Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870)
The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa allows eligible parents of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens to spend an extended period with family in Australia.
This is a temporary, sponsor-first pathway. The child or other eligible sponsor must receive sponsorship approval before the parent lodges the visa application. The visa does not provide permanent residence and visa holders cannot work in Australia.
What is the Subclass 870 Visa?
Subclass 870 is designed for parents who want a longer temporary stay with family in Australia. Depending on the visa period selected and granted, a parent can stay for up to three or five years at a time, with a maximum cumulative stay of ten years under this visa subclass.
Unlike permanent Parent visa pathways, Subclass 870 does not require the Balance of Family test. It is a separate temporary option with its own sponsorship, financial, health, character and visa-condition requirements.
Key features
Approved Parent Sponsor requirements
The sponsor is generally the applicant's biological, adoptive or stepchild who is at least 18 years old, is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and is usually resident and settled in Australia. An eligible spouse or partner may assist in limited circumstances defined by Home Affairs.
The sponsor must meet the current taxable-income requirement, have no disqualifying sponsorship history, debts or adverse information, and agree to support the parent financially and provide accommodation when required. Sponsorship obligations can continue for the duration of the parent's visa.
Parent eligibility
The parent must be the biological, adoptive or step-parent of the approved sponsor or otherwise meet the prescribed relationship rules. They must have access to sufficient funds, hold adequate health insurance and satisfy health, character, identity, Australian Government debt and genuine temporary-stay requirements.
Each parent needs their own visa application. The effect of any previous Parent visa application, current visa, cancellation, refusal or no-further-stay condition should be checked before proceeding.
How the Subclass 870 process works
Assess the family and sponsor
Confirm the relationship, sponsor's Australian status, residence, income and sponsorship history.
Apply for sponsorship
The prospective sponsor lodges an Approved Parent Sponsor application with supporting evidence.
Wait for sponsor approval
The parent cannot lodge the Subclass 870 visa application until sponsorship has been approved.
Lodge within the permitted period
After approval, lodge the parent visa application within the timeframe and location rules stated by Home Affairs.
Complete checks and comply
Provide health, character, insurance and other requested evidence, then observe all visa conditions after grant.
Stay period and ten-year limit
A granted visa permits a stay of up to three or five years, according to the selected stream and decision. A parent may be able to apply for another Subclass 870 visa, but cannot remain under this subclass for more than ten years in total.
A further application does not automatically extend lawful stay. Parents approaching their permitted cumulative period should obtain advice early and plan for departure or another independently available visa pathway.
Application location and timing
The visa application is generally lodged outside Australia after sponsorship approval. A parent can apply in Australia only where Home Affairs has granted the sponsor permission for an onshore application, and the application must be lodged within the applicable post-approval timeframe.
Location requirements can affect validity, travel and bridging-visa arrangements. The parent should not travel, overstay or assume they can apply onshore without checking the conditions attached to their circumstances.
Work, study and health insurance
Subclass 870 holders are not permitted to work in Australia. Limited study may be possible, but the visa is not intended as a student pathway and government assistance should not be assumed.
Adequate health insurance must be maintained for the stay. Parents and sponsors should budget for private insurance, medical care, living expenses and travel because access to public benefits may be restricted.
Important Subclass 870 Considerations
- Obtain Approved Parent Sponsor approval before applying.
- Choose a three or five-year temporary stay period.
- Do not exceed the ten-year cumulative Subclass 870 limit.
- Maintain adequate health insurance throughout the stay.
- Observe the no-work visa condition.
- Follow the application location and sponsorship approval timeframe.
- Understand that this visa does not provide permanent residence.
Subclass 870 versus permanent Parent visas
Subclass 870 can provide family time without the Balance of Family test and without entering a permanent Parent visa queue. However, it is temporary, does not permit work and does not itself lead to permanent residence.
Permanent Parent and Contributory Parent visas have different eligibility tests, sponsorship arrangements, costs, queueing rules and residence outcomes. Lodging or holding one type may affect access to another, so pathway sequencing should be reviewed carefully.
Documents commonly required
Evidence may include passports, birth and relationship records, sponsor citizenship or residence documents, Australian residence evidence, tax assessments and income evidence, police certificates, health examinations, health insurance, financial-support documents and records addressing any previous sponsorships, visas or government debts.
How Echoes Global Education can assist
Our migration team can assess the parent and sponsor, explain temporary and permanent Parent visa options, prepare personalised evidence checklists, assist with the sponsorship and visa applications, and help manage timing, location and visa-condition issues.