Parents Visa

[Nessa]

I brought my parents out here 4 years ago. We had two options one was the "aged parent visa" that could take up to 10 years to be processed during which time they could live here, but not work. The other was the "contributing parent visa". The latter cost over $70,000 plus a health deposit totaling $14,000 for them both. We stupidly opted for the contributing parent visa as my parents wanted to work. They put over $80K into it and then invested the rest of their money into a business for which I got a loan and stood guarantee. If I had it over again I would have gone for the relatively free aged parent visa as they worked in the business that was under my name anyway, and I am their guarantee and support system. The aged parent visa, once granted, allows them to work for a max of 20 hours per week. My parents threw so much money into it and then into a business, and my father passed away this year. They paid all that for 3 years and now we have to sell the business we bought because it is too much for my mother, and I work full time. she is left pretty much dependant on me. My advice is, if your parents are aged but want a little business and you are going to be guarantee, dont throw a lot of money at it. Bring them out on the aged parent visa for next to nothing, support them and take things in your name. Dont do what I did.

I'm so sorry to hear that your father passed away. That must have been especially hard after they had just started their new life in Aus

I do think people should be aware that there are some risks to the non-contributary parent visa route, however:

First, if I understand correctly, should their tourist visa contain a 'no further stay clause', not uncomon for RSA passport-holders, they would not be able to remain in Australia while their application was being processed.

Second, as people on this forum have experienced, DIAC can and do change their policies on the granting of different visas as and when they see fit. There's no guarantee until you have that pink slip in your passport, and the longer the waiting period the more things can change.

Three, the much longer processing time means that medicals will be delayed by several years. That could mean the difference between getting in and not making it. My mom did hers 2 years ago, no dramas, but honestly I'm not sure she would get through today - scary!!!! A few years can make a big difference later in life.

Four, if medical concerns do unfortunately develop, medicare is good to have. Those on 457s would have more information, but I don't think private health insurance alone covers everything you might need.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I don't want to argue, but I hope people making the huge decision to bring their parents over will consider it from all angles.

ETA: Trevil and Fern, big congrats on your new jobs!!!!

Edited August 15, 2011 by Nessa

[Fern]

It's my turn I got my PR visa

wow but August has been good to me!

New job, new visa, all at once.

Fern

[RichtB]

This waiting without any inormation on the visa application progress, sometimes gets too much! Two grandchildren in Aus, that we were fortunate to be present when they were born in May and July - things need to speed up. Skype is a poor replacement for being there in person.

[seemelau]

Hi everyone,

Firstly i recently got PR...sooo happy! Now the next goal is my parents so i have a few questions, can anyone help?

- When my grandparents went to south africa the south african system changed my family's surname of which my dad kept for a little while until he got married and then had kids; he then decided to change it back to our original surname. Do we need to notify immigration on this

- Do my parents need to have a minimum amount of money coming to Sydney?

- Can i lodge the papaerwork together here is australia; ill get my parents to courier their documents to me.

Thanks.

Chris

[rozellem]

Hi everyone,

Firstly i recently got PR...sooo happy! Now the next goal is my parents so i have a few questions, can anyone help?

- When my grandparents went to south africa the south african system changed my family's surname of which my dad kept for a little while until he got married and then had kids; he then decided to change it back to our original surname. Do we need to notify immigration on this

- Do my parents need to have a minimum amount of money coming to Sydney?

- Can i lodge the papaerwork together here is australia; ill get my parents to courier their documents to me.

Thanks.

Chris

Hi Chris, I'm no expert, but your plan sounds a bit deurmekaar. What visa does your parents qualify for? The DIAC website will have all the information about where they can lodge, how much money they/you will have to cough up, how many years it will take for the visa to be granted, etc. Please PM either Ajay or Stephen Dickson on the forum for a run through of how exactly to get your ducks in a row. Good luck to you and them.

