Family is everything—and for many Australian citizens and permanent residents, having their elderly parents close by brings both emotional comfort and practical support. The Subclass 804 Aged Parent Visa provides a permanent migration pathway for parents of settled Australians to stay and live in Australia long-term.

At Migration Guru, we help families navigate the complex requirements of the 804 visa, manage long processing times, and ensure your application is complete, correct, and compliant from the start.

✅ What Is the Subclass 804 Aged Parent Visa?

The Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) is a permanent visa that allows an aged parent of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to live in Australia permanently.

To apply for this visa, the parent must be in Australia at the time of application and be of pension age as defined by Services Australia.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who Can Sponsor?

To sponsor an aged parent for the 804 visa, the sponsor must be:

• An Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
  • Settled in Australia, meaning they have lived in Australia legally for a reasonable period (typically 2 years or more)
  • Willing to sponsor and support the parent financially and meet Assurance of Support requirements when asked

🧓 Who Is Considered an ‘Aged Parent’?

The applicant must be of Australian age pension age, which varies depending on date of birth.

As of now, this means you must be at least 66 years and 6 months old, wit

h the age increasing gradually to 67 years depending on your birth year.

📋 Key Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the Subclass 804 visa, you must:

• Be onshore (in Australia) at the time of lodging your application
  • Meet the Balance of Family Test—at least half of your children must be Australian citizens or permanent residents, or more of your children live in Australia than in any other single country
  • Meet health and character requirements
  • Be able to comply with visa conditions if granted a bridging visa during processing
  • Have an eligible sponsor who is settled in Australia

🛫 Travel and Stay Conditions

Once granted, the Subclass 804 visa lets the parent:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely• Enrol in Medicare
  • Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
  • Sponsor other family members to join them
  • Travel to and from Australia freely for 5 years (after which a Resident Return Visa (RRV) is required to re-enter as a permanent resident)

🕰️ Processing Time Considerations

The Subclass 804 visa is part of the Parent visa category, which is subject to queueing and capping. As such, this visa has significantly long processing times, often up to 30 years or more.

However, applying for this visa onshore may allow the parent to remain in Australia on a Bridging Visa during the processing period.

Note: The Bridging Visa typically does not come with work rights unless hardship can be demonstrated.

🧾 Include Family Members

You can include your partner in the visa application.
Dependent children can also be included at the time of application or added before the Department makes a decision.

All family members must meet health and character requirements, even if they are not migrating.

📌 Important Obligations

After the visa is granted:

• The parent must enter Australia before the date specified in their visa grant letter
  • The parent and all family members included in the application must obey Australian laws• A sponsor must provide financial support as required during the sponsorship undertaking

👨‍💼 Why Choose Migration Guru?

The Aged Parent Visa is complex, highly regulated, and subject to long wait times and strict documentation requirements.
At Migration Guru, we provide:
✔️ Eligibility and Balance of Family Test assessment
✔️ Full sponsorship and application documentation
✔️ Bridging visa support and compliance advice
✔️ Assistance with health, character, and Assurance of Support obligations
✔️ Compassionate, professional support from MARA-registered agents

Whether you’re sponsoring one or both parents, we’ll help you lodge a complete, compliant application with a clear understanding of timelines and obligations.

📞 Contact Migration Guru Today

• Phone: +61-7-3036 3800
• Email: info@migrationguru.com.au
• Website: migrationguru.com.au
• Facebook: Migration Guru