Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870)

Convenience With This Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa

• Unlike a standard visitor visa, this visa allows eligible parents to stay in Australia for a longer temporary period of up to 3 or 5 years at a time.
• It is designed for parents who want to spend extended time with their children in Australia without applying for a permanent parent visa.
• Parents may be able to apply for a further Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa later, but the total stay under this visa pathway cannot exceed 10 years.

This Visa & Its Current Paths

• This visa allows a parent to stay in Australia longer than a regular visitor visa, provided all visa requirements are met.
• It may be granted for 3 years or 5 years, depending on the application lodged and approved.
• It is a temporary visa only. It does not provide permanent residence through Subclass 870 itself.
• If a person applies for a further Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa, they must generally have been outside Australia for at least 90 days before making that further application.

Sponsorship And Its Eligibility Criteria

Sponsorship for this visa must be approved before the parent can apply. Sponsors must meet the Department’s sponsorship requirements and may be required to support the parent during their stay in Australia. The sponsorship framework is intended to reduce the likelihood that the parent will become a burden on Australia’s public systems.

Sponsors must follow specific criteria, such as:

• The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
• The sponsor must usually be at least 18 years of age.
  The sponsor must usually have been usually resident in Australia for at least 4 years before lodging the sponsorship application.
• The sponsor must not have certain kinds of adverse information recorded against them, unless it is reasonable to disregard it.
• The sponsor must not owe certain debts to the Commonwealth or public health authorities unless acceptable arrangements have been made to repay them.

The Eligibility Criteria For Visa

To be eligible for the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 870), the applicant must generally:

• Have an approved parent sponsor
• Be the biological parent, legal parent including adoptive parent, step-parent, or parent-in-law of the approved sponsor
• Meet health and character requirements
• Have adequate health insurance for the period of stay if required by visa conditions
• Not have any outstanding debts to the Australian Government, or have arrangements in place to repay them

This visa does not require the applicant to meet the Balance of Family Test, which is one of the key differences between Subclass 870 and permanent parent visa subclasses.

For How Long It Allows You To Stay?

This visa allows parents to stay in Australia temporarily for up to 3 years or up to 5 years, depending on the visa granted. It cannot be used to remain in Australia indefinitely through one grant. The total period a person can stay in Australia under this visa pathway is capped at 10 years.

If a person wants to apply for a further Subclass 870 visa after already holding one, they must usually be outside Australia for at least 90 days before lodging the further application.

How Long Will It Take For The Approval?

Processing times can vary depending on the completeness of the application, how quickly additional information is provided, whether health and character checks are required, and the overall volume of applications being processed by the Department. Applicants should check the latest Department of Home Affairs processing information at the time of application rather than rely on a fixed estimated timeframe.

Do You Get Work Rights?

No. Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa holders are generally subject to Condition 8103 – No paid work, which means they cannot work in Australia while holding this visa.