| Sponsor eligibility | A child aged 18+ who is an Australian citizen, a permanent resident usually resident in Australia for at least 4 years, or an eligible New Zealand citizen resident for at least 4 years |
| Sponsor income test | Taxable income of at least AUD 83,454.80 for the most recent completed income year before lodging the sponsorship — income can be combined with a partner and/or another child, but the sponsor's own share must be at least 50% |
| Costs | AUD 420 sponsorship application plus the visa application charge: first instalment AUD 1,515, second instalment AUD 4,855 (3 years) or AUD 10,925 (5 years) — totalling AUD 6,370 or AUD 12,440 (as at 1 July 2026) |
| Stay | Up to 3 or 5 years at a time, with a cumulative maximum of 10 years including re-applications — does not lead to permanent residence and does not allow work |
| Capping & queueing | Excluded from the capping and queueing that applies to parent permanent visas — processed through the normal assessment process rather than a decades-long queue (official Home Affairs guidance) |
| Sponsorship limit per household | At most 2 parents at a time — both of your parents, both of your partner's parents, or one of each. A new sponsorship cannot be lodged until the current one ends |
