Bringing parents to Australia is a wish of many people once they have settled, for family reunion. Understanding it helps you assess the possibility. This article introduces bringing parents to Australia under a parent visa.
Bringing parents to Australia: what is a parent visa
Australia has parent visa subclasses that allow Australian permanent residents or citizens to sponsor their parents to come to Australia. This is a pathway to bring parents over for reunion, once the migrant has settled and meets the requirements to be a sponsor.
Bringing parents to Australia is part of the family reunion policy. However, parent visa subclasses each have their own specific features and requirements, so those wanting to sponsor a parent need to carefully research the available subclasses and the requirements of each.
Requirements and Notes
Sponsoring a parent has requirements such as: the sponsor (the child) needs to be an eligible permanent resident or citizen, and the parent needs to meet the requirements of the visa subclass. Some parent visa subclasses may have financial, health and other requirements under the regulations.
A practical note is that parent visa subclasses usually have long processing times and limited places, so thorough research and realistic expectations are needed. Those wishing to bring parents to Australia should therefore research the subclasses, requirements and timeframes early to plan appropriately.
Preparing to bring your parents over
To prepare, migrants should: research the available parent visa subclasses and requirements, confirm they are eligible to be a sponsor, prepare documents proving the relationship and meeting the requirements, and have realistic expectations about the timeframe. Early research helps you plan appropriately to bring your parents over.
You should refer to the list of visa subclasses and official website of the Department of Home Affairs of Australia to learn about bringing parents to Australia.
Summary
Bringing parents to Australia can be done through a parent visa, sponsored by an eligible permanent resident or citizen, as part of the family reunion policy. Requirements include sponsor eligibility and the subclass’s requirements (financial, health, etc.). Parent visa subclasses usually have long processing times. You should research the subclasses and requirements early and have realistic expectations.
