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Written by Ben » Updated on: April 23rd, 2025
If you want to visit your children living in Australia for an extended period of up to 3 years, the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870) allows you to do so. This visa does NOT provide any work rights. This visa has specific eligibility criteria you must meet for approval.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about applying for the 870 Parent Visa in detail.
The Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent Visa is a temporary visa that allows parents to visit their children who are settled permanently in Australia as citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens.
This visa allows parents to stay in Australia for 3 to 5 years. It permits multiple entries, so you can travel outside Australia and come back within the validity period. However, the total physical time spent in Australia cannot exceed 3 years.
Importantly, the 870 visa is a temporary visa and does not offer a pathway to permanent residence in Australia. The intention is to facilitate an extended but temporary stay so parents can spend quality time with their children and grandchildren in Australia, after which they must depart back to their home country before the visa expires.
To qualify for the 870 Sponsored Parent Visa, you must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
You must be the biological, adoptive, or step-parent of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who will sponsor your stay. Their spouse or de facto partner can also be included in the application.
Your child sponsor must be aged at least 18 years when applying to sponsor you. They must meet the minimum household income threshold set by the government, which is currently $83,454 AUD for the 2022-2023 period. This demonstrates their ability to support you financially if needed.
Your sponsoring child must agree to provide accommodation and any financial assistance required. They take on all obligations and are responsible for any outstanding public health debts you may incur while in Australia.
If you have previously travelled to Australia on a visa, you must have complied with the condition to depart before your last visa's expiry date and not overstayed.
You must prove you have sufficient funds to support yourself and any dependents for the entire duration of stay in Australia.
You must convince the visa officer that you only intend on staying temporarily in Australia and will leave before your visa expires. Having significant ties to your home country helps demonstrate this.
You must maintain adequate health insurance for yourself and dependents for your entire authorised stay in Australia.
You must undergo medical checks and provide police certificates from all countries lived in to show you are of good health and character. Certain criminal convictions can cause visa denial.
Once you have confirmed you meet all the eligibility requirements, you are ready to start the application process. Here is an overview of the step-by-step process to apply for the 870 Sponsored Parent Visa:
First use the Department of Home Affairs’ free online tool to verify you meet the criteria. This will also estimate processing times based on demand.
You need to compile supporting documents like birth certificates, police checks, medical checks, health insurance proof, financial statements, passport copies, and English translations of non-English documents.
Accurately complete form 47PA via the Department’s ImmiAccount online portal. Provide all required information.
To apply for the 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa, the sponsor in Australia needs to pay an AUD 420 application charge. A separate visa application charge, ranging from AUD 5,790 to AUD 10,770, applies depending on the chosen visa validity period (either 3 or 5 years). Keep in mind that additional costs, such as health insurance for the entire duration of stay, are also applicable.
Upload documents and medical results. Officially submit the finished application through ImmiAccount.
Regularly check ImmiAccount for email updates and to track your application status. Continue meeting eligibility criteria while waiting.
The standard processing time for the 870 parent visa is typically 4–6 months. However, the total time a parent can stay in Australia on this visa can be much longer through renewals. The 870 visa allows an initial stay of 3–5 years per visa grant.
It can then be renewed twice more, for a maximum total stay of up to 10 years. So while each 870 visa takes around 4–6 months to process, by renewing the visa multiple times, parents can remain in Australia with their children for up to a decade.
For those seeking guidance through the application and renewal process, working with a migration agent in Sydney can ensure smoother navigation of the requirements and help families stay together longer. These renewals allow for extended family reunification, with the minor inconvenience of applying every 3–5 years.
Okay, so you're wondering about the 870 visa fee? It's a bit tricky because there are actually two separate fees to consider.
First off, your sponsor in Australia needs to pay a sponsorship application fee of AUD 420. Think of it as getting the ball rolling.
Then, there's the actual visa application fee, and this is where it gets a bit pricier. You have two options: a 3-year visa for AUD 5,790 or a 5-year visa for AUD 10,770. So, depending on how long you're planning to stay, the total cost can range from AUD 6,210 to AUD 11,190.
Navigating Australia’s parent visa process is complicated, confusing and time-consuming. Meeting complex eligibility criteria and compiling extensive supporting documentation is challenging to take on yourself.
Hiring an experienced Australian immigration consultant like Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers can greatly simplify and streamline the process while increasing your chances of visa success.
Their registered migration agents will handle everything including:
Assessing your eligibility and documents upfront
Optimising and preparing your visa application
Managing health and police checks
Communicating with the immigration department for you
Keeping you updated on progress and next steps
With a high first-time visa approval rate, Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers gives you the best chance of getting your 870 Parent Visa approved. Our consultants stay with you each step of the way, leveraging their extensive experience to make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Ready to visit your family in Australia? Contact the experts at Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers for a consultation to get started on your 870 visa application today.
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