From next week Australia will have a new visa which will allow Australian permanent residents and citizens to sponsor their parents to join them in Australia for up to five years. This renewable visa will be available from 17 April 2019.
The visa will allow parents and grandparents to join their children and grandchildren in Australia using a specially designed visa.
Australia realizes the important role parents and grandparents play in their children’s lives and focus much of their attention on facilitating the re-unification of families after immigration.
We took a look at some of the Questions and Answers about this visa posted on the Department of Home Affair’s in Australia (DHA) website.
Q: What is the temporary sponsored parent visa?
A: The new visa will allow Australians to sponsor their parents to stay in Australia for up to five years at a time.
Q: Why was it introduced?
A: The new visa provides an important cultural link for children of Australian migrants, while recognising the social benefits afforded through parent reunification, such as assistance with minding of grandchildren.
Additionally, this visa seeks to address long-standing community concerns about wait times under existing parent visa arrangements.
Q: Who is eligible to apply for a temporary sponsored parent visa?
A: This new visa arrangement is for parents (biological or adoptive) and step-parents of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and eligible New Zealand Citizens.
A step-parent can only apply if they are still in a married/de facto relationship with a biological parent of the sponsoring Australian child.
Only one set of parents per household (that is maximum two people) can be sponsored for this visa at a time.
Q: What requirements must a parent meet to be granted a temporary sponsored parent visa?
A: To be granted a temporary sponsored parent visa, a person must satisfy a number of requirements, including:
• having their Australian child approved as a sponsor
• meet identity, health and character requirements
• not having an outstanding public health debt in Australia.
They will also be required to hold, and maintain, health insurance, from an Australian provider, valid for their intended period of stay in Australia.
Q: How long will a temporary sponsored parent visa be valid for, and how many times will I be able to apply?
A: Once granted, the visa will be valid for either three or five years.
You can apply for, and be granted, this visa more than once but the maximum stay is 10 years in total.
Q: Will there be an English language requirement?
A: No. There is no English language requirement.
Q: Will holders of this visa be able to work?
A: A parent(s) cannot work on this visa. They may, however, assist with family childcare or undertake incidental, unpaid volunteer activities.
Q: What requirements must a sponsor meet?
A: A sponsor for a temporary sponsored parent visa must meet requirements specified in Migration Regulations in order for their sponsorship to be approved. These will include that the sponsor must:
• be a biological, adoptive, or a step-child of their parent
• provide valid evidence of their identity
• be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
• be 18 years or older
• have lived in Australia for at least four years
• meet a household income requirement
• meet character requirements
• accept legal liability for any outstanding public health debt their sponsored parent accrues.
Sponsors must also agree to undertake certain obligations in relation to those they are sponsoring.
Q: Will temporary residents be able to sponsor their parents?
A: No. Sponsorship eligibility will be limited to Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens.
Source: Department of Home Affairs Australia