Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa

• reunite with children
• visit Australia for up to 3 or 5 years per visa
• re-apply for further Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas to visit up to a maximum period of 10 years in Australia

You cannot work in Australia while you hold this visa.

This is a temporary visa. This visa does not lead to permanent residence. You cannot apply for a permanent or temporary parent visa when you have applied for or hold this visa.

You can apply to stay in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, with a cumulative maximum stay of 10 years.

If you held a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa and were outside Australia on 1 July 2021, your visa period was automatically extended by 18 months under the COVID-19 visa concessions. If your visa was extended under this concession, the additional 18 months will not count towards your cumulative 10 year maximum stay.

You can stay for the period or date(s) specified on the visa grant letter.

Your visa will end:

• on the date specified on the visa grant letter
• we cancel it
• if your sponsor withdraws their sponsorship and you do not find a new Parent Sponsor
• if we cancel the sponsorship.

You cannot stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. If you wish to remain in Australia, you must apply for and be granted another visa.

If you are applying for another Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa, you must lodge your application from outside of Australia. This applies unless we have issued you with Permission to Apply in Australia (but not in immigration clearance).

If you apply for another Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa whilst outside of Australia, you will not be eligible for the grant of this visa unless you have been outside of Australia for at least 90 consecutive days since your relevant departure day.

You can calculate your relevant departure day based on your location when your last Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa ceased:

• If you were in Australia – your relevant departure day is the first day you left Australia after your visa ceased.
• If you were outside of Australia - your relevant departure day is the last day you left Australia while the visa was in effect.

If you have held Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas for the cumulative maximum 10 year period, you will not be eligible for a further Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa. You must either depart Australia or apply for and be granted another kind of visa that will allow you to remain in Australia.

You cannot include family members in your visa application.

You must have an approved Parent Sponsor to apply for this visa.

Your sponsor’s household is limited to one sponsorship at a time.

Your sponsor’s sponsorship can cover up to 2 parents per household at a time.

Your sponsor cannot lodge a new sponsorship application until their current approved sponsorship ends.

This visa costs from:

• AUD6,370.00 for a visa of up to 3 years; or
• AUD12,440.00 for a visa of up to 5 years.

Concessions apply in limited circumstances.

You pay for this visa in 2 parts called instalments.

Pay the first instalment when you apply. Pay the second instalment when we ask you to.

You might also need to pay other costs for:

• health checks
• police certificates
• biometrics.

For more information see Fee and charges for other services.

To see what this visa will cost, use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not consider the second instalment or other costs.

Cost for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application cost (VAC) applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application.

We will charge eligible applicants the lower VAC during the application process in ImmiAccount. We will recognise eligible applicants when they apply with a valid passport from one of the specified countries.

Family members are also eligible for the lower VAC. We base this on the passport of the primary applicant or visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria.

The primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of the following countries:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu.

You must be outside Australia when you apply for this visa, unless you have Permission to Apply in Australia (but not in immigration clearance).

Permission to Apply in Australia may be approved in exceptional circumstances. This may include where the parent cannot depart Australia, for example, because of:

• the parent having an accident or a serious illness (medical evidence must be provided) or
• a natural disaster preventing travel to the parent’s home country.

You can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when we decide your application.

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.

Your application might take longer to process if:

• you do not fill it in correctly
• you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

You must obey Australian laws and meet all visa conditions.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

To be eligible to apply, you must:

• be the biological, legal (including adoptive) parent, step-parent or parent in-law of the Parent Sponsor
• be at least 18 years of age

There is no balance of family test or Assurance of Support requirements for this visa.

You must have an approved Parent Sponsor to apply for this visa.

You must have met and complied with any previous visa obligations.

You must meet our health requirement.

You must meet our character requirement.

You must have, or have access to, enough money to support yourself while you are in Australia.

You must intend to:

• stay only temporarily in Australia
• do only the things the visa allows you to do.

If you have already lodged a permanent parent visa application, you may visit Australia, but not remain in Australia permanently while the application is being decided. This is a temporary visa only. You will not have the right to permanent residence. You cannot apply for a permanent or temporary parent visa if you have applied for or hold this visa.

You must have and maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance from an Australian Health Insurance provider to cover any unforeseen medical treatment you might need while you are in Australia.

See what we consider adequate health insurance.

Learn more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

Reciprocal healthcare agreements

Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal healthcare agreements.

If you owe the Australian Government money or you have a public health debt, you must have paid it back or have arrangements in place to pay it back.

Before you travel

You must have:

• a valid visa to enter Australia
• a valid passport or other travel document

At the border

Completing an Incoming Passenger Card

All people arriving in Australia must complete the Incoming Passenger Card.

