Sponsored Parent (Subclass 870) visa

Sponsored Parent (Temporary)

Subclass 870 visa

parents smiling looking at an ipad

If you’ve ever thought that you’d like to stay in Australia for a few years with your children and your grandkids without needing to leave every three months, the subclass 870 might be a really good option for you! You’ll need to be offshore (not in Australia) when you submit your application (unless you’ve been granted  permission to lodge the application in Australia) and you’ll need to organise private health insurance to cover the whole of your stay. The subclass 870 visa can be granted for 3 years or 5 years. Your adult child will first need to become an approved sponsor in order to sponsor you. This visa is available to parents who have children living in multiple countries and who are unable to meet the ‘Balance of Family’ test. 

Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa fees

DHA First instalment: $1,020 (single) – paid at the time of application

DHA Second Instalment: $4,070 (3yr visa) – paid prior to visa grant

or

DHA Second Instalment: $9,160 (5yr visa) – paid prior to visa grant

What is the current processing time for a subclass 870 visa?

The Department of Home Affairs publishes the average processing times for visa applications on its website. See: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/family-visa-processing-priorities/parent-visas-queue-release-dates

The processing time for the subclass 870 visa is approximately 4-5 months. 

What are the requirements of the subclass 870 visa?

The applicant (parent):

  • Must have a child who is an eligible Australian citizen, permanent resident, or New Zealand citizen
  • Be sponsored by a person who is an approved parent sponsor
  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Provide evidence of access to funds – you must be able to support yourself without working in Australia. You won’t be granted work rights.
  • Provide evidence of health insurance
  • Satisfy health, character, and national security requirements 

Australian Child (sponsor):

  • Must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen 
  • Must be settled in Australia (usually this means that your child must have resided in Australia for at least two years)
  • Must be at least 18 years old and prepared to sponsor your application
  • The parent(s) to be sponsored must be the biological, adoptive, or step-parent of the sponsor (special rules apply to step-parents)
  • Must have a certain amount of household income
  • Must provide police clearances for any country they have spent more than 12 months cumulatively in during the last 10 years 
  • Must have a certain amount of household income
  • Must be willing to share character information with the visa applicant  
  • Sponsors must also agree to comply with certain sponsorship obligations in relation to the parent(s) they are sponsoring
Please note: You can also be sponsored by your child’s de facto partner or spouse, as long as they meet the above criteria. In some instances, if your child is under the age of 18, you may be sponsored by a relative or guardian of your child, or by a community organisation.

What is the application process for the subclass 870 visa?

Before you apply:

  • Check that you have an approved Parent Sponsor. You will be unable to apply for this visa without an approved sponsor 
  • Check your passport – you must have a valid passport 
  • Make sure that you are eligible – a registered migration agent can help you to work this out

Gather your documents:

It is important to gather the correct documents required for your application. You are welcome to take a look at the EasiVisa Parent Visa Checklist which provides a guide to the types of documents required. Additional documentation may be required for your application. Each visa application is unique!

Prepare your documents:

  • Make sure that you get your documents translated if they are not written in English. Australian translators must be accredited by NAATI so make sure your Australian translator is accredited: https://www.naati.com.au/. Translators outside of Australia do not need to be accredited. However, each document translated must include the following information about the translator: full name, address, phone number, qualifications and experience in the language that they are translating. These details must be in English!
  • Certified copies of all documents except your police certificates. The Department of Home Affairs will require your original police certificates. 
  • Make sure you keep a spare set of all documents!

Apply for the visa:

  • You cannot apply for or hold a permanent or temporary parent visa if you have already applied for or have been granted this visa
  • You must apply for this visa online and from outside Australia and within 6 months of the Sponsorship approval.
  • You must apply within 60 days of sponsorship approval, if you have been granted permission to apply in Australia. 

Wait for the visa to be assessed:

  • The Department of Home affairs processing team will let you know when they have received your application

Visa outcome

  • When the Department of Home Affairs makes a decision on your application, you can be inside or outside Australia (however you cannot be in immigration clearance)
  • The Department of Home Affairs will provide their decision in writing 

What is the age criteria to apply for an 870 visa?

