Category Archives: 103 visa

Parent visa numbers – Ukrainian visa processing

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The Immigration Minister in the previous Australian Federal Government announced earlier this year that visas for Ukrainian nationals would be processed as a priority.

This has been given effect by Ministerial Direction number 98.

We have received confirmation from the Department of Home Affairs that there has been no increase in the total number of parent visas available for Program Year 2022-23 at this time, which presently remains at 6,000 in total across the Contributory and non-Contributory visa categories.

The Retirement Visa Pathway to Permanent Residency – Latest Details

103 visa, 143 visas

The Retirement Pathway to permanent residency was introduced in 2018 for subclass 410 and 405 temporary visa holders.

Under this pathway holders of subclass 410 and 405 visas can apply for permanent visas under subclass 143 or 103.

Since this Pathway was introduced subclass 143 visa applications have been processed quickly; applicants for subclass 103 visas – the cheaper option – have been waiting to hear from the Department of Home Affairs.

At the time the Pathway was introduced the indications were that Pathway applicants for 103 visas should expect to have a wait of 4 or so years.

We await news as to the commencement of processing of these visas.

In the meantime we can advise the following details, which we have received following a Freedom of Information request of the Australian Government:

As at 31 July 2022 there were on hand 207 Parent (Subclass 103) and 14 Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa applications for the Retirement Pathway.

 

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

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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.

 

 

 

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

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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

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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.