Using the SmartGate

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate

What you must do when you have this visa

You must obey all Australian laws.

Tell us if things change

See what to do if your situation changes.

Change of Parent sponsor

If your approved Parent Sponsor withdraws their sponsorship you will need to find a new sponsor or your visa will cease.

The new sponsorship application must be lodged within 35 days of the original sponsorship withdrawal and the new sponsor must meet the sponsor eligibility requirements.

Where a new sponsorship is approved, the previous Parent Sponsor will still need to pay any outstanding health debts incurred by the sponsored parent in Australia while they were the parent sponsor.

If a new sponsorship is not approved, you will need to either apply for and be granted a different kind of visa to stay in Australia or make arrangements to leave Australia.

Death of a sponsor

If your approved Parent Sponsor dies, a new sponsorship application can be lodged to be your new Parent Sponsor. This must be done within 90 days of death of the approved Parent Sponsor.

The new sponsor must meet the sponsor eligibility requirements.

What you can do on your visa

To see your visa expiry and conditions use VEVO.

Travelling on your visa

You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

Visa label

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

Proving you have a visa

To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.

No work condition

You are not allowed to work in Australia while you hold this visa.

You can undertake the following unpaid work:

• providing care for grandchildren or other minor relatives in a domestic environment
• undertaking volunteer work in a non-commercial capacity such as assisting a charitable organisation
• assisting at a local school where the sponsor’s children or other minor relatives attend

However, you cannot undertake any unpaid work:

• in a commercial environment
• in a family business

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.

Ensure your visa is still valid

Check your conditions and the expiry of your current visa in VEVO

See what you can and must do if your visa has expired or is about to expire.

At the Border

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate

After you leave

Proving you have been to Australia

Request your international movement records to get proof of your travel in and out of Australia.

Your household is limited to one sponsorship at a time.

Your sponsorship can cover up to 2 parents per household at a time.

You can sponsor:

• one or both of your parents, or
• one, or both, of your partner’s parents, or
• one of your parents and one of your partner’s parents

You cannot lodge a new sponsorship application until your current approved sponsorship ends.

The sponsorship application fee is AUD420.00.

You can be in or outside Australia, when you lodge your sponsorship application.

You must agree that you will:

• provide financial support and accommodation for the sponsored parent while they are in Australia. This obligation ends if the sponsored parent is granted a permanent visa
• tell us if things change and if certain events occur. You need to let us know, for example, if you are charged with a crime or the sponsored parent dies. This obligation ends the day after you cease to be a sponsor
• pay back all outstanding public health debts incurred by the sponsored parent in Australia. This obligation ends when you have paid the debt back or have an approved arrangement in place to pay it back. You must pay the debt back even if the sponsored parent leaves Australia

You will need to make your commitment to the obligations when completing the sponsorship application.

If you don't comply with your sponsorship obligations, we might cancel your sponsorship and/or your parent’s visa.

Your sponsorship will end:

• if your permanent visa is cancelled
• if you die
• if you withdraw your sponsorship
• if the prospective visa applicant does not apply for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa within 6 months after approval of the sponsorship
• the day the granted Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa ends

You cannot lodge a new sponsorship application until your current approved sponsorship ends.

Some Parent Sponsor obligations will continue after the sponsorship ceases, including the obligation to pay any outstanding health debts incurred by the sponsored parent in Australia, even after their visa has ceased or they have left Australia.

You can withdraw your application to be a Parent Sponsor at any time before we decide on the application.

To withdraw your application, advise us in writing and include:

• your full name
• your date of birth
• the file reference number or Sponsorship Transaction Reference Number (TRN) we gave you when you applied
• a statement that you want to withdraw your Parent Sponsor application

You must lodge the request in ImmiAccount.

We will not refund the sponsorship application fee if you withdraw your application.

Removing an online application from ImmiAccount does not withdraw it. You must tell us in writing that you no longer want to be a Parent Sponsor.

To be eligible as a Parent Sponsor, you must be at least 18 years of age and be the child of the prospective visa applicant (or the child’s spouse or de facto partner).

You must also be:

• an Australian citizen, or
• an Australian permanent resident usually resident in Australia for at least 4 years or eligible New Zealand citizen usually resident in Australia for at least 4 years, and
• you have not been unlawful or held a bridging visa (other than a bridging visa A, B or C) during the last 4 years

If you are sponsoring your Partner’s parents, your Partner must also be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

You must have met and complied with any previous sponsorship obligations

If you owe the Australian Government money, you must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back.

