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Parent Visa (subclass 103)

Parent Visa (subclass 103)

If you have one or more children living in Australia, you may be eligible to apply for an Australian Parent Visa (subclass 103).

This visa is designed for parents or step-parents of a child who is a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. If approved, it allows parents to permanently migrate to Australia to join their children.

Your eligibility for this visa depends on several factors, such as:

  • The residency status of your child(ren) in Australia
  • How long your sponsoring child has lived in Australia
  • Whether you meet the balance of family test
  • Whether you meet the health and character requirements

Important Notes

  • There can be a waiting period of up to 30 years before this visa is approved.
  • If you are in Australia on a temporary visa that is about to expire, you will not be eligible for a bridging visa. This is because the visa decision must be made while you are outside Australia.

Parent Visa Benefits

A parent visa allows you, your partner, and dependent family members to live permanently in Australia. Additional benefits include:

  • Permission to work or study
  • Access to government-subsidized healthcare through Medicare
  • The ability to sponsor family members for permanent residency (with a waiting period)
  • Access to social security (with a waiting period)

Parent Visa Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for a parent visa, the following criteria must be met:

The Applicant

  • Must have a child who is:
    • An Australian citizen, or
    • A permanent Australian resident, or
    • An eligible New Zealand citizen

The Sponsor

If your child is not an eligible sponsor, you may be sponsored by:

  • Your child’s partner
  • A guardian or family member of your child
  • A guardian or family member of your child’s partner
  • A community organization

Health and Character Requirements

All applicants, including your partner and dependent family members, must undergo a health check.

Outstanding Debts to the Australian Government

Any debts to the Australian Government must be repaid before the visa can be granted. If you are facing financial difficulties, you may need to set up a repayment plan.

Visa Application Limitations

In certain cases, you may be prohibited from applying for this visa while in Australia, such as:

  • If a condition on your previous visa prevents you from being granted a substantive visa while in Australia
  • If you do not currently hold a substantive visa and have had a visa refusal or cancellation since arriving in Australia
  • If you currently hold a sponsored visitor visa
  • If you are in immigration detention

Balance-of-Family Test

The balance-of-family test evaluates your ties to Australia. You meet this requirement if either:

  • At least half of your children live permanently in Australia, or
  • More of your children live permanently in Australia than in any other country.

To be granted this visa, you must meet the specified requirement. It cannot be waived, even in compelling or exceptional circumstances.

The table below provides examples of families with varying numbers of children and whether they meet the balance-of-family test.

Total Number of Children Children Living in Australia Children Living in Other Countries Meets Balance of Family Test
Country A Country B Country C
1 1 – –
2 1 1 –
3 1 2 –
3 1 1 1
4 2 2 –
4 1 1 1
4 1 2 1
5 1 1 1
5 2 1 1
5 3 2 –
6 2 2 2

We do not assess the nature of your relationship with your children.

If you are unaware of your children’s location, we assume they are in the country where they were last known to live.

For children to be considered as usually living in Australia, they must be:

  • Australian citizens
  • Australian permanent residents who usually reside in Australia
  • Eligible New Zealand citizens who usually live in Australia

Children on temporary visas (such as a Student visa) are considered to be living outside Australia.

Both your children and your partner’s children, including stepchildren and adopted children, are included in the balance-of-family test unless they:

  • Are deceased
  • Have been removed from their parents’ custody by adoption or court order
  • Are registered as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and live in a UNHCR camp
  • Live in a country where they face persecution or human rights abuses, and reunification with their parents in another country is impossible

A stepchild is defined as:

  • Your current partner’s child, or
  • A child under 18 years old who is the legal responsibility of you or your partner and:
    • Is the child of your former partner, or
    • Is the child of a former partner of your current partner

Stepchildren from polygamous or concurrent relationships are not recognized in Australia and are not included in the balance-of-family test.

The Applicant(s)

If your visa is granted, you must comply with Australian standards of living, and it is critical that both you and any accompanying family members obey all Australian laws.

The Sponsor

As a sponsor, you are required to support your family members in settling in Australia by providing:

  • Moral support
  • Adequate accommodation
  • Financial support

For the first two years of residency, it is crucial that the sponsor fulfills these obligations.

Assurer of Support

The assurer must:

  • Provide sufficient financial support to ensure that you or any accompanying family members do not rely on government assistance
  • Reimburse the Australian Government for any recoverable social security payments, including payments made by Centrelink to you or others covered by the Assurance of Support
  • Pay a refundable security bond before the visa is approved

The Assurance of Support must remain in place for two years from the date you and any accompanying family members arrive in Australia.

An Assurance of Support (AoS) is a legal obligation by the sponsor, a family member, an organization, or another eligible person to repay certain social security payments to the Australian Government if they are made to the person or family members migrating to Australia during the AoS period.

103 Visa Costs

Visa Subclass Base Application Charge Additional Applicant Charge (18 and Over) Additional Applicant Charge (Under 18) Non-Internet Application Charge Subsequent Temporary Application Charge
Parent visa (Subclass 103) AUD 5,125.00 AUD 2,565.00 AUD 1,285.00 N/A N/A

Visa Caps for 2023-2024 Financial Year

The maximum number of family visas that may be granted for the 2023-2024 financial year for Parent visas are:

  • 1,700 visas may be granted for the following subclasses:
    • Parent (Migrant) Subclass 103, including 13 Subclass 103 Parent visas under the Retiree Pathway
    • Aged Parent (Residence) Subclass 804