There is no specific age criteria to meet when applying for a subclass 870 visa.

Am I allowed to work on a subclass 870 visa?

Absolutely NOT! You cannot work in Australia whilst you hold this visa.

What are the health and character requirements of the subclass 870 visa?

You, and all family members included in your visa application, must meet Australia’s health requirement and be of good character. You will be required to undergo visa medicals and provide police certificates for each country in which you have lived for 12 months or longer in the previous 10 years. Visa medicals and police certificates usually expire after 12 months. Police certificates from some countries expire after 3 months or 6 months. 

Disclaimer

This subclass 870 visa checklist is provided as a general guide only and must not be used as migration advice. Each parent visa application is unique. If you seek personalised advice, we recommend that you book a consultation with one of our experienced registered migration consultants.  

Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa checklist:

Required Forms

  • Appointment of Migration Agent (Form 956) (if using a migration agent)
  • Sponsorship for Migration to Australia – Apply online in ImmiAccount
  • Application for Parent Migration – Apply online in ImmiAccount
  • Character Assessment for Applicant (Form 80)

Personal Documents

  • Passport biodata page 
  • Passport Photo 
  • Full Birth Certificate
  • Marriage Certificate
  • Military discharge papers, if you were in the military
  • Evidence of your relationship to your sponsor
  • Evidence of private health insurance

Sponsors Personal Documents 

  • Evidence that the Sponsor is an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or eligible New Zealand Citizen
  • Passport
  • Birth certificate
  • Marriage certificate
  • Adoption papers (if relevant)
  • Family status certificates or family books 
  • ATO Notice of Assessment for the most recently completed tax year
  • ATO Notice of Assessment for the most recently completed tax year for your partner or sibling, if you intend to meet the income test by combining income
  • Australian and overseas police clearances

Health and Character (Applicant) 

  • Australian Federal Police Clearance (where relevant)
  • Police Clearances Offshore
  • Visa Medicals 
 

PLEASE NOTE: The above sample Checklist includes the documents generally required in support of a subclass 870 visa application.

A modified set of documents may apply to your situation. Please remember … you are unique and your visa application will be unique to you!

It’s worthwhile seeking sound professional advice before embarking upon any type of visa application. This is particularly important for applicants with complex family situations, or significant health or character issues. Getting sound professional advice can make all the difference!

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Where to begin... Very few people go through a smooth, easy visa process; and my partner and I were no exception. We were beginning to lose hope and were borderline facing deportation. We had been messed around by 3 immigration agents prior to finding Carol-Ann at EasiVisa. We were feeling very vulnerable, as truth be told, it is hard to distinguish a good or bad agent before paying a lump sum, by which point it may be too late. This is exactly why I'm providing this exceptional, glistening review of Carol-Ann and her team, to assist my fellow immigrants in their time of need. Agreed; most immigration agents are expensive, but you get what you pay for. What makes us entitled to expert knowledge, hours of research and study, late nights at work and our problems being lifted from our shoulders; for a cheap price? We were charged $180 consultation fee which was reembursed when we committed to our case being taken on. And let me tell you, it was a complicated case. Carol-Ann immediately looked at it from a completely different perspective than the other agents. To cut a long story short; after a refusal, an appeal, a hearing, multiple exchanges of correspondence, references, police clearances...the visa was finally granted. And you cannot put a price on that! The result alone is enough to recommend Carol-Ann, but it doesn't stop there. The way she treated us was exceptional. She was empathetic, saw us as actual people rather than a briefcase of money, and made us feel reassured; in a situation that would put anyone's sanity to the test. WOW, what a long review! And probably only the 3rd I've ever done in my lifetime. In summary, this review has 2 purposes. One, to urge you to chose EasiVisa as your representative, a decision you will not regret. And Two, to give Carol-Ann and her team the recognition they deserve!
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