The Australian Government has announced plans to introduce a new 5 year Temporary Parent Visa in 2017. With the release of the Discussion Paper, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection is currently considering the regulatory criteria that would apply to the new visa.
Why a Temporary Parent Visa?
Processing times for permanent parent visas are currently very long due to limited places available in the program. For a standard parent visa application, the processing time is over 20 years. For contributory parent visa applications, the processing time is approximately 2 years.
The Temporary Parent Visa will provide a quicker route for parents to enter Australia and be with their families. Currently, parents applying for a visitor visa can only stay in Australia for up to 12 months, depending on their visa validity.
What criteria is being considered?
The Department is considering a range of criteria for the new parent visa, however, nothing has been finalised. Once finalised, amendments need to be made to the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth) and tabled in Parliament.
What’s next?
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