The Federal Government announced this month that the new Australian Temporary Sponsored Parent visa will be introduced in November 2017.
The Government stated that 15,000 visas will be available to parents of Australian residents annually under the new visa program.
If relevant, it is therefore important to lodge this application as soon as possible to obtain one of the available places.
Proposed Requirements of the New Australian Temporary Sponsored Parent Visa
The temporary sponsored parent visa will allow parents of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens to travel to and remain in Australia for periods of up to three or five years.
The visa may be renewed from outside Australia to allow a cumulative stay of up to ten years.
Sponsorship
To be eligible for a Temporary Parent visa, it is proposed that the applicant must be sponsored by their Australian child who must meet the following requirements:
- The sponsor must have been living in and contributing to Australia for a number of years. This is to ensure sponsors have had sufficient time to become engaged with the Australian community and to contribute to Australia financially. A longer period of contribution in Australia would provide a higher priority in eligibility; and
- The sponsor will be required to show they can support their parents, if necessary. This will include income and asset assessments.
Bond Arrangements
It is proposed that sponsors should be required to provide a financial bond as a debt security. This will enable the Australian Government to recoup costs where sponsorship obligations have not been honoured. It is suggested that the bond amount be ‘significant’ in order to cover a parent’s potential health costs over a five year period.
Visa Application
It has been proposed that the new Temporary Parent visa be granted with a stay period of up to five years, but that it could also be granted for periods of one, three or five years.
The length of the visa would be determined by the following factors, including:
- the needs of the applicant or their sponsoring child;
- the capacity of the applicant and/or their sponsoring child to support their stay in Australia;
- the health and age of the visa applicant; and
- the applicant’s previous immigration history.
Exact requirements for the new Temporary Sponsored Parent visa will be made available in November 2017.
For advice regarding Australian visas, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@hartmanlawyers.com.au for Australian immigration assistance.
Disclaimer:
The information on this website is intended only to provide a summary and general overview on relevant matters. It is not intended to be comprehensive nor does it constitute legal advice. You are advised to seek legal or other professional advice before acting or relying on any of the content contained in this website.