Sponsor your parents to the Gold Coast. BYD’s registered migration agents explain contributory, non-contributory and 870 parent visa options. Call 07 3073 1524.
Bringing your mum or dad to live near you on the Gold Coast is one of the most rewarding things migration can do, and one of the trickier ones to plan. There are several parent visa options, the costs and waiting times are very different depending on which one you choose, and the rules around who can apply are strict. Plenty of Gold Coast families come to us after their kids are settled in school around Robina, Coomera or Nerang and they want a grandparent close by to help. Our registered migration agents work out the right path with you and steer you around the expensive mistakes.
We’re based at Eight Mile Plains, a short drive north up the M1 from the Coast, and we work with families in person or online. Here’s what you need to know.
A parent visa lets a parent of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen move to Australia, usually permanently. Broadly, there are three groups to know about.
Contributory parent visas (such as subclasses 143 and 173, or 864 and 884 for aged parents). These cost more, a lot more, because of the large contribution charge, but they’re processed far faster than the alternative.
Non-contributory parent visas (such as subclasses 103 and 804). These are much cheaper, but the queue is extremely long, often stretching many years.
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870). This one doesn’t lead to permanent residency, but it lets an approved sponsor bring a parent to Australia for up to five years at a time. It’s a popular choice for Coast families who want time together without the permanent-visa price tag or wait.
Which one suits you depends on your budget, how long you’re willing to wait, and whether permanent residency is the goal.
Most parent visas require you to pass the balance-of-family test. In plain terms, at least half of your children must live permanently in Australia, or more of your children must live in Australia than in any other single country. This trips a lot of families up, so it’s one of the first things we check. If you don’t pass it, some options are closed off before you start, and it’s far better to know that early than after you’ve paid.
The sponsor is usually the child living on the Gold Coast, who needs to be a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. For the sponsored temporary visa (870), the sponsor has to be approved first, and there are income requirements to meet. We handle the sponsorship approval as part of the job.
This is where parent visas get real. The contributory options involve a substantial second instalment, often the biggest single cost in the whole process, paid before the visa is granted. The non-contributory options are cheaper up front but can involve a wait so long that many families choose not to go that way. Because these figures change and depend heavily on your circumstances, we’ll walk you through the current numbers and timelines in your consultation, so you can make a decision with your eyes open.
Plenty of Coast families use a Visitor visa (subclass 600) so a parent can spend long stretches here while a permanent parent visa sits in the queue. It’s not a substitute for the parent visa, but it keeps the family together in the meantime, which matters when there are grandkids growing up fast. We often set this up alongside the main application. See our Visitor & Tourist Visa page.
We check the balance-of-family test before you spend a cent on the wrong pathway.
We compare the contributory, non-contributory and temporary options against your budget and timeline.
We manage the sponsorship, the application, and the evidence.
We keep the family’s visitor visas ticking over while the main application is processed.
We keep you updated at each stage, so a multi-year process never leaves you wondering what’s happening.
We work with you in person at Eight Mile Plains or entirely online, so you don’t lose a work day driving up the M1 if you’d rather not.
For the full breakdown of the visa itself, see our main Parent Visa page. If you’re weighing up agents on the Coast, our Migration Agent Gold Coast hub explains how we serve the region.
No. Our only office is at Garden City Office Park in Eight Mile Plains, on Brisbane’s south side. It’s an easy run up the M1 from Southport, Robina or Coomera, and many families come in for the first meeting. Just as many handle the whole parent visa online with us. You get the same registered agent either way.
The contributory parent visas (such as 143) are processed much faster than the non-contributory ones, but they cost significantly more because of the contribution charge.
On a permanent parent visa, yes. The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (870) does not allow work, since it’s designed for visiting family, not working.
It’s a rule that generally requires at least half of a parent’s children to live permanently in Australia, or more to live here than in any other country. Passing it is a condition for most parent visas.
Up to five years at a time, and it can be renewed for a total of up to ten years, provided the sponsorship and requirements are met.
Possibly, if you’re an eligible New Zealand citizen. This depends on your specific status, so let’s confirm it before you plan around it.
In many cases, yes. The definition of “parent” for these visas is broader than people expect, and we’ll check whether your relationship qualifies.
It can be, if you’re comfortable with a very long wait. For many Coast families the faster contributory option or the temporary 870 makes more practical sense. We’ll help you weigh it up.
Yes. We handle the offshore side and the sponsorship here entirely by email and video, and the parent never needs to be in Australia before the visa is decided.