[RichtB]

Will keep fingers crossed for the 3rd Fern. Yes I can udnerstand the confusion but it will soon be sorted I am sure.

This process takes its path at times fast and then sometimes slow.

My mom got word yesterday we have to pay the last money - in principle her visa has been granted!

Whohooooo!

Nats,

Was your mom's application done onshore or offshore? If offshore how long did it take from lodging the application paperwork to the appointment of a CO/and or queing date?

Edited December 29, 2011 by RichtB

[Stuart and Jill]

I was woundering if anyone has had any experience in getting their parents into Australia. I hear that it is very expensive to do $34,330 per a person just for medicare and takes 18 months. My parents do not hav this kind of money.

Any suggestions?

Rene

I'm not sure about about current requirements, but we got my dad in as a dependant on our VISA. We came on a skilled regional visa 4 years ago and got PR last year. We were all eligible for Medicare (including my dad) once we got PR. Medicare covers some things but not others . I have to pay for dentist visits and optician visits for dad so check the Medicare eligibility.

Proving dependency was a mission. We had to prove both emotional and financial dependency so it is not a path that will work for everyone.

[RichtB]

Received request from DIAC (via agent) for our medical exam results and police clearance on 10 Mar. Will make appointment for medicals tomorrow and get fingerprints taken at SAPS this week still! Our son has also been requested to start and complete the AoS procedure with Centrelink within 21 days. Needless to say, but there was a fair amount of activity between here and Perth on Skype today.

So after nearly 14 months after our application was lodged, we are hopefully heading towards the completion of a succesful application.

[Short&Tall]

Congratulation RichtB - hope it all moves along smoothly.

[RichtB]

Medical assessment, X-rays and figerprints for PC completed last week Thursday. Assurance of Support documents handed in at Centrelink. Waiting starts again, but we are glad that we are at this stage of the application process. The end is in sight - still a bit bit blurred though!

[Zim]

Hi everybody. I have not yet even got my own visa but I am already thinking about my mom. Can anyone advise me on whether your parent has to be a certain age in order to wait onshore for a parent visa (either contributory or not).

Many thanks

[Short&Tall]

I think they have to be 'aged' for the onshore options. Retirement age.

[RichtB]

As requested by Centrelink, AoS bond will be lodged at Commonwealth Bank on Thursday 5 April. I suppose (hope that?) the next request will be for the payment of the 2nd and last fees to DIAC. Anybody know how long (more or less) it takes:

1. For the request of the 2nd payment after AoS bond was registered

2. Visa grant after 2nd payment has been made

Having an idea will help to do some forward planning

[miraclebabycaw]

