Parent Permanent Visa 103
103 Visa Australia
This Visa allows parents to migrate to Australia permanently to join their children who are living in Australia.

Parent Permanent Visa Australia
Parent Permanent Visa 103 Summary
This Visa allows parents to migrate to Australia permanently to join their children who are living in Australia.
This Visa requires that you be sponsored by your child, or another eligible sponsor, in Australia.
Who Is This Visa For?
This Visa is for you if you are a parent of a child or stepchild who, at the time the Visa application is lodged, is ‘settled’ and either an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. This means your child must have been lawfully resident in Australia for a reasonable period, normally two years, although a shorter period can be considered for Australian citizen children if there are compelling and compassionate circumstances.
In addition you must be able to demonstrate one of the following:
- at least half of your children are Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens who are usually resident in Australia
- you have more children living in Australia as Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens than in any other country
Your partner and other dependent family members may be included in your application provided they satisfy certain requirements.
Note: If you have been granted a Tourist (subclass 676) Visa by the Minister through ministerial intervention, other eligibility criteria may apply. If you are considering a parent Visa option, please contact the Parent Visa Centre in Perth to discuss your specific circumstances.
What Does This Visa Let Me Do?
This Visa allows you and your accompanying partner and dependent family members to live as permanent residents in Australia.
You can also:
- work and study in Australia
- receive subsidized healthcare through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
- access certain social security payments (subject to waiting periods)
- be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship (subject to the residency eligibility criteria)
- sponsor people for permanent residence (subject to waiting periods)
How Does The Parent Permanent Visa Work?
Applicants for non-contributory parent Visas may have to wait many years before being granted a Visa, as the Government limits the number of places available each program year. To manage demand fairly, people who apply and meet core criteria for the grant of this Visa, are placed in a global queue.
Because of long waiting periods, applicants may choose to apply for a Contributory parent Visa where applicants (or their sponsor) pay a much larger Visa application charge and Assurance of Support bond. Applicants (or their sponsor) are contributing to Government revenue and helping to offset some costs placed on the community by parent migration. The Government also limits the number of places available for Contributory parents each year. Even then there are enough places available so the waiting period for grant of a Contributory parent Visa is much shorter.
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities for this Visa are summarized in the table below.
Person | Responsibility |
---|---|
Sponsor | Must give a written undertaking to provide support, accommodation and financial assistance for the applicant, and the applicant’s accompanying partner and dependent family members, for their first two (2) years of residency in Australia. |
Applicant | Complete and lodge the application including the application charge and all supporting documentation. |
Assurer of Support (can be the sponsor or another person) | Be prepared to: • provide financial assistance to the applicant and the applicant’s accompanying partner and dependent family members so they do not need to rely on any government forms of support for two (2) years of residency • repay any recoverable social security payments made to the applicant or their accompanying partner and dependent family members in the first two (2) years of residency in Australia Note: You must not lodge an Assurance of Support until it is asked for. Details on how to provide an Assurance of Support will be sent to the applicant after the Visa application has been received. |
Government Benefits
If you are granted this Visa you will have a waiting period before you are eligible to receive most social security payments.
Waiting periods are generally two (2) years for most social security payments and ten (10) years for age and disability pension payments (exemptions may apply).
Visa 103 Application Process
Application Forms
Active Migration Australia will assess each application individually and provide extensive checklists consisting of instructions to help you successfully complete the forms required.
Adding Family Members To Your Application
In some circumstances you may add dependent children or a partner to your application after the application is lodged, but before a decision has been made.
Parent Visa Processing Priorities
Parent Visa applications have a lower processing priority than other family members such as partners and children.
How To Lodge Your Application
For this Visa, you may lodge the application while you are in or outside Australia, however you must be outside Australia when the Visa is granted.
Parent Permanent Visa Subclass 103 Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
You must meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply for this Visa.
Child In Australia
You must be the parent of a child who is settled in Australia as one of the following:
- an Australian citizen
- an Australian permanent resident
- an eligible New Zealand citizen
Eligible Sponsor
You must be sponsored by an eligible sponsor. Usually, your child will sponsor you. If your child is under 18 years you may also be sponsored by one the following:
- your child’s partner
- a relative or guardian of your child
- a relative or guardian of your child’s partner
- a community organization
Assurance Of Support
You must have a commitment by a person prepared to provide you with an Assurance of Support.
Balance Of Family Test
You must meet the balance of family test.
Health
You, your partner and all dependent family members must meet certain health requirements and will need to undergo a health examination.
Character
You, your accompanying partner and all dependent family members aged sixteen and above must meet the character requirements.
Debts To The Australian Government
Before you can be granted this Visa you must repay, or have made arrangements to repay, any outstanding debts to the Australian Government.
Limitations On Applications
If you are in Australia, you may be prevented from applying for this Visa if, for example:
- you do not hold a substantive Visa (which is any Visa other than a bridging Visa, a criminal justice Visa or an enforcement Visa) and had a Visa cancelled or refused since you last arrived in Australia
- your last Visa was granted on the condition that you would not be granted a substantive Visa while you remain in Australia
- you hold a sponsored visitor Visa
- you are in immigration detention
If any of the above circumstances apply, contact your nearest departmental office before making an application.
