Subclass 870 visa document checklist (Sponsored Parent Temporary)

The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) lets a parent of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen visit Australia for up to 3 or 5 years. It does not lead to permanent residence, and the child must be approved as a Parent Sponsor before the parent can apply. This checklist is a starting point as at November 2026; confirm each item on the Home Affairs subclass 870 page before lodging.

Key numbers (as at November 2026)

• Stay: up to 3 or 5 years per visa, with a cumulative maximum of 10 years in Australia. No work is allowed.
• Lodgement deadline: within 6 months of sponsorship approval, or 60 days where Permission to Apply in Australia is given.
• Income test: the sponsor's taxable income for the most recent completed income year before the sponsorship is lodged must be at least AUD 83,454.80. Income can be combined with a partner or another eligible child, each contributing at least 50 per cent of that amount.
• Sponsor residence: an Australian citizen, or a permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen usually resident in Australia for at least 4 years.
• Household limit: one sponsorship at a time, covering up to 2 parents.
• Not required: no balance of family test and no Assurance of Support.

Documents from the Parent Sponsor

• Citizenship or residence: citizenship certificate, passport bio pages, visa for a permanent resident or New Zealand citizen, and evidence of being settled in Australia
• Relationship to the parent: birth, marriage, death or adoption certificates, or an officially issued family book
• Income: the ATO Notice of Assessment for the most recent completed income year, with the tax file number blacked out; the same for anyone whose income is combined
• Character: an Australian Federal Police check and police certificates from each country where the sponsor has spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16; written consent to disclose any relevant convictions to the applicant

Documents from the applicant

• Identity: passport bio pages and national identity card; evidence of any change of name
• Permission to Apply in Australia: a copy of the letter, if Home Affairs gave one
• Funds: itemised personal bank statements covering 3 months, tax records, or pension and other regular income
• Genuine temporary stay: previous international travel; ties to the home country such as a house, business, assets or family; a letter on the purpose of the visit and who the parent will visit
• Character: Police certificates from each country where the applicant has spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16, including an Australian Federal Police check where it applies; military service records if any; Form 80
• Health: Health examinations, when Home Affairs asks for them. Check ImmiAccount; doing them before lodging can speed processing

Collect it with Immiluma

Set this checklist up once as a visa template in Immiluma, or ask the assistant to draft it from this page. Split it across the two stages on one matter, sponsorship first and the visa after approval. The client's portal shows each item, the family uploads against it, and you review every document beside it. See all visa checklists.