Hi all..wondering if anyone been through or have any advice for me. I'm sitting regretting some advice right now, and not sure if we were give correct advice (although in my heart it was a very tough call and the advice was sound). This is the deal. My mother lives with us, and has for the past 12 years. My dad died when I was 3 and I'm an only child. She is British and grew up in the war and did not have a good education (had to leave school at 15), so worked in very menial jobs her whole life trying to bring up me. She has emphysema although it is not life threatening right now, and she has seen a specialist. She is on pumps every month but not oxygen. Because of this we had a long discussion with our agent and he advised that we don't put her on our 176 application because if she fails, we all fail (which is correct). I got advice from another woman who is in the UK who is not an agent but has done a lot of work with parent visas etc and she said we should add her because we can appeal and all that jazz, and if not we can always take her off before it is granted. My agent said that yes we can appeal, but the issue with appeal is it goes to the courts, can cost a lot of money and at the end of the day if they still deny her then we still all lose our visas. His recommendation was get your 176 visa, you have a year to activate it, and in total 5 years to move, and a lot can happen in 5 years. Once we have the visa we can then look at what options are available for her. So now we have our visa and want to be over by the end of the year. It's a case of if we don't move now, we won't be able to as my daughter is already 12 and I don't want to wait till she is 15/16 and then start trying to move her..looking for trouble. Anyway now we sit with the crux. My mother has a British passport so can get a visitor subclass 976 visa pretty easily without too much hassle. This is only valid for 3 mos. I got the impression that this would be fine as she could go with us, and before the time runs out we could apply for a parent visa. We just cannot afford a contributory parent visa, and to be honest again, I don't know if she would pass. She is 74 already..If I had thought she would pass, we would have put her on our 176 visa. So the thought was, we pay for medical cover, apply for an aged parent visa, and just wait. The wait time is like 10-12 years currently. The downfall is in 10 years she would be a lot worse, but to be perfectly honest as much as it pains me, I don't think she will be around in 10 years time. I will quite happily pay the private helathcare costs (which we do in SA anyway). The problem now comes in, in that according to the law we can only apply once we are "settled" which according to the agents should be 2 years, however they say that usually 8 months is enough if we have jobs, kids in school, long lease etc, which we should all have in 8-9 months time. Sooo I looked again and I can get her one of 2 other visa's, an eVisitor visa subclass 651 which allows multiple entries for up to 12 months but only for up to 3 months at a time, or a tourist subclass 676 visa (we would have to put all the money necessary into her bank account first etc etc), but I am concerned about them adding a condition 8503 on this sort of visa so then we would be stuck if after 9mos - year we wanted to apply for the aged parents visa.

Of course the other alternative is to try rent a place for a year here for her, but really she has NO ONE. She has no money besides a very small british pension of 93 GBP every month. She had a small provident fund which she used to build a flat on our property with (well partial payment as it was not enough). We pay her money every month to cater for this as what we pay her is more than she would have gotten every month with that money invested. I will be worried sick the whole time.

Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts. I know it's a very tough decision, but my 2 kids have to be my focus. I just can't think about not taking her with, but at the end of the day my kids have to have a future. It sounded so easy, just take her with on a tourist visa and apply once in Oz, but for that she needs to be able to stay for at least 12 months with no other restrictions.

Sorry for the book all.

Thanks for any suggestions

[Nessa]

MiracleBaby, I'm so sorry you're facing such a dilemma It is great that you take such good care of your mom as well as your own family. It sounds like you have made the best decisions to ensure that your mom can spend her remaining years with you in Aus, now it is just getting her here! Thank goodness she has the British passport; it does make getting a tourist visa easier! If you got the visa where she can come for three months at a time over a year, is there anyone she could stay with out of the country (in RSA or the UK?) for the time she'd have to spend away? As soon as the application is submitted, she will go onto a bridging visa when the tourist visa expires. It sounds like you are happy with the information and results you've had from your agent, but you could also consider talking to a migration lawyer when you get here and getting another opinion.

I guess I dont really have much help to offer, but just wanted to let you know that I feel for you and I really hope it all works out!!

[Dryad]

Hi MiracleBaby,

Sorry have no advice to give, but would just like to say my heart goes out to you. This is something that I will probably have to go through when our time comes, my mother is widow and even thou she is not currently staying with us I am very scared to leave her behind in SA.

All the best to you and your family and hope you find an answer!

[Short&Tall]

Hi Miracle Baby

It might be worth looking for a migration agent that specialises in medical issues. I have seen some turn around by George Lombard. Including Estelle on here a family who were refused on medical grounds.

George has a Dr on his team and I am sure will be able to advise 1) on your mothers chances of getting here and 2) the best way to provide the evidence required 3) and whether to apply on or offshore etc. (and what to do if they do put a no further stay on her visa - is there a way around it).

