Australian citizens or permanent residents can sponsor their parents for permanent residence. The applicants must meet the balance of family test, health and character requirements, and provide an assurance of support.
There are two types of visa:
- parent visas (these visas have extremely long processing times)
- contributory parent visas (these visas have lengthy processing times, and a higher visa application fee)
Some applicants can apply in Australia and wait onshore during processing of the application.
There are also temporary sponsored parent visas for 3 or 5 years, with an option to renew for a total period of up to 10 years. Applicants do not have to meet the balance of family test.