LindaH27

@nate17 All contributory parent visas are in the same queue. Given that the temporary two year visas (173 & 884) therefore take as long as the PR visas and then have to apply again for PR it’s silly to do it that way as it will take longer and cost more. Best to go straight for 143 or 864 - but be aware there’s an estimated wait time of around 18 years for new applications. 66000 in queue already and only 3600 grants per year. Onshore visas used to be processed quicker but immi realised there was a mistake and 864 visas are now on hold till 143 catch up with them

They’ve been prioritising those applicants who were stuck onshore when the borders closed to keep them legal

It’s getting ridiculous now !! Just seen a post where someone applied 143 in 2018 and is Currently in Australia on 870 which ends late next year. I don’t know how this loophole happened but instead of having to leave next year when 870 ends (and borders will be open) they’ve managed to get Covid concession to get bridging visa after 870 ends !! Meanwhile the rest of us are stuck waiting offshore !! It’s very unfair. I really hope the senate enquiry has a good look at all this .

Is that likely to change once the senate enquiry reports??

I thought one of the conditions of 870 was that you had to have private health insurance?

Going the 173 then 143 route would actually take longer and cost you more! 173 and 143 are in the same queue which is processed by date order. So it would take the same time for both. Then You would have to apply for 143 if you got 173 granted so that’s a further wait. It also costs more as you have two lots of application fees. Any application today is likely to take a very long time! There’s over 65,000 already waiting in the queue and only 3600 granted per year so 65000 divided by 3600 means approx 18 years!! You can see the numbers here https://www.gm-parent-visas.com/contributory-parent-visa-application-numbers-updated/

The trouble is the report is not now due till March next year - the second time it’s been postponed presumably because the situation is so complex. But it will be too late to prevent 804 being currently used as parents are now allowed in and people on other forums are openly saying they’re going with the sole intention of getting 804. We all want to get in but the rules are unfair and there are too many loopholes. I’m not surprised there’s an enquiry going on. So many people were complaining to Australian MPs about the loopholes that some action had to be taken and Australia really began realising it was opening itself up to massive expense in the coming years. .

The increase to 190000 is simply a return to what it was pre pandemic - and mostly comprises skilled migration, students, etc ie young people. I’ve been waiting 4.5 years for 143 and I’m under no illusions that I will get it soon - I’m expecting to wait for approximately the same time again at the current quota. This wait obviously impacts on older parents - the main concern is whether they would pass the medical the older they get! In May 2020 the parent queue calculator for 804 applicants was amended to include contributory visas. You put your date of application in. It told me there were 22900 in front of me. Obviously given the low annual quota that is going to take some time! Yes some will have been granted or withdrawn but equally some 103 non contributory applicants have been able to transfer to 143 and still keep their original date of application which means they jump to the top of the queue. Looking at the figures quoted in the chart by Alan Collett Im working on at least another 5 years wait! Thats hard to take when you’re older but I’m determined to just get on with life and just let things happen in their own time. There’s other options - long holidays etc and 870s. Im not actually a fan personally of 870 - I’d worry about all the stuff back home like my house and car etc but that’s just me! Don’t forget that two parents on one application actually take up two places in the queue so 3600 grants could mean just 1800 couples or 3600 single people or even some couples with dependants all of whom would count so couple with two valid dependants would take up 4 places in the queue. but obviously its all mixed! Also people who were granted 173 for two years then apply for 143 which is usually granted quite quickly to keep them lawfully in Australia so that’s an extra to be added to the queue as well - it’s fluctuating all the time.

It is mainly Medicare and the cost of treating people as they age. They just average it out for all parents - some will cost a lot, others not so much. None of us know what will happen in the future - I’m older and have seen some of my friends health deteriorate quite quickly. Accidents, illnesses such as cancer, and general ageing giving rise to loss of physical activity with arthritis, hip replacements, cataracts and so on. When you’re young you don’t think of what it could be like as you grow older - I certainly didn’t. In my head I’m still 21 - my head says do this but my body either says ok but it will take a while longer or it says No way!! Google productivity review 2016 Australia for a good explanation of their policy towards parents

Yes increasing numbers of YOUNG migrants who will look after the ageing population either via their taxes as they work or by being in jobs where they physically look after them. Given that Australia has looked into the cost of elderly parents and it shows each parent on average costs $410,000 over the rest of their lives, they certainly don’t want to put that expense on the taxpayers. Google Australia Productivity Review 2016 for a good explanation of Australias parent immigration policy. Four recommendations were made and two have already been implemented

The poster is only interested in 804 as they want the parents over asap

I believe it’s relevant to most visas if they could lead to PR because Australia doesn’t want to end up paying for their potential problems as they age. I also seen it go against children if their problems would end up costing the taxpayer too much as well - special schooling etc As far as 870 you are supposed to have private health insurance (although some apparently stop it after they’ve been there a while !) but the sponsor should be aware that they are ultimately responsible for all Medicare costs the parent incurs and will be billed for it.

