Sponsor Readiness
Check residence history, relationship and sponsorship issues before lodgement.
Temporary Parent Visa • Subclass 870
Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa Subclass 870
The Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa Subclass 870 allows eligible parents to spend an extended period with their family in Australia for 3 or 5 years.
The sponsor comes first
Get Help With Subclass 870
Unlike permanent Parent visas, the Australian family member must first be approved as a Parent Sponsor before the parent can lodge the visa application.
Parent Visa Support
Where Think Higher Can Assist
Income Review
Assess the AUD 83,454.80 threshold and whether eligible combined income can be used.
3 vs 5-Year Planning
Help determine which stay period better suits the family's plans.
Two-Stage Application
Assist with both sponsor approval and the later parent visa application.
Future Parent Pathway
Review whether choosing the temporary route could affect permanent Parent visa plans.
ImmiAccount & Evidence
Prepare the online applications and supporting documents across both stages.
Temporary Family Stay
A Longer Stay With Family
✓3 or 5-Year Stay
✓Multiple Travel
✓Up to 10 Years Total
✓No Balance of Family Test
✓No Age Pension Age Requirement
✓Temporary Family Reunion
This is a temporary visa and does not itself provide permanent residence.
Stage One
Start With the Sponsor
The process begins in Australia with the proposed Parent Sponsor.
✓
18 years or older
✓
Someone who holds Australian citizenship or permanent residency, or is a qualifying New Zealand citizen.
✓
Able to meet the income requirement
✓
Clear of relevant sponsorship or debt issues
✓
Able to meet applicable conduct requirements
For Australian permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens, 4 years of usual residence in Australia is generally required before sponsorship. Australian citizens can potentially qualify without that 4-year residence requirement.
Family Structure
Can Both Parents Be Sponsored?
Yes. One approved sponsorship can generally identify up to two parents.
Each parent must meet the criteria
Each parent needs to meet the visa criteria.
Separate visa applications
Each parent needs to lodge their own application.
Separate visa grants
Each parent needs to receive their own visa.
One parent is not simply included as the dependent of the other.
Approved Sponsor
Sponsor Responsibilities
Financial supportAccommodationRecord keepingReporting changesHome Affairs information requestsCertain public health debts
Home Affairs can also consider police history, sponsorship compliance and relevant Australian Government debts before approving sponsorship.
Stage Two
What the Parent Must Meet
Once sponsorship is approved, the parent is assessed separately.
Approved Parent SponsorAdequate FundsHealth InsuranceGenuine Temporary StayHealth & CharacterPrevious Visa CompliancePublic Health Debt Clearance
The parent can be a biological, adoptive or other legal parent, step-parent or parent-in-law where the applicable relationship requirements are met.
The parent does not need to be 67 or older.
The family test used for many permanent Parent visas does not apply here.
Adequate health insurance must be maintained throughout the stay.
The visa carries condition 8501. Medicare is not automatically provided, although some nationalities may have limited access through a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement.
Work Rights
Normal employment is restricted under condition 8103.
Families should therefore plan the parent's finances without relying on ordinary Australian employment income.
Stay Planning
Choose 3 Years or 5 Years
3-Year Stay
A shorter extended family stay.
5-Year Stay
A longer temporary stay before another application may be required.
10 Years Maximum
Across successive visas, the normal combined stay cannot exceed 10 years. The visa also allows multiple travel while it remains valid.
Applying Again
A further application may be possible if the parent remains within the 10-year cumulative limit.
For certain previous holders applying from overseas, there is generally a 90-day continuous period outside Australia before another application, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
A further visa is a new application, not an extension of the existing one.
Government Costs & Places
Cost, Processing & Annual Places
Stage 1 – Sponsorship Fee
Paid when the Australian family member applies to become an approved Parent Sponsor.
Stage 2 – Parent Visa Fee
The parent then pays the applicable visa charge. Different amounts apply to the 3-year and 5-year options, with installments involved.
Because Home Affairs fees are indexed, the current sponsorship and visa charges should be checked immediately before lodgement.
Health examinationsPolice certificatesHealth insuranceTranslationsProfessional assistance
Two separate assessments
This pathway is not part of the long permanent Parent visa queue.
- Sponsor approval
- Parent visa assessment
Processing varies depending on application completeness, health and character checks, document verification and Home Affairs caseload.
A maximum of 15,000 visas may be issued each year, with the program year running from 1 July through to 30 June. If the annual cap is reached, further grants cannot be made during that program year.
Two-Stage Process
The Two-Stage Application
Sponsor Applies
The Australian family member applies through ImmiAccount.
Sponsor Approval
The parent cannot lodge until sponsorship is approved.
Parent Applies
The visa application generally needs to be lodged within 6 months of sponsorship approval.
Upload Evidence
Provide identity, relationship, finances, insurance and other required documents.
Complete Checks
Home Affairs may request health, character or further information.
Final Payment & Decision
Any second installment is paid before grant.
Application Evidence
What to Prepare
Passport & StatusResidence EvidenceIncome EvidenceParent RelationshipPolice ChecksDebt Evidence
Passport & IDRelationship EvidenceFunds EvidenceHealth InsuranceVisa HistoryHealth & Character
Clear relationship evidence becomes particularly important for adoptive parents, step-parents and parents-in-law.
Plan Before You Choose
Think About Permanent Options First
This visa does not convert into permanent residence.
Families considering permanent pathways such as Parent Visa 103, Contributory Parent Visa 143, Aged Parent Visa 804 and Contributory Aged Parent Visa 864 should therefore consider the order of applications before choosing the temporary route.
Parent Visa Pathways
Quick Comparison
| Option | Best Understood As |
|---|---|
| 870 | Temporary 3 or 5-year family stay |
| Visitor 600 | Generally shorter visits |
| Parent 103 | Permanent, long queue |
| Contributory 143 | Permanent, higher government cost |
| Aged Parent 804 | Permanent onshore aged-parent pathway |
| Contributory Aged Parent 864 | Permanent contributory aged-parent pathway |
The right option depends on whether the family's priority is time together, permanent residence, cost, eligibility or waiting time.
Changes During the Visa
Important Family Changes
If sponsorship is withdrawn, another eligible sponsor may need to apply within 35 days. Otherwise, the parent's visa can potentially end earlier.
An eligible replacement sponsor generally has up to 90 days to lodge a replacement sponsorship application.
Yes. One sponsorship may identify two parents, but each parent must qualify for and receive their own visa.
Parent Visa Enquiry
Plan the Right Parent Stay
Think Higher Consultants can review the sponsor's income, residence history and family relationship, assess the parent's circumstances and assist with both stages of the application.
Book a consultation to discuss whether the 3-year or 5-year option suits your family's plans.