A Parent visa Australia is to authorize the migration of parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, to Australia permanently. If certain conditions are met, individuals are eligible to apply for a parent visa under the Australian Parent category and can call their parents to come live with them. 

Types of Parent Visas:

Currently, there exist six categories of Parent visas that can be divided into two major groups.

• Non-Contributory
• Contributory.

The non-contributory parent visas are subject to restrictions known as “cap and queue”, this limits the number of visas that can be processed each year and the processing time for these visas can range from 25 to 30 years. On the other hand, contributory parent visas have much shorter processing times, providing more feasible options for applicants. However, these visas are significantly more expensive. The advantage of non-contributory visas lies in their lower costs.

Conditions for Parents Visa:

• These conditions include having a child who is either an Australian permanent resident, Australian citizen, or eligible New Zealand citizen, with the child having lawfully resided in Australia for the preceding two years prior to the lodging of the visa application. 
• Additionally, a sponsor, typically the child, must be present, and the applicant must satisfy the criteria for the Balance of Family test, which shall be further explained below. 
• Furthermore, the applicant must fulfill the health and character requirements. 
• The duration to live in Australia under a parent category visa depends on the particular subclass of the parent visa that is being applied for. Parent category visa can provide temporary residency in Australia for up to ten years and the 870 visa is not subject to the balance of family test requirements.
• Alternatively, the visa may facilitate getting Australian permanent residency. It is essential to have a sponsor when applying for a parent visa to live in Australia. The sponsor must be an Australian permanent resident, an Australian citizen who is at least 18 years old and has lived in Australia for a minimum of two years before the parent lodges their visa application. 
• In case a child is below the age of 18, any other person who is 18 or has permanent residency may act as a sponsor. This may include the live-in partner or spouse of the child or stepchild, a relative or guardian of the child or stepchild, a relative or guardian of the live-in partner or spouse of the child or stepchild, or a community organization. 

Balance of Family Test:

An application for a parent visa’s familial ties to Australia are measured by the balance of family test. To make sure that only parents who have strong ties to Australia are given a Parent visa, the test is done to determine what level of love and connection is with their children or stepchildren living in Australia.

A parent must clear the balance of the family test. The requirements are only fulfilled if at least half of the applicant’s children reside permanently in Australia and if the applicant has more children residing in Australia than in any other country.

Parent visa requirements

• Applicant The visa applicant is required to fulfill certain criteria. 
• Firstly, they must have a child who is an eligible Australian citizen, permanent resident, or New Zealand citizen. 
• Additionally, they must pass the ‘balance of family’ test, which necessitates that at least half of their children reside in Australia or that more of their children reside in Australia compared to any other single country. However, it should be noted that if the applicant holds an eligible subclass 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa, they are exempt from this test. 
• Furthermore, the applicant must pay an additional (‘contributory’) charge to the Australian Government before the grant of their visa.

Eligibility Criteria of Australian Child:

For the parent visa, the applicant’s child must meet certain requirements. 

• The child must be an Australian citizen, and a permanent resident and must have been settled in Australia for atleast two years. 
• The child must be at least 18 years old and sponsor the parents. 
• The applicant may be sponsored by their child’s spouse or partner.
• In case the child is under 18, the applicant may be sponsored by a relative or guardian of the child, or even by a community organization. 
• It will be the responsibility of the applicant’s child to provide the parent with a place to live and financial support for the first two years after they arrive in Australia.
• Only a handful of visas in this category are reviewed every year, which is a restricted quantity. The visa can be applied for either offshore or onshore visa, depending on where they are located.