Australian Values Statement
If you are aged 18 years or over, you are required to sign an Australian values statement. The statement is included in your Visa application form and all applicants aged 18 years and over will need to sign it to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. Before signing this statement you are required to read, or you might have been explained about the book ‘Life in Australia’ book.
The ‘Life in Australia’ book provides more information on the values that Australians share and their way of life.
Family Member Eligibility
The following family members can be included in your application:
- your spouse or de facto partner
- your dependent child
- other dependent relatives
These family members must meet the following requirements to be eligible for inclusion in this Visa application.
Spouse
A person is the spouse of another person if they are in a married relationship. Persons are in a married relationship if:
- they are married to each other under a marriage that is valid for the purposes of the Migration Act 1958;
- they have a mutual commitment to a shared life as husband and wife to the exclusion of all others;
- the relationship between them is genuine and continuing; and
- they live together or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis
De Facto Partner
A person is the de facto partner of another person (whether of the same sex or a different sex) if:
- they have a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others;
- the relationship between them is genuine and continuing;
- they live together or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis; and
- they are not related by family
For an application for a permanent, Business Skills (Provisional), Student (Temporary), Partner (Provisional), Partner (Temporary), or a General Skilled Migration Visa the de facto relationship must have existed for at least 12 months immediately preceding the date of application.
Dependent Child
Your child or stepchild is considered a dependent when they are one of the following:
- under 18 years of age
- aged 18 years or over and have been wholly or substantially reliant on you for a substantial period for their basic needs (food, clothing and shelter)
- any age and incapacitated for work due to a total or partial loss of bodily or mental functions (whether or not they migrate with you)
A child of any age is not considered dependent if they are married, engaged to be married or in a de facto relationship.
Other Dependent Relatives
Your other relatives may be considered dependent if they are all of the following:
- single (has never married or entered a de facto relationship, or is widowed, divorced or separated)
- usually resident in your household
- wholly or substantially reliant on your financial support for their basic living needs (food, shelter and clothing)
- more reliant on you for support than on any other person or source
- have been reliant on you for a substantial period
Details of each dependent 18 or older and whether migrating or not, must be mentioned on a form 47A.
Health
You, your partner and all dependent family members must meet health requirements.
Character
You, your accompanying partner and all dependent family members aged sixteen and above must meet character requirements.
Australian Values Statement
If you are aged 18 years or over, you are required to sign an Australian values statement. The statement is included in your Visa application form and all applicants aged 18 years and above will need to sign it to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. Before signing this statement you are required to read, or you might have been explained about the book ‘Life in Australia’ book.
‘The Life in Australia’ book provides more information on the values that Australians share and their way of life.
Sponsor Eligibility
Generally, your child must sponsor you. However if your child is under 18 years of age, another person (aged 18 or over) or a community organization may be the sponsor.
If Your Child Is 18 Years Of Age Or Over
Your child or stepchild is eligible to sponsor you if they are settled in Australia as one of the following:
- an Australian citizen
- an Australian permanent resident
- an eligible New Zealand citizen
Your child’s partner (aged 18 or over) is also eligible to sponsor you if they live with your child and are settled in Australia as one of the following:
- an Australian citizen
- an Australian permanent resident
- eligible New Zealand citizen
If Your Child Is Aged Under 18 Years Of Age
The following may be considered eligible sponsors:
Your child’s partner (aged 18 or over) is eligible to sponsor you if they live with your child and are settled in Australia as one of the following:
- an Australian citizen
- an Australian permanent resident
- eligible New Zealand citizen
A relative or guardian (aged 18 or over) of your child or your child’s partner is eligible to sponsor you if they are settled in Australia as of the following:
- an Australian citizen
- an Australian permanent resident
- eligible New Zealand citizen
A community organization is eligible to sponsor you if they are:
- able to establish there is a relationship between their organization and your child
prepared to make an official written commitment to support the application (generally a statutory declaration signed by a senior member)
Settled eligible New Zealand citizens who want to sponsor must meet health and character requirements.
Assurer Of Support Eligibility
An Assurance of Support may be provided by the sponsor or another person or persons.
To be eligible to provide an Assurance of Support the assurer will need to meet all of the eligibility requirements as required by Centrelink. More information about the eligibility requirements is available from the Centrelink website.
Note: It is unlikely that a person could provide an Assurance of Support if they have received the full rate of any pension, benefits or allowances (other than family payments from Centrelink during the past year).
Before lodging an application, please read all related requirements.
Conditions and Obligations For Holders Of Visa Subclass 103
You and any accompanying family members must comply with all Australian laws as permanent residents.
Applicant And Family Members
You and any accompanying family members must comply with all Australian laws as permanent residents.
Sponsor
Your sponsor must continue to help you (and your family) settle in Australia by providing:
- support
- accommodation
- financial assistance
For this Visa, the sponsor must comply with these obligations for the first two (2) years of residency in Australia.
Assurer Of Support
The assurer must:
- provide financial support to you (and your family) so you do not have to rely on any government forms of support; and
- repay the Australian Government for any recoverable social security payments made by Centrelink to you and any others covered by the Assurance of Support
- pay a refundable bond before the Visa is granted
For this Visa, the Assurance of Support must remain in place for two (2) years from the date you (and your family) arrive in Australia.
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