Australia is known for its welcoming immigration policies, especially when it comes to family reunions. One such visa that supports this purpose is the old original visa subclass 804. This visa allows Australian citizens, permanent residents, or the elderly parents of New Zealand citizens to live permanently in Australia. If you want to bring your elderly parents to Australia so that they can enjoy being close to their loved ones in their later years, then 804 visas can be the right choice.

In this post, we will detect the INS and Outs of 804 visas, including its eligibility requirements, application process, benefits and major ideas before applying.

What is the old parents visa (subclass 804)?

The Older Parents Visa (subclass 804) is a permanent visa that allows Australian citizens, permanent residents, or parents of New Zealand citizens aged 55 or older to live indefinitely in Australia. Unlike some temporary parents' visas, the 804 visa provides a permanent residence from the beginning, including the final eligibility for healthcare, social security, and citizenship.

A major point is that this visa is designed for older parents - which meet the age requirement for age pension in Australia, which is currently 67 years (until 2025), but depends on your date of birth.

Who is eligible for Visa Subclass 804?

To qualify for the subclass 804 visa, applicants have to fulfill the following criteria:

1. Be the Parent of an Eligible Child
You must be the parent of:

An Australian citizen,

An Australian permanent resident, or

An eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia (usually for at least 2 years).

2. Meet the Age Requirement
You must be old enough to receive the Age Pension in Australia. The required age depends on your birth year. For those born after 1957, the current qualification age is 67.

3. Meet the Balance of Family Test
At least half of your children must live permanently in Australia, or more of your children live in Australia than in any other single country.

4. Be in Australia When You Apply

The 804 visa must be lodged onshore — you need to be in Australia at the time of application and at the time of visa decision.

5. Meet Health and Character Requirements

You will need to grant police approval to pass some health exams and meet Australia's character requirements.

Benefits of Older Parents Visa (subclass 804)
Once given, this visa provides many benefits:

Permanent Residency: Live in Australia indefinitely.

Medicare Access: Get access to Australia’s public healthcare system.

Social Security Eligibility: Potential eligibility for certain welfare benefits (after a waiting period).

Right to travel: Travel inside and outside Australia for five years.

The path of citizenship: eligible to apply for Australian citizenship after meeting residence and character requirements.

Reunion of the family: Stay close to your children and grandchildren.

Application Process

Applying for the subclass 804 visa is a multi-step process, and it is important to prepare well.

Step 1: Check your eligibility
Ensure that you meet all visa requirements, including family testing and balance of age requirements.

Step 2: Collect documents
You will need to submit various forms and documents, such as:

Proof of your relationship to your child,

Identity documents,

Police clearances,

Health assessments,

Evidence that your child is a settled resident of Australia.

Step 3: Lodge the Application
Submit your application while in Australia. You must remain in Australia while your visa is being processed. You will be granted a Bridging Visa that lets you stay lawfully during processing.

Step 4: Wait – Possibly a Long Time

One of the most important aspects of considering is a comprehensive processing time for this visa. The waiting period can increase by 20 to 30 years due to high demand and limited annual locations under family migration section.

Major ideas before applying

1. Long Queue and Processing Time

The 804 visa is part of the non-conversion parent visa category, which is much cheaper than the contributed visa, but comes with a very long processing time. It is not uncommon for applicants to stay on bridging visas for decades.

2. health insurance
Because medicare eligibility cannot be immediate, adequate health insurance is important during the bridgeing period.

3. Alternative options
If you are worried about waiting time, you may want to find out rapid (although more expensive) options: eg:

Contributing Old Basic Visa (subclass 864)

Temporary Parents Visa (subclass 870)

These visas are expensive, but provide quick routes to live in Australia with your family.

4. Reduce visa conditions
While waiting for the 804 visa, you will probably be provided with a bridging visa A, which allows you to live in Australia. However, special permission for traveling abroad during this time requires a bridging visa B.

final thoughts

The Older Parents Visa (Subclass 804) is a kind and inexpensive route to reconnect elderly parents with their families in Australia, but patience is important. While the visa grants permanent residence and all affiliated benefits, it is a major factor to consider the extended waiting period.