173 – Australia Contributory Parent visa (Temporary)
The Contributory Parent visa (subclass 173) is a temporary visa for parents who want to join their child(ren) in Australia. This visa forms the first stage of a two stage application process which may lead to permanent residence in Australia.
Applying for a Contributory Parent class visa carries the benefit of avoiding the long waiting period applicable to Parent Visa (subclass 103) applicants.
The application charges for this visa stream are significantly higher than those of the traditional Parent visa, although costs can be spread over a number of years. The bulk of the fees are payable when lodging the permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143).
- Introduction
- Visa Applicants
- Visa holders
Introduction
If you have one or more children in Australia who are eligible to sponsor you, you may be able to apply for a Contributory Parent (subclass 173) visa.
What you can do with this visa
Holders of a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 173) are:
- permitted to reside in Australia
- eligible to apply for Medicare (health care)
- allowed to work or study in Australia
Visa Applicants
To be eligible for a contributory parent visa there are certain criteria that must be met:
The applicant
- the applicant must have a child who is an Australian citizen, or
- a permanent Australian resident, or
- an eligible New Zealand citizen
The sponsor
If your child is not an eligible sponsor, you may be sponsored by the following persons:
- your child’s partner
- guardian or family member of your child
- guardian or family member of your child’s partner
- a community organisation
Visa holders
If this visa is granted, the applicant and any additional applicants must comply with all Australian laws.
The sponsor
The sponsor is required to assist their family members and help them settle in Australia by providing the following:
- moral support
- adequate accommodation
- financial support
Assurer of Support
The assurer is obliged to:
- give sufficient financial support so that you or any accompanying family members do not have to rely on any government support, and
- reimburse the Australian Government for any recoverable social security payments, this includes payments made by Centrelink to you and any others covered by the Assurance of Support
- pay a refundable security bond before the visa is approved
The Assurance of Support must remain in place for you and your family members for ten years from:
- the date of entry if the application was lodged outside Australia , or
- the date the visa was granted if the application was lodged in Australia
Assurance of Support
An Assurance of Support (AoS) is a legal undertaking by the sponsor, family relative, an organisation, or any other person who may be eligible to be an assurer, to repay certain social security payments to the Australian Government which has been paid to a person or their family members applying to migrate to Australia during their AoS period.