870 Sponsored Parent Visa
This visa was introduced on 17 April 2019 as is a long term temporary visa which is available to parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens. It is a faster and more affordable alternative to many other options for parent visas. The application must be lodged outside Australia.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply, the applicant must:
- Be at least 18 years of age;
- Have adequate health insurance;
- Have a genuine intention to stay in Australia temporarily for the duration of the visa;
- Have been outside Australia for at least 90 days since the last departure on a previous Subclass 870 visa if re-applying for a Subclass 870 visa;
- Have, or have access to, enough money to support the stay in Australia;
- Have an approved Parent Sponsor who passes the Income Test;
- Be the biological, legal (including adoptive) parent, step-parent or parent in-law of the Parent Sponsor;
There is no balance of family test or Assurance of Support requirements for this visa.
Income Test
To pass the income test, the applicant to be a Parent Sponsor must have a taxable income in an amount equal to, or greater than $83,454.80, for the most recent financial year prior to lodging the sponsorship application.
If the test cannot be passed alone by the applicant to be a Parent Sponsor, they may combine the taxable income with their partner and/or another child of the prospective visa applicant who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen in order to exceed the threshold of $83,454.80. Nevertheless, the applicant’s share must be at least 50% of the combined taxable income in order to pass the income test.
Suitability As a Parent Sponsor
The applicant to be a parent sponsor must not:
- Be the sponsor for more than 2 people currently in Australia on Subclass 870 visas; or
- Have committed a sponsorship fraud; or
- Have outstanding debt to the Australian Government.
Relevant Public Interest Criteria
4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4010, 4019, 4020 and 4021
Relevant Special Return Criteria
5001, 5002 and 5010
Visa Conditions
The following conditions must be imposed on the visa:
- 8103: The holder must not undertake work in Australia without the permission in writing of the Minister.
- 8303: The holder must not become involved in activities disruptive to, or violence threatening harm to, the Australian community or a group within the Australian community.
- 8501: The holder must maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while the holder is in Australia.
- 8531: The holder must not remain in Australia after the end of the period of stay permitted by the visa.
- 8550: The holder must notify the Minister of any change in the holder’s personal details not less than 2 working days before the change is to occur.
- 8564: The holder must not engage in criminal conduct.
Application Fee
Subclass 870 is payable in 2 instalments. The amount for the second instalment is dependent on how long the visa applicant wishes to stay in Australia.
First instalment: $1,145
Second instalment:
- Visa for 3 years: $4,590
- Visa for 5 years: $10,325