Indian-origin permanent residents and citizens of Australia are eligible to apply for a parent category visa.
A parent category visa allows someone to live in Australia for up to 2 years (temporary resident) or as an Australian permanent resident.
The sponsor, son or daughter, must be a more than 18 years of age and who has been living in Australia lawfully for at least 2 years before he or she lodges a parent’s visa application.
Source: sagenext
In addition, the parent should meet the Balance of Family Test criteria and meet health and character requirements.
Seema Chauhan, a registered migration agent, tells us that this test is designed to determine the extent of a parent’s links to Australia.
The Department of Immigration Border Protection (DIBP) checks if at least half of the children live permanently in Australia.
In case a parent is unable to meet the balance of family test, depending on their circumstances they have some other parent visa options.
These options include:
1. Parent Visa (subclass 103)
2. Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa (subclass 173)
3. Contributory Parent Visa (subclass 143)
4. Aged Parent Visa (subclass 804)
5. Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) Visa (subclass 884)
6. Contributory Aged Parent Visa (subclass 864)
Given the number of migrants from different countries in Australia, these visas can be quite challenging to obtain.
In some cases, the application process is also quite extensive.
parent visa options Source: seema chauhan
Applications for all permanent parent category visas require an assurance of support from children.
This means that you are legally committing to give financial support so that they won’t rely on social security payments. 
Before applying for a parent visa, you must remember that the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection might limit how many people can get a certain type of visa each year.
visa application form and passport, apply and permission for foreigner country Source: Getty Images
This limiting of visa is called capping.
Parent and Aged Parent category visas are subject to capping.
Contributory Parent category visas are currently not capped.
So, if someone applies for a visa that has reached the capping limit, then he or she must wait in a queue until more visa places become available.
For example, the current processing time for Parent Visa (subclass 103) is up to 30 years.
To know in detail about the parent visa options and application process, listen to Amit Sarwal’s conversation with Seema Chauhan, a Queensland-based Registered Migration Agent and migration expert.
Seema Chauhan Source: seema chauhan