@Zeehayder could you tell me which company you intend using? Only the cheaper ones seem to be only for Australia residents ie those with PR and not bridging visas and I’m concerned you’re not seeing the current cover which should be for overseas temporary visitors

So for applications made 11 years ago and actually probably applied for 2 years prior to that once they’d had the medical and passed it to be put into the queue - that was before the huge explosion in applications a few years ago - and the reduction in quotas to from 1500 to just 900 per year

Last year in May the calculator was amended to show the potential number of people before you on the contributory parent visa as well. Two weeks later it closed down and has never reopened. Probably because that revealed the real amount of people in the queue before you - and therefore the very long potential wait for the visa. Obviously it then started all the anger about the length of wait times so I really think they won’t be doing that again !!

It sounds entirely possible that those visas ended because of the conditions about self funding and the yearly increases. I would agree with you on that. I know that private health insurance in UK jumps massively once you reach 65 and most have to stop using it. Once of my friends was paying £148 per month and on reaching 65 she was told her premium would go up to £543!!! Needless to say she stopped paying for it I’m very sure they will be looking very carefully at 804 - especially when they notice the numbers of people prepared to apply for it will start shooting up once they get over there - I’ve seen so many posts here and on other forums where others are promoting 804 as the answer to the long queues for contributory parents. The whole system needs looking at - there are too many loopholes at present. I know there’s also a lot of anger especially among parents waiting for years offshore about the the recent loophole whereby people who may have only recently applied for 143 but who were in Australia when the borders closed, were able to obtain a bridging visa enabling them to stay onshore until grant of 143 many many years in the future. That was unfair to all those in the queue. The bridging visa should only have been valid until the borders opened. Others mainly young people on temporary visas were told to go home whereas older parents on temporary visas could end up staying. Australia really needs to get a grip on its immigration policies otherwise it’s opening itself up to unsustainable massive expense in the future.

I do have a suspicion that if they do decide to keep 804 visa they may remove the reciprocal health care and add a condition to make sponsors/parents pay for all medical care as this is the stumbling block in not increasing the quota. The govt have worked out that each parent costs around $410,000 from entry into Australia until their death. The contributory visa cost is supposed to go towards Medicare which is why it costs more. You do need deep pockets on 804 and for a long time - plus the uncertainty of only having a temporary bridging visa. It would be very hard if people sell up before moving over to perhaps find they fail the initial medical 2-3 years down the line when they probably feel more settled - but have no home to go to and have to start afresh at an advanced age

Actually I’ve seen a chart where it shows that in terms of parent visas the top country is India, then China and the UK!

I understand you’re tired of waiting but repeated questions asking whether anybody has any updates are likely to go unanswered, I’m afraid. People will /will not choose to post if they have an update.

Yes it’s a very emotive subject.! According to the website for 600 you must be applying as a “genuine visitor” ie you intend to return home! Obviously we all know people do go on to apply for another visa but it’s probably not the best thing to do to talk about it on an open forum. I’ve seen a lot of posts all over social media recently and 600 seems to be carrying more conditions. No further stay, shorter stay periods and proof of applicants own assets to prove they have sufficient funds for during their stay. I appreciate you will be paying for private health insurance ($50 per person seems very cheap to me !?) but are you aware that they would not be covered for any aged care at all on a bridging visa? Or if they become really ill during their wait and their potential costs would be over $49000 over 5 years they could be asked to leave. I do respect that, as you say, you look after your parents but sometimes things can go very wrong. Also I don’t know if you’re aware that the government do not like 804 visa and tried to stop it some years ago There is currently a senate enquiry going on into parent visas and is due to report in March next year. People and organisations were able to make submissions. There were many complaints about 804 and it’s likely they will be looking at this visa very closely once more It’s difficult for so many because they have to wait offshore - and it’s a very long wait now- so to be fair, all visa applicants should be able to have the same option. That’s probably the main reason why people get emotional about it. They could cope with the length of wait time if they could do it onshore with their families.

Don’t forget Karen Andrews - Minister for Home affairs!

@Zeehayder are you aware that on an open forum like this that it is very likely immi also have access?? You may have set up a red flag!!

If you enter now on 600 whilst waiting for 143 there are no bridging visas allowed. 143 does not carry access to bridging visa unless there are very specific conditions met - you had to be onshore before 24 March 2021 and already applied for 143 before that date - it was a specific Covid concession to Keep people legal during the border closure.

Would be nice to think so but I know from 4.5 years waiting in the queue that in previous years they just carry on until the quota has been reached - sometimes they’ve stopped processing around May - but they don’t tell us! I’ve even a post on social media from a agent who says he’s had FOI saying June 2016 should be processed by end of the year then July 2016 end next year. Unsure whether it actually means end of current years or end of financial year - if it’s actual years it means June 2016 could be processed by End June 2022 and July 2016 started from July 2022 - but as always immi don’t make things clear ! They’ve also still been processing visas but only for those onshore to keep them legal

Oh yes I’m quite sure we all know - the news flashed through social media as soon as it was announced!!