All posts by Alan Collett

Parent and Aged Parent Visa Processing Times – Number of Applications Lodged Presently

103 visa, 804 visas, , , ,

Go Matilda Visas has submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Australian Government and has obtained details of the number of non Contributory Parent visa applications under sub classes 103 (Parent) and 804 (Aged Parent) that were lodged and queued as at the end of December 2021.

As visa applicants and their families will be aware, the Australian Government presently advises a timeline for the granting of these visas of some 30+ years.

Schedules that detail the number of applications based on the queue date of the application are in the schedules below (pdf format).

It should be remembered that with visa sub class 804 a queue date is issued once an initial assessment of health and character – ie medical examinations and police clearances – has been completed successfully.

The total number of visas available across the subclass 103 and 804 visa sub classes was 900 in the program year to 30 June 2021, and is expected to be the same for the current program year that ends on 30 June 2022.

In addition, the Department of Home Affairs presently advises:

“Onshore Aged Parent (BP804) visas have been assessed up to Queued Date of December 2012.

Onshore Aged Parent applications with a Queued Date of December 2012 onwards are likely to take longer to process while we action offshore Parent (AX103) applications to bring the dates back to parity.”

At the time of preparing this blog the Parent Visa Centre is assessing subclass 103 visa applications that were queued up to October 2010.

Subclass 804 visa applications in train – 31 Dec 2021

Subclass 103 visa applications in train – 31 Dec 2021

Some High Level Thoughts

  • Given the details we have received and 900 visas allocated to these sub classes annually it will be some 7 years before subclass 804 applications are being assessed again by delegates at the PVC.
  • With a total number of visa applications under sub classes 103 and 804 of about 41,500, allowing for an attrition rate of (say) 15% (due to the withdrawal of the visa application – which might include transfers of applications to Contributory Parent visa sub classes 143 and 864; or the death of the visa applicant; or the failure to satisfy the health requirement), and a continuing annual number of visas granted of 900 we think the total processing time for a visa application under sub class 103 or 804 will be closer to 40+ years, rather than the 30+ years currently identified by the Department of Home Affairs – remembering that a queue date is usually forthcoming some 2 to 3 years after the visa application is submitted.
  • Of course, for subclass 804 visa applicants the difference between 30 and 40 years may not be overly significant, given the main applicant must be aged (as defined – presently 66.5+ years old) when the application is lodged.

Go Matilda Visas is a proactive firm of visa advisors.   We look after visa applications for a significant number of parents, and will be pleased to have an initial free no obligation conversation if you are intending to submit a parent visa application – whether this is for a non contributory or a contributory parent visa.

Please complete the enquiry form on this page if this is of interest.

 

 

 

Number of parent visa applications – Retirement visa pathway

143 visas

In the last 3 years subclass 410 (Retirement) and 405 (Investor Retirement) visa holders have been able to obtain permanent residency visas under subclass 143 or 103, without the need to have family living in Australia or to meet the balance of family test.

See the details discussed here.

In so doing these visa holders are able to access the Medicare public health care system in Australia.

Many subclass 410 and 405 visa holders are otherwise unable to access Medicare.

We have obtained details of the number of these applications in the system as at 31 August 2021:

Number of Retirement Pathway visa applications – at 31 Aug 2021

Given the Department of Home Affairs allocated 125 x Contributory Parent visas to Retirement visa pathway applicants in the year to 30 June 2021 and there were only 48 applications outstanding as at 31 August 2021 we consider that subclass 410 and 405 visa holders who apply now for permanent residency under subclass 143 can reasonably expect a permanent visa to be granted in the next 6 to 12 months, particularly if the application is decision ready and the visa applicants have no significant health issues.

Note: following enquiry of the Department regarding when we can reasonably expect subclass 103 visa applications made by subclass 410 and 405 visa holders to be processed we are advised that there is no allocation in the Migration Program for the year to 30 June 2022.   We therefore anticipate subclass 103 visas for Retirement Pathway applicants will start being processed in the Program year that starts on the 1st of July, 2022.    Information in this regard updated on 6 Jan 2022.

If you are a subclass 410 or 405 visa holder, would like to apply for permanent residency, and would like to have a free initial chat to discuss your options please complete the enquiry form on this web page.

Subclass 870 visa applications and Other parent visa applications – You need to submit them in the right order!

103 visa, 143 visas, 173 visas, 804 visas, 864 visas, 870 visas, 884 visas, , ,

The details of Australia’s migration regulations are ignored by many, particularly by those who don’t appoint a registered migration agent.

The consequences of doing so can mean parents and their children may need to spend years apart in different countries in the future – or you might find that you spend money on an application for a subclass 870 visa that has to be withdrawn if you want to also apply for a parent visa that provides for permanent residency.

Here are the details:

Schedule 1 of Australia’s Migration Regulations prevents a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa applicant or visa holder from applying for another permanent or temporary Parent visa.

Here are relevant extracts from the Regulations which pertain to the parent visas under subclasses 143, 173, 864, 884, 103, and 804:

If the applicant has previously made a valid application for another parent visa:

(i)  a decision to grant or to refuse to grant that visa has been made; or

(ii)  the application for that visa has been withdrawn

and

The applicant:

(i)  does not hold a Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa; and

(ii)  if the applicant held such a visa—has left Australia since that visa ceased to be in effect.

The same provisions do not apply for a subclass 870 application.

In other words, if you are thinking of applying for a subclass 870 visa as well as (say) a permanent parent visa under subclass 143 make sure you apply for the subclass 143 visa first.

Applying for a subclass 870 visa first will prevent an application being made for the subclass 143 visa, unless you withdraw the subclass 870 visa application – costing at least A$1,000 per visa applicant, plus (potentially) the family sponsor application fee of A$420.

And if a subclass 870 visa has already been granted the visa holder will not be able to apply for a permanent residency visa until the time the 870 visa has ceased to be in effect, and the individual has left Australia.

Visa strategy is therefore critical.

If you think you need help with your parent visa application Go Matilda Visas invites you to complete the enquiry form on this web page for a free initial discussion.

Once we have had an initial chat we can send details to you of our fee for assisting with a parent visa application.

Travel Exemption Applications Now Open for Parents

103 visa, 143 visas, 173 visas, 804 visas, 864 visas, 870 visas, 884 visas,

Australian Government Media Release

​From today, parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for a travel exemption, for travel to Australia from 1 November 2021.

Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said the changes would reunite many families separated by the pandemic.

See the full media release here.

Parent Visa Backlog Continues to Increase

103 visa, 143 visas, 173 visas, 804 visas, 864 visas, 884 visas
The Australian Government has published its report on the delivery of the 2020/21 Migration Program.
 
Page 56 of the report discusses parent visa processing activity and clearly shows the number of visa applications awaiting decisions continuing to rise, with new parent visa application lodgments comfortably exceeding the number of visas being granted annually.
 
For program year 2020/21 (with 2019/20 in brackets) the numbers are as follows – these numbers include Contributory and non Contributory parent visas:
 
Number of applications – 14,827 (12,664)
Number of visas granted – 4,500 (4,399)
Applications on hand at 30 June – 114,359 (108,659)