Sponsoring Relatives After Gaining PR Through Visa 186
After gaining permanent residence through the subclass 186, you may be able to sponsor relatives to Australia. Each group of relatives has a different suitable visa — parents, partners, children and siblings each have their own pathway.
Sponsoring parents
This is the most common kind of sponsorship and also the most difficult in terms of waiting time.
Subclass 103 (Parent visa): The longest queue — the wait can be 20–30 years or more. The visa fee is lower.
Subclass 143 (Contributory Parent visa): Considerably faster but very expensive.
- Visa charge for the subclass 143: around $47,755 for the primary applicant (2024)
- Processing time: around 5–7 years
Subclass 804 (Aged Parent visa): For parents already in Australia who are of “aged” age — the wait is long, similar to the subclass 103.
The balance of family test: At least half of the parents’ children must be in Australia, or more must be in Australia than in any other single country. This is an important condition to check before lodging.
Sponsoring a partner
If you are a permanent resident and want to sponsor a partner who is not yet in Australia:
Subclass 309/100 (Partner visa, offshore): Lodged from outside Australia.
- Processing time: around 2–4 years
- The subclass 309 (temporary) is granted first, followed by the subclass 100 (permanent)
If your partner is already in Australia: the subclass 820/801 (onshore).
Sponsoring children
Minor children (under 18): usually included in your own application.
Adult children (18+): need a separate application, usually through the subclass 101 (Child visa), or the subclass 445 if already in Australia.
Adopted children: a different process, requiring additional documents.
Sponsoring siblings and other relatives
Australia does not have a visa to sponsor siblings directly. The options are:
- Siblings must apply for a migration visa themselves through skilled migration
- If a sibling has suitable skills: the subclass 189, 190, 491 or 482 through a separate employer
A permanent resident cannot directly sponsor a sibling through the family stream.
Overall cost of sponsoring parents
Beyond the visa charge, you also need to account for:
- Health examination costs
- Police clearance costs
- Document translation costs
- The Assurance of Support (AOS) for the subclass 103/143 — requiring the sponsor to commit to financial support
The AOS for the subclass 143 currently requires a bond of around $10,000 (for a couple) lodged with Centrelink for 10 years.