You must pass the income test. To pass the income test, your taxable income for the most recent completed taxable income year prior to the date of lodgement of the sponsorship application, must be at least equal to, or greater than AUD83,454.80.

If you can't pass the income test yourself, you can combine your taxable income with your partner and/or another child of the prospective visa applicant who is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. If combining income, your taxable income must be at least 50 per cent of the taxable income amount specified to pass the income test.

You must meet our character requirement. See what you need to provide us on Step by step page.

You must agree to share information with the prospective visa applicant and government agencies where necessary.

You must agree to comply with sponsorship obligations

As an approved Parent Sponsor you agree to meet your sponsorship obligations.

If you do not meet your obligations

If you do not meet your obligations, we can consider:

• cancelling the sponsorship. This means any sponsored parents will need to find another sponsor or depart Australia
• barring you from sponsoring any further parents for a period of time

Your sponsorship will end:

• if your permanent visa is cancelled
• if you die
• if you withdraw your sponsorship
• if the prospective visa applicant does not apply for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa within six months after approval of the Parent Sponsor
• the day the granted Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa ceases.

You cannot lodge a new sponsorship application until your current approved sponsorship ends.

Some Parent Sponsor obligations will continue after the sponsorship ceases, including the obligation to pay any outstanding health debts incurred by the sponsored parent visa holder in Australia, even after their visa has ceased or they have left Australia.

Your household is limited to one sponsorship at a time.

You can request in writing to withdraw your sponsorship after it is approved. However:

• if a visa has not yet been granted to a sponsored parent, they will need to find a new sponsor or we will not approve their visa application
• if a visa has already been granted, their visa will cease

When a sponsorship is withdrawn, unless a new Parent Sponsor is approved for an existing sponsored parent(s), they must either leave Australia or apply for and be granted a different kind of visa to remain in Australia.

Where a new Parent Sponsor is approved, the previous Parent Sponsor will still need to pay any outstanding health debts incurred by the sponsored parent in Australia, while they were the Parent Sponsor.

If you want to withdraw your sponsorship, contact us.

Your household is limited to one sponsorship at a time.

Your sponsorship can only cover up to 2 parents per household at a time.

Approved Parent Sponsors are able to change their approved sponsorship arrangements if they wish to add or replace a sponsored parent.

To vary your sponsorship you need to lodge a new sponsorship application in ImmiAccount for approval as a Parent Sponsor. Use your existing Sponsorship Transaction Reference number (TRN) in the application form.

Adding a parent

If you are already an approved sponsor for 1 parent, you can apply to add another parent to your sponsorship.

The parent can be a new parent to the sponsorship or a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa holder (if their sponsorship has been withdrawn or their sponsor has died).

Removing a parent

If you are already a sponsor for 2 parents and you wish to remove a parent, you will need to withdraw your sponsorship for the parent you wish to remove. That parent must either leave Australia or apply for and be granted a different kind of visa to remain in Australia.

If you remove both parents from your sponsorship, your sponsorship will end. You will then need to re-apply to become an approved Parent Sponsor to sponsor any new parents.

Replacing a parent

If you are already a sponsor for 2 parents, and you wish to replace a parent, you will need to withdraw your sponsorship for one parent first, and then apply to add a new parent to your sponsorship.

You can request to vary your approved sponsorship through ImmiAccount. We will approve or not approve your request.

Sponsoring two new parents

If you wish to sponsor two new parents, you must withdraw your sponsorship for both parents. Your sponsorship will end. You must then apply for a new sponsorship.

Things you need to let us know about after you have applied include:

• changes to your phone number, address or passport
• changes to your marital or de facto status
• the birth of a child
• you are charged with a crime

See how to tell us if your situation changes.

A Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa does not lead to permanent residence. A parent cannot apply for a permanent or temporary parent visa when they have applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa.

If the prospective visa applicant is applying from outside Australia, the visa application must be lodged within 6 months of sponsorship approval.

If the prospective visa applicant is applying in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, the prospective visa applicant must have Permission to Apply in Australia. If the prospective visa applicant has Permission to Apply in Australia, they must apply within 60 days of sponsorship approval.

If the prospective visa applicant does not apply for the visa within 60 days of sponsorship approval, the Parent Sponsor may apply again for Permission to Apply in Australia, while we are processing the sponsorship application or before lodgement of the visa application, if the sponsorship is valid. To find out how, contact us.

If we do not approve the request, the visa application must be lodged outside Australia within 6 months of sponsorship approval. Otherwise, the prospective visa applicant must make an application for and be granted a different kind of visa to remain in Australia.