Permanent & Temporary – Contributory Parent Visas
Contributory Parent visas (CPV) enable parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents to migrate to Australia faster by paying substantially higher fees.
At present processing times for CP Visas are about 30-36 months.
- Permanent residency visas are SC 143 (off shore) or SC 864 (in Australia)
- or Temporary Visas SC 173 (off shore) or SC 884 (in Australia) first, and then apply for permanent residency visa within 2 years – thereby staggering the cost of payment of the full fee for a CPV permanent residency.
These visas are for Parents of Australian resident children who meet the:
- Balance of family Test, and
- Have a child willing to sponsor them.
Parents can lodge either a:
- SC 143 or SC 173 – Contributory Parent visa application while off-shore
- Or a SC 864 or SC 884 – Contributory Aged Parent visa application while in Australia
Aged Parent is defined as parents above the pension age in Australia (see below)
These visas currently take about 30-36 months to process.
Parents not willing to pay these substantially high fees can choose to apply for a Parent Visas, which can take a long time to process (currently about 30 years).
Summary of Indicative Costs – CP Visas
| SC 143 | SC 173 | SC 864 | SC 884 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eligiblity | All parents | All parents | Aged parents | Aged parents |
| Residency Status | Permanent | Temporary | Permanent | Temporary |
| Location while lodging | In or outside Australia | In or outside Australia | In Australia | In Australia |
| Location while decision | In or outside Australia | Outside Australia | In Australia | In Australia |
Stage-1 Fees (primary applicant) (secondary applicant over 18 years) | $ 3,945 | $ 2,540 | $ 3,945 | $ 2,540 |
| $ 1,975 | $ 1,210 | $ 1,975 | $ 1,210 | |
Stage-2 Fees (primary applicant) (secondary applicant over 18 years) | $ 43,600 | $29,130 | $ 43,600 | $29,130 |
| $ 43,600 | $29,130 | $ 43,600 | $29,130 | |
Stage-3 Fees * (primary applicant) (secondary applicant over 18 years) | $ 19,420 | $ 19,420 | ||
| $ 19,420 | $ 19,420 | |||
Assurance of Support (Primary) Secondary | $ 10,000 | $ 10,000 | $ 10,000 | $ 10,000 |
| $ 4,000 | $ 4,000 | $ 4,000 | $ 4,000 |
* Stage-3 Fees above are current. This fee will have increased in 2 years’ time when an existing SC 173 or SC 884 visa holder applies for a SC 143 or SC 864 visa. Applicants will have to pay the then relevant fees applicable.
- Dependent children of Parents can also be included in the above application.
- AoS (Assurance of Support) bond is refunded after 10 years
Application – Lodging and Grant
Contributory Parent Visa (SC 143 & SC 173)
- Can be applied while the applicant is outside Australia, or,
- If in Australia, their visa does not have condition 8503 – No further stay.
Contributory Aged Parent Visa (SC 864 & SC 884)
- Can only be applied and granted, while the applicant is in Australia.
- Applicant in Australia must not have a condition 8503 - No further stay on their current visa.
Applicants who have applied for these visas while in Australia may be granted a Bridging visa to continue living in Australia, but cannot avail of any social security or healthcare benefits during the waiting period.
Applicants are required to meet the health and character requirement as prescribed.
Definition - Sponsors and Assurance of Support (AoS)
- Parent visa applicants must be sponsored by at least one of their child who is settled in Australia.
- The sponsor, another person or an organisation must provide and Assurance of Support (AoS) bond as a legal commitment to provide the applicant with financial support, such that the applicant would not rely on Australian social security payments.
- This AoS bond maybe refunded after 10 years of the applicant having entered Australia.
- The AoS is requested towards the end of the processing of the Parent or Aged Parent visa application.
Definition – Eligibility Age for Pension in Australia
Women - Born before 1949 or if after 1949, then at the attainment of 65 years
The pension age for men and women born from 1 July 1952 will be gradually increased from 65 to 67 years as set out in the table below.
| Period within which a person was born | Pension age | Date pension age changes |
|---|---|---|
| From 1 July 1952 to 31 December 1953 | 65 years and 6 months | 1 July 2017 |
| From 1 January 1954 to 30 June 1955 | 66 years | 1 July 2019 |
| From 1 July 1955 to 31 December 1956 | 66 years and 6 months | 1 July 2021 |
| From 1 January 1957, onwards | 67 years | 1 July 2023 |
Parent Visa – Rights
- Both SC 143 and SC 864 are permanent resident visas allowing the parent to live in Australia indefinitely.
- While SC 173 and SC 884 are temporary visa allowing the parent to live in Australia for 2 years, before the end of which they must apply for a SC 173 or SC 864 Visa
- SC 173 and SC 884 cannot be extended or renewed beyond 2 years.
- Holders of all of the above 4 visas can study, work, enroll in Medicare during the validity of their visa.
- CPV holders on SC 143 and SC 864 can apply for Australian citizenship when eligible.
- The holder can travel to and from Australia during the validity of their visa. After this period, they may have to apply for another visa to re-enter Australia (unless they have become an Australian citizen)
- Holders will have to wait for at least 2 years for most social security payments and 10 years for age and disability pension payments.
Please contact eMA by purchasing a MAP to get more information regarding Contributory Parent visa options based on your specific circumstances and the costs for applying for the right Contributory Parent visa.