Good luck

[miraclebabycaw]

Thanks all. What we sofar have found out is that we can possibly apply after 8-9 months onshore. Australian government wants you "settled" which normally means 2 years when you apply, but they will look at shorter periods if the circumstances warrant it and our agents have said we should be able to apply at around 9 mos because by then we should have the kids in school, have a long term lease, have jobs etc. We have looked at possibly getting her into a care facility this side for around 3 months. Before we leave we will apply for a tourist visa which is valid for a year (I mean that she has a year to enter Australia on this visa). We can apply for up to 12 months but I have heard that even on British passports they often attache the no further stay clause. This would mean that she would have to exit Australia and apply for another Visa. On a British passport she can get a 3 month eVisitor one fairly easy but if she has already had a 12 month one they are likely to question it. So the thought was to apply for a 6 month tourist visa, leave her in managed care here for 3 months and then bring her over on the 6 month visa. Just before the Visa expires we will do the application onshore. She should then get a bridging visa to stay. This being said, for the 6 month visa they might want a medical. If they do?? Well we will have to wait and see..can't worry about that too much now.

Thanks for the info on George Lombard, will definitely explore that route as well.

[RichtB]

Getting a bit restless, it is nearly 2 months since the AoS bond, as requested, was paid. How long after paying the AoS bond can one expect to hear about the 2nd and last payment?

[Nane]

Hi Miraclebaby,

The e-visitors visa is valid for twelve months, provided that the holder does not stay more than 3 months at a time. My husband is French and also comes in on a e-visitors visa and we just make sure he never stays more than 3 months at a time (he travels to Indonesia regularly and re-activate his e-visa on entry back into Australia). In your mothers case, if she comes in on an e-visitors visa you can fly to Noumea (there are always cheap deals and it is only a 2 hour flight) or new Zealand for a weekend. You may even opt for a short cruise. At least this way you can buy her some more time and in total have a year to apply for her visa. And remember, once your mother is over 75 she will have to do medicals before she can get a visitors visa, so I will go for the quickest and easiest option to get her here and take it from there.

[Jordy]

Can someone please tell me if we can submit for the 143 PR Contributory Parental Visa without one birth certificate? We have all documentation except we are struggling to get the birth certificate for my wife's sibling remaining in South Africa. We really want to get my MIL's application in before 30 June. Can we lodge and then add it at a later date? We going to be waiting 2 years anyway before they process it.

[RichtB]

Hi Jordy,

Speaking under correction, but I think you can submit with the birth certificate outstanding. Provided you indicate that you have applied for it and will submit as soon as it is in your possesion (certified copy or perhaps scanned pdf file?).

[miraclebabycaw]

Hi Nane

Thanks we have looked at that option because she has a British passport. The only problem is that she will be 75 by the time we go and even on an e-visitor they can ask for a medical to be undertaken. I was under the impression that the e-visitor was for 3 months single entry. I know it says You can stay in Australia for up to three months on each visit within a 12 month period from the date of grant, but I read on another forum of people going out of Oz within that 12 months after their first visit and having it stamped on exit saying no further entry..which concerns me. We just thought maybe leaving her in SA for 3 months then applying for a 6 month tourist visa would maybe be a better option, but I will definitely keep this route in mind. It will also be expensive to hop out of oz at least twice in 9 months not to mention the toll of flying on her body as she is not a happy flyer..but we will cross that bridge when we come to it I guess.

Thanks for the info

Shona

[RichtB]

Parent Contributory Visa. On average, how long does it take from paying the AoS bond at Commonwealth Bank, till DIAC request the payment of the 2nd VAC? AoS bond payment was made nearly 4 months ago!

[miraclebabycaw]

That really sounds a bit long to me, but I am no expert. If I might suggest (and Jordy you can shout at me if I'm not allowed to do this), there is a lady on pomzinoz called gollywobbler who has answered stax of questions around the contrib visas. She is a lawyer in the UK and has helped me with the issues on my mom as well. She did the same visa for her mom a few years ago. She has contacts all over as well and could probably give you very sound advice about it. I do see though that you say you signed with an agent..what do they say?

edited to add..we live around the corner from you guys..well just about LOL.. we are in Mondeor

Edited July 17, 2012 by miraclebabycaw