The new visa will allow Australians to sponsor their parents to stay in Australia for up to five years at a time. You might be eligible to apply for a parent category visa if: you have a child who is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen.

The parent visa changes are even more extreme. The only option now for migrants wishing to bring their parents to Australia is the "contributory parent" visa – at a cost of $47,120, plus a bond of $10,000 to cover any welfare payments made over a 10-year period. The total is $105,905 to bring two parents to Australia.

The site will give you the typical wait time for your visa to be processed and available for pickup or delivery by courier after a counselor has made the decision to approve your application. However, some cases require extra administrative processing, usually less than 60 days, but sometimes longer.