If you want to live with your child in Australia, you can apply for the Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143), which will give you the right to permanent residence.
Eligibility Criteria for the Contributory Parent Visa 143
To be eligible for a 143 Visa for Australia, you and your sponsor (your child) have to fulfil the following requirements:
- Your child living in Australia must sponsor you.
- Your child must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
- You must adhere to the requirements of the Balance of Family Test, which means half your children or more must live in Australia rather than another country.
- Your child must agree to give you an assurance of support, which means they will cover your financial necessities and you will not rely on Australian government assistance.
- You must meet the health requirements associated with the 143 Visa. You will have to visit a doctor – as appointed by Australian Immigration Authorities – for a checkup.
- You must meet the requirement of good character.
- You must not have had an Australian visa cancelled or rejected in the past.
- You must not have a Sponsored Parent Visa (Subclass 870) at the time of application.
Who Can Be a Sponsor for the 143 Visa?
Your sponsor for the 143 Visa is usually your child, who is living in Australia as a citizen or permanent resident and who is over the age of 18. However, in specific circumstances, it can also be:
- Your child’s spouse or de facto partner who is at least 18 years old.
- If your child is under the age of 18:
- Your child’s spouse who is at least 18 years old.
- An Australian organization, with which your child has some sort of relation.
- If your child and their spouse are under 18: A relative or guardian of your child or your child’s spouse who is at least 18 years old.
Benefits of the Contributory Parent Visa 143
The 143 Visa allows you to live with your child in Australia permanently. In addition to that, you can also:
- Apply along with your immediate family members (spouse and children).
- Work and study in Australia.
- Sponsor other family members to join you, if they meet the criteria.
- Enroll under the Australian public healthcare system.
- Apply for Australian citizenship down the line.
Document Requirements for the Subclass 143 Visa
The documents you will be asked to provide for your 143 Visa application are:
- Your passport (if you are applying from inside Australia).
- Your birth certificate, with the names of both your parents included.
- Birth certificates of all the people included in the application alongside you.
- Family registration document, document of identification, issued by a government authority, or court-issued document verifying your identity, if you are unable to provide your birth certificate.
- 4 recent pictures, with 45mm x 35mm and in line with the Australian picture guidelines.
- Sponsorship for Migration to Australia Form 40, completed from the sponsor.
- Application Form for Parent Visa (Form 47PA).
- Birth certificates of all your children, showing the names of both parents. You have to include the birth certificates of the children who do not live in Australia as well.
- Adoption certificate if you have adopted children.
- Custody documents, if a child under 18 is applying along with only one parent.
- Marriage certificate, if any of the applicants is married or has been married.
- Divorce documents, if applicable.
- Death certificate, if any applicant is a widow/widower.
- Documents proving the name change, if applicable.
- Proof of military service, if applicable.
- Proof of having paid the first installment of the visa fee.
- If the sponsor is not your child: Proof of relationship.
Remember:
- All the documents you submit for an Australian visa application have to be certified.
- You may have to submit additional documents, as the Parent Visa Center requests.
Application Process for the Contributory Parent Visa 143
Both you and your child (sponsor) must be involved in the application process for the 143 Visa:
- Your sponsor has to complete Form 40, which is the Sponsorship Form for all parent visa applications.
- You complete the Application Form for Parent Visa (Form 47PA). Print it and attach it to the rest of your application documents.
- You have to gather all the required documents.
- You mail all the documents to your child/sponsor in Australia.
- Your child/sponsor attaches the Form 40 to the required documents.
- Your child/sponsor pays the first installment of the visa application fee.
- Your child/sponsor sends the documents by post or courier to the Australian Parent Visa Center. The mailing address is included on the application form for the visa.
143 Visa Processing Time
It can take up to five years to receive the final outcome of your visa application. The application goes through two rounds of assessment. According to the Department of Home Affairs, between the first assessment and until the visa is sent for final processing, it takes – approximately – 58 months minimum.
Although it seems like a long time, it is one of the quicker parent visa options, as the Parent Visa 103 can take up to 30 years to process – although it costs a lot less.
143 Visa Cost
The Contributory Parent Visa 143 fee, overall, is at least AUD 47,755. However, you pay the bulk of the cost only once your visa is sent for final processing, as most Australian visa fees are paid into two separate instalments:
- Initial installment: AUD 2,800 for the main applicant and:
- AUD 1,400 for each adult dependent.
- AUD 750 for each dependent under the age of 18.
- Second installment: Approximately AUD 40,000 – the Department of Home Affairs notified you when you have to pay and how much.
Remember: If you have already applied and paid for the 173 Temporary Contributory Visa, you only have to pay the difference between the two on the second installment, which is approximately AUD 10,000 for the main application. This method of application allows you to spread out the payment through several years.
Can I Apply from Inside Australia?
Yes, you can apply for the 143 Visa if you are already in Australia. However, when you receive the outcome of your visa, you have to be outside Australia, unless:
- You hold or held a Temporary Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 173) or a Substituted Visitor Visa (subclass 600) at the time of visa application and:
- You made the application before 24 March 2021.
- You were in Australia on 24 March 2021
- You are a retiree.
Do Sponsors Have to Provide Assurance of Support for 143 Visa?
Yes, your sponsor you has to provide you with an Assurance of Support before you can receive the visa. This requirement is waived if you are applying as a retiree.
The Assurance of Support is a “legal agreement”, in which your sponsor agrees they will pay back the Australian government for any financial support it has provided you with. The sponsor may also have to pay a bank guarantee.
This is usually done toward the later part of the application process, and the DHA will notify you on when you should do this.
Can I Apply for the 143 Visa as a Retiree?
Yes, you can apply for a Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143) as a retiree if:
- On the date of 8 May 2018, you were holding or had previously held an Investor Retirement (subclass 405) visa or a Retirement (subclass 410), and
- Between the date of 8 May 2018 and the date you submitted the 143 Visa application, you haven’t had another substantive visa.
What makes applying for a 143 Visa as a retiree different is that:
- You don’t have to meet the Balance Of Family test.
- You do not need a sponsor nor an assurance of support.
Can I Travel to and From Australia if I Have a 143 Visa?
Yes, you can. However, while you can come and go as many times as you want for the first five years, after that, you have to get a Resident Return visa (RRV). The purpose of the RRV is to allow you re-enter Australia as a permanent resident if you depart.
Another option is applying for Australian citizenship and subsequently a passport. This will not only allow you to leave and re-enter Australia indefinitely, you will also be able to visit over 180 countries without a visa.