Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa
The Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa allows a parent to stay in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, with a cumulative maximum of 10 years across all Subclass 870 grants for the same parent. The Subclass 870 is the only parent pathway that is not subject to the Balance of Family Test. It does not lead to permanent residence. The pathway is structured around an approved sponsorship by an eligible Australian-based child or child's partner who meets a household income threshold and a four-year residence requirement.
Key facts
Visa Type
Temporary, up to 3 or 5 years per grant
Annual Cap
15,000 places per program year
Cumulative Maximum
10 years across all Subclass 870 grants
Sponsor Income Threshold
AUD 83,454.80 household income
The two-stage structure
The Subclass 870 is a two-stage process. The Australian-based sponsor must first apply to be approved as a Sponsoring Parent. Sponsorship approval is decided on the sponsor's residence status, age, household income, and character. Once sponsorship is approved, a 6-month window opens within which the parent's visa application must be lodged. Lodgement after expiry of the 6-month window requires a fresh sponsorship application.
The sponsorship application fee is currently AUD 420. The visa application charge is set separately and depends on whether the visa is granted for up to 3 years or up to 5 years.
Sponsor eligibility
Residence and citizenship
The sponsor must be at least 18, must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, and must have been usually resident in Australia for at least 4 years immediately before the sponsorship application.
Income
The sponsor must meet the current household income threshold of AUD 83,454.80, supported by an Australian Taxation Office Notice of Assessment for the most recent income year. Where a sponsor's individual income falls short, the income of a partner or co-sponsor may be combined within the household income calculation under the policy framework.
Character
Sponsorship is decided as a separate matter and may be refused on character grounds. Adverse character information is a frequent ground of refusal at the sponsorship stage.
Household maximum
A maximum of 2 sponsored parents per household at any one time. Where a sponsor has more than 2 parents, only 2 may hold a Subclass 870 concurrently.
The 90-day rule between grants
Where a parent has held a Subclass 870 and wishes to apply again, the parent must spend at least 90 days outside Australia between the end of one Subclass 870 and the lodgement of the next. The 90-day rule prevents continuous Subclass 870 residence and reflects the visa's temporary purpose. Cumulative time on the Subclass 870 cannot exceed 10 years across all grants.
Strategic considerations
The Subclass 870 is the principal alternative for parents who cannot satisfy the Balance of Family Test, who cannot afford the contributory Visa Application Charge, or who do not want to commit to the very long non-contributory queue. It is also useful where the parent's preference is for substantial but not permanent presence in Australia.
The Subclass 870 does not confer Medicare access. Health insurance is an ongoing cost across the term of the visa, and applicants should plan for it from the outset. The visa permits visits, family time, and short-term help with grandchildren or business interests, but does not permit ongoing employment with an Australian employer in the manner of a permanent visa.
The annual cap of 15,000 places means timing of the sponsorship and visa applications is material. Sponsorship-application timing inside the program year affects whether a grant is achievable in that year or pushed into the next.
Strategic preparation of the Subclass 870
The Subclass 870 turns on sponsor eligibility, lodgement timing within the program year, and accurate planning around the 10-year cumulative cap. Visa Plan Lawyers prepares Subclass 870 sponsorship and visa applications with attention to timing, income evidence, and sponsor character.