Applicant must satisfy the balance of family test (at least half of the children live permanently in Australia, or more children live permanently in Australia than in any other single country).
- Applicant must be outside Australia at time of application and usually at time of decision (non‑aged parent stream).
- Applicant and accompanying family members must meet health requirements, with health checks done both at application stage and again before grant after queuing.
- Applicant and accompanying family members aged 16 or over must meet character requirements, typically including police clearances for each country lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
- Any outstanding debts to the Australian Government must be paid or arrangements made before visa grant.
- Sponsor must give an undertaking to provide accommodation and financial support for the parents for their initial period in Australia and comply with sponsorship obligations.
- An Assurance of Support and associated bond may be required to compensate the government for certain social security costs in the first years after grant.
- Applicants must not be subject to certain visa application bars (for example, some conditions on previous visas or certain cancellations/refusals while in Australia).
- Visa is subject to annual capping and queuing, and there is no waiver of the balance of family test or health requirement for this visa.
- No specific nationalities are banned in the legislation, but standard Australian character and security checks apply and can lead to refusal on individual grounds.
Financial Requirement
Primary costs are government visa application charges (from about AUD 5,280 plus a second instalment per applicant) and an Assurance of Support bond; no fixed minimum income or savings threshold is published, but the assurer must meet income tests to provide the Assurance of Support.
Documents
- Completed Parent visa (subclass 103) application formsPrimary visa application form and any associated forms for family members, completed and signed in accordance with Department of Home Affairs instructions.
- Passport and identity documentsCertified copies of current and previous passports, birth certificates, and national identity cards for the applicant and all included family members.
- Evidence of parental relationshipBirth certificates, adoption orders, marriage certificates, or other official records showing that the applicant is the parent or step‑parent of the sponsoring child.
- Sponsor approval documentsCompleted sponsorship form and evidence that the sponsor is a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, such as citizenship certificate, permanent visa grant notice or New Zealand eligibility evidence.
- Evidence that the sponsor is settled in AustraliaDocuments showing length and continuity of residence in Australia, such as visas, entry/exit records, employment records, lease agreements, or utility bills.
- Balance of family evidenceDetails of all children (inside and outside Australia), including their country of residence and immigration status, with supporting documents such as passports, visas and residence permits to demonstrate where each child usually lives.
- Assurance of Support documentsEvidence from the assurer (often the sponsor) including income documents, tax returns and any Centrelink‑issued Assurance of Support undertaking and bond payment receipts, as required by Services Australia.
- Police clearance certificatesPolice certificates for the applicant and any accompanying family members aged 16 years or over from each country where they have lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
- Health examination resultsMedical examination and chest X‑ray results for the applicant and all accompanying family members, completed with panel physicians as directed by the Department of Home Affairs.
- Evidence of financial capacity and supportBank statements, employment records, tax returns or other documents from the sponsor and/or applicant demonstrating capacity to support the parents and meet any Assurance of Support obligations.
- PhotographsRecent passport‑size photographs of the applicant and each accompanying family member, meeting Australian visa photo specifications.
- Relationship documents for dependent family membersMarriage certificates, birth certificates and, where relevant, evidence of financial dependency for children over 18 included in the application.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Visa requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Please verify all information with official government sources and consult a qualified immigration attorney before making decisions.