Commencement of the five year subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa.

Note: The Regulations supporting this visa have not been released. Applications for sponsorship will not be available until 17 April 2019.

The visa allows parents to stay in Australia temporarily for a period of up to five years at a time. A parent must be outside Australia for at least 90 days before being eligible to apply for a further Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa. A parent will be able to hold visas up to a total stay in Australia of 10 years, reflecting that the visa is a temporary visa and does not lead to permanent residence.

Parents who have held Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas for the cumulative maximum 10 year period must either depart Australia or apply for another visa that will allow them to remain in Australia. They will not be eligible for grant of a further Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa.

The Balance of Family Test does not apply to this visa.

Sponsorship Eligibility

Only two parents per household can be sponsored for this visa at a time. The limit allows more households to sponsor a parent and reflects the potential costs a sponsor will be required to meet.

Sponsors must meet the following criteria:

  • the sponsor/parent relationship requirements (ie: a parent must be the biological, adoptive, or step-parent of the sponsor and a step-parent can only apply if they are still in a married/de facto relationship with a biological parent of the sponsor)
  • be aged at least 18 years of age
  • be an Australian citizen/permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who has been usually resident in Australia for four years
  • have met any prior sponsorship obligations
  • have no adverse information unless it is reasonable to disregard the information
  • have no debts to the Commonwealth or public health debts unless appropriate arrangements have been made for payment
  • a minimum household income threshold (based on the income of the sponsor, or the combined income of the sponsor and their spouse/partner and/or another child of the parent)
  • provide police clearances for any country they have spent more than 12 months cumulatively in during the past 10 years
  • authorise information to be shared with the visa applicant.
  • Sponsors must also agree to comply with sponsorship obligations in relation to the parent(s) they are sponsoring.
  • pay the sponsorship fee of $420.00AUD).


    • Visa eligibility

    Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa applicants must:

    • be sponsored by a person who is an approved parent sponsor
    • be at least 18 years of age
    • be outside Australia (unless invited in writing to apply by the Department), for at least 90 days if the applicant holds or has previously held a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa
    • not have engaged in payment for visas conduct
    • provide evidence of access to funds
    • provide evidence of health insurance
    • not have an outstanding public health debt (unless appropriate arrangements have been made to repay the debt)
    • satisfy health, character, and national security requirements.


      • Visa cost

      The visa application charge is: