Contributory Parent visa for Sponsors
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Overview
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About this visa
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Eligibility
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Step by step
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When you are a sponsor
Stay
Permanently
Cost
There is no fee to sponsor an applicant. But you have financial responsibilities.
Processing times
For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.
With this visa the applicant can
- Move to or stay in Australia as a permanent resident
- sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia
- apply for Australian citizenship if eligible
See all conditions
Check your eligibility
Things to note
- you must be a settled Australian citizen, Australian Permanent resident or an Eligible New Zealand citizen
- you must agree to provide accommodation and financial support for sponsored applicants
- you can apply to be a sponsor using Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia (442KB PDF)
Scope
Your sponsorship covers the main visa applicant and any family members who apply for the visa with them.
You can sponsor more than one parent for this visa.
Cost for the sponsor
There is no cost to sponsor a visa applicant. However, as a sponsor you will have financial obligations.
Sponsor obligations
You must agree that, for the first 2 years the visa holder is in Australia on this visa, you will provide the applicant and any family members who come with them with:
- accommodation
- financial assistance
Assurance of support
You might be asked to provide an assurance of support for the visa applicant.
If you provide an assurance of support, you agree to repay the Australian Government any welfare payments made to the visa holder or their family members who come to Australia with them for 10 years.
Learn more about assurances of support.
How long sponsorship lasts
Sponsorship lasts for 2 years.
If you provide an assurance of support, you agree to repay the Australian Government any welfare payments made to the visa holder for 10 years.
Withdraw sponsorship
You can withdraw your sponsorship at any time before we decide on the visa application.
You must make your request in writing and include:
- your full name
- your date of birth
- the file reference number we gave you when you applied or Client ID
You can't withdraw as a sponsor after we grant the visa. But if you don't comply with your sponsorship obligations, we might cancel the visa.
Send your request to the Parent Visa Centre in Perth at the address on the form.
Be suitable to sponsor
To sponsor an applicant for this visa, you must be:
- an Australian citizen or Australian Permanent resident or Eligible New Zealand citizen
- settled in Australia
- 18 years of age or older
Usually, you would sponsor your parent for this visa. You can sponsor more than one parent.
Alternative sponsorship arrangements
You can sponsor a visa applicant on behalf of a child under 18 if you are:
- an Australian citizen or Australian Permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, and
- settled in Australia, and
- 18 years of age or older
You must be:
- the child’s co-habiting spouse, or
- the child's relative or guardian, or
- a relative or guardian of the child's co-habiting spouse
Or your community organisation can sponsor an applicant where:
- there is a relationship between the organisation and the applicant's child
- a senior representative of the organisation agrees to sponsor the applicant
- the organisation is lawfully established in Australia
- the organisation has been actively operating in Australia for at least one year
- the organisation can meet its financial commitments
Step 1
Before you apply
Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.
Step 2
Gather your documents
Provide evidence to support your application.
Sponsor documents
Prove your relationship to the applicant
To prove your relationship to the applicant, give us:
- birth certificate
- marriage certificates
- death certificates
- adoption certificates
- family status certificates or family books if officially issued and maintained
Prove you are a citizen or permanent resident
To prove that you are an eligible citizen or permanent resident, give us:
- citizenship certificate
- passport
- valid visa (for eligible New Zealand citizens)
- evidence you are settled
Prove you are an eligible community organisation
If your community organisation is sponsoring the applicant, give us:
- your certificate of registration
- proof your representative can act for the organisation, such as authorisation from the board or management committee
- proof you can financially support the applicant after they arrive in Australia
- proof the organisation is lawfully established in Australia and has been actively operating in Australia for a period of at least a year
- proof of your organisation's relationship with the applicant's child
Translate
Have all non-English documents translated into English.
Provide original copies and translated documents in your application.
Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:
- full name
- address and telephone number
- qualifications and experience in the language they are translating.
These details must be in the English.
Step 3
Apply
Complete Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia (442KB PDF).
This form must be lodged with the visa application. The applicant will lodge this form, so provide it to them.
Step 4
After you apply
We will let you know when we have received your application and documents. See what you can and must do after you apply.
Tell us if things change
Things you need to let us know about after your parent has applied include:
- changes to your phone number or address
- you want to withdraw your application
See how to tell us if your situation changes
Status updates
We can’t give updates on applications within the standard processing time. Wait for us to contact you if you.
Step 5
Visa outcome
We will let the applicant know our decision in writing.
If we grant the visa, we will advise the applicant:
- their visa grant number
- the date their visa starts
- their visa conditions
If we don't grant the visa will advise the applicant:
- why we refused the visa
- their review rights, if any
- the time limit for requesting a review of the decision, if applicable
We will not refund the application fee if we refuse the application.
How long your sponsorship obligations last
Sponsorship obligations last for 2 years.
Your obligations
You agree to provide accommodation and financial help to sponsor applicants for 2 years from the date we grant the visa. You need to make your commitment in writing.
Withdraw sponsorship
If you try to withdraw your sponsorship after we grant the visa, we may not release you from your sponsorship obligations.
However, if we do release you from your sponsorship obligations under the visa, we are likely to cancel the visa. We will then send you a letter releasing you from your sponsorship.
Tell us if things change
Things you need to let us know about include:
- changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
- changes to your relationship status
See how to let us know if there is a change in your situation.
