Visa 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) is a temporary visa for parents of citizens Australia, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. This visa allows parents to visit and reunite with their children in Australia for a maximum period of 3 or 5 years per visa issuance, depending on the case. One of the questions that many families are interested in after submitting their application is: How long does it take to get results after just submitting Visa 870? According to the latest processing data published for Visa 870, the current waiting time can last for many months.
How long does it take for Visa 870 to get results?
According to the most recent processing data of the Australian Department of Home Affairs, for Visa applications 870, about 50% of applications are decided within 8 months, while about 90% of applications are decided within 9 months. This figure is based on recently decided applications and is for reference only, not a commitment period for each application.
| Processing milestone | Visa 870 |
|---|---|
| 25% of applications | About 6 months. |
| 50% of records | About 8 months |
| 75% of records | About 8 months |
| 90% of records | About 9 months |
This means that if you have just applied for Visa 870, do not expect your application to be successful in just a few weeks or months. An application may be decided sooner than the above, but it may also take longer if the Ministry of Home Affairs needs to check more information or request additional documents.
Need to distinguish between Sponsor review time and Visa 870 review time
A very confusing point is that the parent sponsorship application and the 870 Visa application are two different steps. Before parents can apply for Visa 870, the child in Australia must apply for Parent Sponsorship and be approved. Once sponsorship is approved, new parents can apply for Visa 870 within the prescribed time limit.
According to the most recent processing data:
- Guarantee documents: about 79 days for 50% of documents and about 5 months for 90% of documents.
- Visa 870 application: about 8 months for 50% of applications and about 9 months for 90% of applications.
Therefore, if a family is counting from the start of the sponsorship application to the time the parents receive the 870 Visa, the total time can be significantly longer than the 8–9 months for the Visa application alone.
Why can Visa 870 take so long?
The Australian Department of Home Affairs said processing times depend on many factors. One of the most important factors is whether the application is complete and accurate right from the time it is submitted. If the application lacks documents, the information is incomplete or the Ministry of Home Affairs needs further verification, the processing time may be extended. The Ministry of Home Affairs may also request additional information during the review process.
Factors that may affect processing time include:
- Whether the application is complete upon submission or not.
- Whether the information in the records is accurate and consistent.
- Whether additional documents are required or not.
- Time to implement and check health requirements.
- Check your identity.
- Time the Ministry of Home Affairs verified the information.
- Complexity level of each profile.
- Volume of documents being processed at that time.
Therefore, two applications submitted on the same day do not necessarily receive results at the same time.
After applying for Visa 870, do I need to keep asking the Ministry of Home Affairs?
Normally, if an application remains within the normal processing time, the Home Office does not provide a separate update on progress simply because the applicant has requested it. For Visa 870, applicants can track their application through ImmiAccount and check whether the Ministry of Home Affairs requires additional information or documents. It is important that if a request for additional information is received, the submitter should respond in a timely manner and provide complete information.
Just submitted Visa 870, should I buy a plane ticket right away?
If parents are outside Australia and have just lodged a 870 Visa, do not assume that the visa will be issued by a specific date. The Australian Department of Home Affairs also advises that if the applicant is outside Australia, they should not arrange travel to Australia until they have been notified in writing that the visa has been granted. Therefore, if the family is planning to welcome parents to Australia, it should be based on when the visa is actually issued instead of just relying on the expected processing time.
Can I work in Australia with Visa 870?
No. Visa 870 is a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa, designed so parents can reunite and visit their children in Australia for a longer period of time. Visa 870 holders cannot work in Australia while holding this visa.
The visa can allow parents to stay in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years for each issuance, and can continue to apply for subsequent 870 Visas to increase the total time in Australia under this category to a maximum of 10 years, if the conditions are met.
If Visa 870 is pending, what should I do?
While waiting for results, the most important thing is to monitor your ImmiAccount and email regularly. If the Home Office requests additional information or documents, the request should be processed as soon as possible. In addition, if there are changes in the applicant’s circumstances or information related to the application, consideration should be given to updating the Ministry of Home Affairs in accordance with regulations. Do not arbitrarily send too many progress requests when the application is still within the normal processing time, as the Home Office currently says it does not provide separate progress updates for applications that are under the normal processing time.
So after submitting Visa 870, how long should you be prepared to wait?
With current data, we can take about 8 months as the reference point for 50% of Visa 870 applications to be decided, and about 9 months as the reference point for 90% of recent applications to be decided. However, this is not a promise that your application will definitely have results in 8 or 9 months. The Home Office also emphasizes that the processing time tool is indicative only, is based on recently decided applications and does not accurately reflect the status of each specific application.
If you have just submitted Visa 870, waiting for many months is entirely possible. According to the latest processing data, about 50% of Visa 870 applications are decided in about 8 months and 90% in about 9 months. However, the actual time may be faster or slower depending on each profile. The most important thing after submitting the application is to ensure the application is complete, regularly monitor ImmiAccount, respond quickly if the Ministry of Home Affairs requests additional information and do not base travel plans on a processing time that is considered a commitment.
If you have just submitted your Visa 870, 8–9 months is currently a realistic reference period worth noting, but the final result date still depends on each application.
Source: IMM
