Visa Types

[The.Colebecks]

We are desparately trying to convince my parents to buy a holiday property in Oz so that they can spend a few months at a time over with us and the rest of the year back in the UK.

What is the maximum length of time they could spend in Oz each visit? Can they visit more than once every 12 months? Could they achieve something like this on a visitors visa or would they have to apply for a permanent one?

Thanks
Karen

[Andy_P]

I think when I got my ETA holiday visa it stated that it was valid for a year, and the maximum length of any stay was 3 months, even if you travelled on the last valid day of the visa.

Please don't take all that as gospel, but I think it is correct.

Hope that is of some help to you.


Andy.

[Gollywobbler]

Hi again Karen

If your parents would be able to meet the Balance of Family Test, then they could consider a Parent or Contributory Parent visa. Please see here:

http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/fami...nt-outside.htm

If not, the next thing to consider would be whether they could afford an Investor Retirement visa instead. Please see here:

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/spec.../405/index.htm

Those are the only two options which would enable them to come and go from Australia as & when they choose and to stay for as long as they like during each year.

Depending on the visa, if they want to buy land in Australia and they do not have Permanent Residence there, then I think your parents would probably need the consent of the FIRB if they want to biuy a house there. Please see here:

http://www.firb.gov.au/content/default.asp

I have heard (but have no direct knowledge of this) that non-residents can buy blocks of land and have new houses built, but that they cannot normally buy alreadu-built houses. I don't know why this is, but it is what everyone seems to believe.

There are various types of tourist visa for Oz. Please see here:

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/index.htm

However, DIAC is becoming very, very strict about the notion that people cannot use tourist visas as a means of "living" in Australia even temporarily unless they have a visa that specifically grants either Permanent or Temporary Residence. Tourist visas are entirely at the discretion of the Department as to whether to grant one or not, and they do not grant any right of "residence" in Australia.

They used to be willing to turn a blind eye to parents like my mother, who were virtually living in Oz year-round via the subclass 676 tourist visa and its predecessors. However, the Senator Vanstone clamped down on this whilst she was the Minister of Immi. The older the parent, the more difficult it now is. Also, they are not happy about the notion of six months in Oz and six months elsewhere as a long term routine, even.

Have a look at the stuff and then come back to me if I can help further, I suggest.

Cheers

Gill

[The.Colebecks]

Thanks Gill,

Interesting. I'll have a read of the links.

Karen x