PARTNER & FAMILY VISAS

Families are important in our lives. They are the main stability factor for many individuals.
Australian migration provides for the opportunities for families to stay together through several different visa types:

PARTNER
• Partner visa (Subclass 820/801; 309/100)
• Prospective Marriage visa (Subclass 300)

PARENT
• Aged Parent (Subclass 804) -onshore application
• Aged Parent (Subclass 103) -offshore application

• Contributory Parent (Subclass 864) -onshore application
• Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) -offshore application

• Contributory Parent (Temporary) (Subclass 884) -onshore application
• Contributory Parent (Temporary) (Subclass 173) - offshore application

• Temporary Sponsored Parent (Subclass 864) -offshore application

CHILD
• Child visa (Subclass 802) -onshore application
• Child visa (Subclass 101) - offshore application
• Adoption visa (Subclass 102) -offshore
application

PARTNER VISAS

The Partner visa categories are divided into temporary and permanent visa stages.

A one-time government charge for visa application is payable upon first applying.

The permanent residence (PR) partner visa is normally scheduled for application after 2 years from the date of the first visa application at no extra government charge.

However, couples who have been in a long-term relationship or with children in the relationship can expect an accelerated grant of the permanent resident visa without having to wait out this 2-year period to apply for PR.

  • This is a 2-stage application for a partner visa applied offshore.

  • A permanent residence visa for partners to live together in Australia. This is a 2-step application process and applied onshore in Australia

  • Often termed as the ‘fiancee’ visa, you can sponsor an intended partner on this visa while they are outside Australia. You are required to be married within 9 months upon the prospective partner entering Australia in order to progress onto the actual partner visa application.

PARENT VISAS

The Parent visa categories consist of either temporary or permanent residence depending on individual needs.

The sponsor of a parent visa will need to be a citizen, permanent resident or eligible NZ citizen who are usually resident (at least 2 years living in Australia) and with a specified level of income to support the parent (s) so that they do not need to rely on social welfare payments to live here.

  • For aged parents above 67 years old, this permanent residence visa lets an aged parent of a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen stay in Australia.

  • A permanent residence visa for parents to live in Australia with their children. The parent must pass the balance of family test rule ( have at least half the number of all his or her existing children residing in Australia with permanent residence or citizenship status).

  • A provisional parent visa (temporary residence visa). Apply for permanent residence subclass 143 or 864 visa after holding this visa for 2 years. The parent(s) may live in Australia with this visa and enjoy Medicare benefits as a subclass 173/884 visa holder.

  • Sponsor your parent(s) to live in Australia on a temporary basis for either a 3 or 5-year duration visa. They can remain in Australia continuously during the visa period with no requirement to exit within specified time, which would normally apply for a visitor visa (up to 3 months or 12 months consecutive stay only)

CHILD VISA

The Child visa categories are permanent residence visas. It enables a child of a permanent resident visa holder who is currently overseas to move to Australia to live with their parent(s) permanently. They will also be able to study and enjoy access to Medicare benefits.

The child must be:
• under 18 years old, OR
• over 18 and under 25 years and studying full time,

OR
• over 18 years with a disability, OR
• over 18 and under 25 years old:
- still financially dependent on sponsoring parent
and a full-time student ; OR
- be unable to work full-time due to a disability.
• He/she must also be single and have never married
or been in a de facto relationship.

  • Apply for this visa when your child is in Australia to remain in Australia while waiting for the visa decision.

  • When the child is outside Australia, this visa enables him/her to migrate to Australia upon visa approval.

  • The adoption must be :
    • by an Australian citizen, an eligible New Zealand citizen or the holder of an Australian permanent visa.
    • The sponsor and child must have been residing outside Australia for more than 12 months immediately before lodging the visa application.
    • have been or be in the process of being adopted through an intercountry adoption or arrangement with the involvement of an Australian state or territory central authority, or
    • have been or be in the process of being adopted through an intercountry adoption between 2 countries (other than Australia) that are parties to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Hague Adoption Convention).