Family migration typically includes partner sponsorship, parent sponsorship and child sponsorship. These types of visas involve two main parties: the sponsor and the sponsored person. The sponsor must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen above the age of 18 or an Australian permanent resident. The sponsored person must be a close family member or their dependent minor.
Partner Visa
This category of visas typically involves a two-stage process, comprising the Subclass 309 and 100 visas for offshore applicants, and the Subclass 820 and 801 visas for onshore applicants. Additionally, there is also a 300 Prospective Marriage visa.
Firstly, applicants apply for a temporary partner visa (Subclass 309 or 820), based on either marriage or de facto relationship. Two years later (note: the two-year period is counted from the date of lodging the visa application, not from the date of approval), applicants can apply for the permanent partner visa (Subclass 100 or 801). The advantage of this type of visa is that there are no age, language, or work requirements for applicants. The key is to prove that the relationship with the sponsor is genuine and ongoing.
The Subclass 300 visa is designed for intended spouses who plan to get married. Typically, this visa has a validity period of 9 months, during which the applicant is expected to get married and register their marriage. Then it usually follows the process of Subclass 820-801 visas.
Parent Visa
This visa category primarily consists of two subclasses: the 143 and 173 visas. Under the current policy, processing parent-sponsored visas involves paying a certain contribution fee to the government, which is around $40,000 to 50,000 per person.
The 143 visa is a direct permanent residency visa that requires a one-time payment of the aforementioned fee. On the other hand, the 173 visa is a temporary visa with a validity period of two years and allows the contribution fee to be paid by two instalments.
Applicants for parent-sponsored migration need to pass the Balance-of-Family Test. In simple terms, this means that more than half of the applicant’s children must be residing in Australia. In addition, there is a requirement for Assurance of Support, where a financial guarantor can be the sponsor of the visa application or another individual. An Assurance of Support of approximately 14,000 AUD needs to be provided, which will be refunded after 10 years of the visa being granted.