Parent Visa (subclass 103)

The Parent Visa (Subclass 103) is a permanent visa that lets a parent move to Australia if their child is a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, and the parent meets the visa requirements.

Applicants must meet various criteria, including the “balance of family” test, which requires at least half of their children to be living in Australia as citizens or permanent residents.

The main requirements are:

• an eligible child settled in Australia
• an approved sponsor
• meeting the Balance of Family Test
• meeting health and character requirements
• paying the applicable visa charges
• lodging the correct application forms, including Form 47PA and Form 40.

The Balance of Family Test measures a parent applicant’s family links to Australia. A parent usually passes if at least half of their children or stepchildren are eligible children, or if they have more eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country.

Yes. Eligible members of your family unit, such as your spouse or de facto partner, may be included in the application if they meet the relevant requirements.

There is no simple fixed processing time for Subclass 103. Parent visas are subject to capping and queueing. Home Affairs assesses valid applications, assigns a queue date once core criteria are met, and then releases places according to the migration program.

Yes. Subclass 103 is a permanent parent visa. It lets successful applicants live in Australia permanently.

Yes. As a permanent visa holder, you can work and study in Australia.

Possibly. The official Subclass 103 page provides options for checking whether you can apply in or outside Australia, and your ability to apply while in Australia can depend on your current visa conditions, including whether you are affected by a “no further stay” condition.

Yes. Parent visas are part of the family migration program and are subject to annual planning levels, capping and queueing, which is why waiting times can be very long.

Yes. Subclass 103 is a permanent visa, and the official visa page states that holders can enrol in Medicare, Australia’s public healthcare scheme.

A Subclass 103 holder may be able to sponsor eligible relatives, but only where the relevant migration rules for that visa category are met. Holding Subclass 103 does not automatically guarantee sponsorship rights for every family member.

Subclass 103 holders must comply with Australian laws and any visa conditions that apply. They may also need to meet standard obligations such as keeping their details updated with the Department when required. Where applicable, applicants and adult family members may also sign the Australian Values Statement as part of the migration process.

Yes. Subclass 103 holders can travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the date the visa is granted. After that, they may need a Resident Return Visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident if they travel overseas.

The best source is the official Department of Home Affairs website, especially the Subclass 103 visa page, the Parent visa processing pages, and the required forms such as Form 47PA and Form 40.