If you have settled in Australia and are looking for the best visa options for your parents, the contributory parent visa is the one for you. This visa allows your parents to live, study and work in Australia permanently. They will be entitled to public health medicare facilities, fewer restrictions on work rights, along with unlimited travel to and from Australia for five years. On meeting the eligibility criteria, they can apply for Australian citizenship too.
If you decide to pursue a contributory parent visa in Australian city, here are a few points you must be aware of:
1. Minimal refusal rates and lower application fees:
A few visas require you to wait for months at a time to know about the final decision and you end up paying more than what was initially required. Contributory parent visas are processed quickly and have comparatively lower application fees as well as minimal refusal rates.
2. No issuance delays:
As a sponsor, you don’t have to go through a fixed waiting period or timeline before bringing your parents to Australia. Contributory parent visas have a smaller waiting period in comparison with other visas.
3. Visa holders can study or work:
A permanent contributory visa allows your parents to study or work in Australia. They can travel to and from Australia as many times as they want until the expiration of the visa.
4. Healthcare benefits:
Whether your parents get a permanent contributory visa subclass -143 or a temporary visa subclass -173, they will be entitled to Medicare benefits as soon as they are granted a visa.
5. Affordability:
When you are applying for the visa of your parents, you have the option to pay just once in a single-stage process. This frees up funds for other costs like the application fees, government contribution and support assurance.
6. Bridging visa:
While applying for the visa, both temporary visa (subclass 173) and the permanent visa (subclass 143), the applicant can be in or outside of Australia. However, you have to make sure that the applicant is not in Australia during the visa grant. While your contributory visa is being processed, you will not be allowed to obtain a bridging visa to stay in Australia.
7. Eligibility:
If you are not older than 18 years, you will not be allowed to sponsor your parents. In such cases, there is an option for a community organisation to sponsor your parents on your behalf. You will have to produce details about the relationship between the organisation and your parents while applying for the visa.
8. Sponsor’s income requirement:
As an eligible sponsor residing in Australia, you will have to take care of the financial requirement of your parents during their stay in the country. Accordingly, you will have to produce relevant documents stating your ability to support your parents.
9. Social security and pension:
An Australian parent’s visa holder is not entitled to receive social security payment or old age pension on an automatic basis. Even if you are eligible, you will be required to wait for a minimum of 2 years to receive social security payment and up to 10 years to receive old age or disability pension payment.
10. Apply before your current visa expires:
If the current visa is on the verge of expiration, apply for a temporary contributory parents visa as soon as possible. If not, you will lose the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a permanent contributory parent visa. You should also be aware of the fact that temporary visa subclasses 884 and 173 cannot be extended or renewed.
Points To Know Before Applying Contributory Parent Visa
While exploring your options, there are a few prerequisites you need to know before applying for the visa:
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Balance of family test:
Parents need to clear the balance of the family test proving that one of the children is residing and earning in Australia.
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Debt repayment:
If the sponsor or the family member owes money to the Australian government, it must be repaid before the application can be approved.
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Cancelled visa:
The applicants’ visas should not be rejected or cancelled anytime during their stay in Australia.
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Sponsorship:
You will need an eligible sponsor to fund your stay in the country and the sponsor needs to get approval from the Australian government.
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Assurance of support:
Assurance of support is to ensure that you don’t rely on the Australian government after entering the country.
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Health and Character Requirements:
The government of Australia states a few health and character requirements, all of which the applicant must clear.
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The best interest of the child:
Permanent visa subclass 143 will not be granted if it is not in the best interest of an applicant who is below 18 years.
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Health insurance:
If you are applying as a retiree, you will need health insurance until you are granted a permanent visa. Your health insurance should cover the expenses of all treatment including transport.
Figuring out the whole visa situation for parents can be a daunting task. Despite an ocean of information being available on the internet, it never seems enough. You will always have questions in your mind that need an answer from a reliable source. Hiring the right migration expert can make a big difference.
Excel Migration is a registered migration agent in Melbourne providing excellent services to transform your Australian dreams into reality. If you are looking for contributory parent visas in Melbourne, Excel Migration is the perfect choice. They have a team of registered immigration consultants who will assist you every step of the way and answer every question with relevant information.
You can call them on 0469 736 195 or 0412 797 205. You can also write to them at info@excelmigration.com.au for more information.
