CONTRIBUTORY PARENT VISA (SUBCLASS 143)
Overview
This visa lets you:
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
- sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
- travel to and from Australia for five years
- apply for Australian citizenship (once residence requirements have been met)
Main criteria
The Australian Department of Home Affairs operates a Parent Visa system. Sponsors for this visa must demonstrate that they are “settled” which generally means lawfully resident in Australia for a period of two or more years. This residency period can consist of time spent on temporary visas.
In order to qualify for this visa the applicant must meet what is referred to as the balance of family test. This test states that the applicant must have at least half of their children living in Australia as an Australian citizen or permanent resident or that more of your children live in Australia than any other country. All children, including step children and adopted children of both parents are included in the balance of family test.
In addition to the balance of family test you must be sponsored by an eligible person, usually your child and you must meet the health and character requirements.
Visa types
Subclass 143 – This is a permanent visa referred to as a “Contributory” visa. This is because the initial application fee is $4,225 for the first applicant and $1,425 for spouse. However the second instalment for each applicant is $43,600. This visa takes approximately 3.5 to 4.5 years to process and is a permanent visa from approval.
The large “Contribution” of money that is called for upon the second instalment is in order to offset the rights that are awarded to the visa holder under permanent residency such as health care that they have not contributed towards throughout their lives as ordinary Australians have throughout their life by way of tax.
Subclass 173 – This is a temporary visa with an initial Australian government fee of $2,850 and $1,425 for spouse. Before the visa is granted the second instalment of $29,130 is required to be paid. This visa takes approximately 3 to 3.5 years to process. The applicants are granted a 2 year temporary visa. Before this visa expires they must pay an additional $19,420 and apply for the permanent visa subclass 143.
Assurance of Support (AoS)
Additionally there is an AoS which is payable toward time of decision. For two applicants this is currently $14,000. The bond is refunded ten years after you enter Australia as the holder of the contributory parent visa, less any debts owed to the Australian government.
In all cases the second instalment of monies paid is only called for after each applicant has passed health and character tests and the AoS (Assurance of Support, see below for AoS details) has been lodged with the Australian government. In no case will a second instalment be paid and a visa not granted. Second instalments are non-refundable in all cases.