Graham-Nguyen & Associates

The Parent Visa category allows parents to migrate to Australia permanently to join their children who are living in Australia and are Australian citizens or permanent residents.

There are limited places available each year for the Parent Visa class with applicants being placed in a que once their application is approved.  In the current program year (2006-07) there were 5500 visas available. Therefore, applications under the existing Parent Visa class are experiencing a substantial wait for their applications to be finalised.  In some cases the wait is several years.  However, you are permitted to apply for a tourist visa to travel to Australia to spend time with your children while awaiting a decision on your parent migration visa. 

However, there is a new Contributory Parent visa category, which was introduced on 5 March 2003, and is aimed at speeding up the processing time for parents. The changes enable applicants to take up one of the following options:

•    apply directly for permanent residence and pay a substantial second Visa application charge; or
•    apply for temporary residence (with access to work rights and Medicare) and pay a lesser second Visa application        charge.

In order to apply as a parent, applicants must pass the balance of family test. In addition, all parent migrants must be sponsored by their child who must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.


Applications for the Working Age parent Visa must be lodged outside Australia.

You are also required to satisfy certain health and character requirements in order to meet the Visa criteria.

Successful visa applicants under all the Parent Visa categories - except for the Contributory Parent Temporary Visa - will be granted Australian permanent residency.

As a permanent resident, you have the right to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely. You will also have access to Medicare (government-subsidised health care) and the ability to apply for citizenship once you satisfy the relevant residency requirements.

Holders of the Contributory Parent Temporary Visa will hold a two year temporary residence visa. During this period, they have access to Medicare and also work and study rights.