How to Sponsor Parents for Australian Visa: Eligibility and Income Rules
Before the parent can even lodge a visa application, there has to be a valid sponsor — and "valid" has a specific legal meaning the Department will check. Many families assume that being an Australian citizen or PR automatically qualifies them to sponsor their parents. In most cases it does, but there are exceptions, and the income requirement for the Assurance of Support catches families off guard more often than any other sponsorship issue.
This post covers who can sponsor, what it takes to qualify, and what the sponsor commits to for the long term.
Who Qualifies as a Sponsor
The sponsor must be:
- An Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
- "Settled" in Australia — meaning lawfully resident in Australia for at least two years
- At least 18 years old
The "settled" requirement is the one that most often requires documentation. It doesn't mean the sponsor must have been an Australian citizen or PR for two years — it means they must have been lawfully residing in Australia for at least two years at the time the parent's visa application is lodged.
A person who became an Australian citizen last year but had permanent residency for the previous four years meets the settled test. A person who received PR five years ago but has spent most of that time living overseas may not — their lawful residence in Australia might only add up to one year even though their PR is older.
Evidence of settled status typically includes:
- Employment records in Australia (payslips, tax returns, superannuation statements)
- Property lease or ownership records at an Australian address
- Medicare card enrollment dates
- Electoral roll registration
The Department does not require continuous unbroken presence — overseas trips are acceptable. What they're looking for is that Australia is genuinely the sponsor's home base.
Waiver for compelling circumstances: The settled requirement can be waived by the Department in compelling and compassionate circumstances. This is most commonly raised when a co-parent dies unexpectedly and the surviving parent urgently needs to come to Australia to be supported by their child. Waivers are not routine — they require detailed submissions and are assessed individually.
The Assurance of Support Income Requirement
The Assurance of Support (AoS) is a formal commitment by the sponsor (and possibly additional assurers) to repay the government for any recoverable welfare payments made to the parent over the applicable AoS period. For parent visas, that period is 10 years for 143/864, two years for 173/884, and two to four years for 103/804. It is arranged through Services Australia (Centrelink) near the end of the parent visa application process.
The sponsor must demonstrate sufficient income to take on this commitment. The AoS income threshold depends on the assurer's family composition and the number of parents being assured. For 2025–26, a single sponsor with no children assuring two parents may need approximately $58,000–$60,000, while a married sponsor with two children assuring two parents may need approximately $85,000–$90,000.
Services Australia assesses the two most recent financial years for which ATO Notices of Assessment are available, and both years must meet the applicable threshold.
This is not a casual figure. It reflects Services Australia's assessment of what income a sponsor needs to genuinely be able to support a parent without the parent falling back on government assistance.
If the Sponsor's Income Falls Short
When the primary sponsor's income doesn't meet the threshold, up to two additional eligible co-assurers can join the AoS. The income of all assurers is combined and assessed against the threshold.
For example, a single sponsor with no children assuring two parents may need approximately $58,000–$60,000. A married sponsor with two children assuring two parents may need approximately $85,000–$90,000. If the primary sponsor's income falls short, a joint AoS can include up to two additional eligible assurers whose combined income is assessed against the threshold.
The co-assurers don't have to be related to the sponsor, but each must meet Services Australia's eligibility requirements. They do, however, take on a genuine legal obligation: if the parent receives recoverable payments during the applicable AoS period, all assurers are jointly liable for repayment.
The AoS Bond
For a contributory permanent parent visa (Subclass 143 or 864), in addition to meeting the income threshold, the assurer must lodge a cash bond through Services Australia with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia:
- $10,000 for the primary adult
- $4,000 for each additional adult
These amounts are held for 10 years. If the parent does not draw any recoverable welfare payments during that period, the bond is returned in full. If recoverable payments are made, Services Australia can recover those payments from the bond before returning the remainder.
For a couple applying together for 143 or 864, the bond totals $14,000. This is separate from and in addition to the visa fees — it's a cash deposit, not a fee. Other parent pathways use different amounts and periods: 173/884 uses $10,000/$4,000 for two years, while 103/804 uses $5,000/$2,000 for two to four years.
When Is the AoS Arranged?
The AoS is not set up at the time of lodgment. It is arranged near the end of the application process, before the second instalment is requested. The sequence:
- Department requests AoS arrangement
- Sponsor contacts Services Australia, submits income evidence, and lodges the bond
- Services Australia sends the AoS determination to the Department
- Department requests the second instalment
- Sponsor pays the second instalment
- Department grants the visa
This means sponsors have approximately 12–15 years (for the 143) to ensure their income will be sufficient when the time comes. Income at lodgment is not assessed — only income at the time the AoS is actually required.
The Sponsor's Ongoing Obligations
Sponsoring a parent is not a one-time administrative act. The sponsoring child takes on legal obligations for the applicable AoS period from the date the parent's visa is granted.
Under the AoS, the sponsor commits to:
- Providing support to the parent so they do not need to access income support or other recoverable government payments
- Repaying the government if the parent does access such payments during the applicable AoS period
The Assurance of Support covers specific payment types — primarily working-age income support (which the parent may not be eligible for anyway, given the Age Pension age and residence requirements). It does not prevent the parent from accessing services like Medicare, public health, or emergency assistance.
In practice, the AoS rarely results in repayment demands for families where the sponsor is financially stable and the parent doesn't need welfare. But the legal obligation is real.
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What Happens If the Sponsor's Circumstances Change
Life changes over the applicable AoS period. The most common scenarios:
Sponsor loses their job: The AoS continues regardless. The sponsor remains legally obligated. If the parent receives recoverable payments during this period, the sponsor is liable.
Sponsor leaves Australia: Sponsors who move overseas permanently can face complications — both with their PR status (which may lapse) and with the AoS obligations. Seek advice before a long-term departure.
Sponsor dies: The AoS does not automatically transfer. Services Australia can assess the situation, but the family should seek advice about substituting a new assurer.
The parent wants to access welfare: Sponsors should explain to the parent that accessing recoverable payments during the applicable AoS period creates a debt that the sponsor must repay. This is a genuine family financial risk that should be discussed before the visa process begins.
Multiple Siblings as Potential Sponsors
Where more than one child in Australia could potentially act as sponsor, only one needs to be listed as the primary sponsor — but siblings can contribute as co-assurers if income support for the AoS is needed. Coordination between siblings around who sponsors, who co-assures, and who takes on ongoing support is worth doing early.
If a parent has multiple children in Australia across different cities, the Balance of Family test already requires accounting for them. The sponsorship structure should align with which child has the income and genuine commitment to take on the formal obligations.
The Australia Parent Visa Guide includes a sponsor eligibility self-assessment checklist, income evidence templates for the AoS, and worked examples of joint AoS arrangements for families where the primary sponsor's income is close to the threshold.
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