870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa

Will you need overseas visitor health cover?

Going on the 870 visa means it's likely you'll need to get Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC). This is health insurance tailored to temporary visas and for people who aren't covered by Medicare.

OVHC pays towards the cost of many prescription medicines and an ambulance in an emergency. It covers the same hospital and medical services that Medicare covers for Australians. Like Medicare, it doesn't generally cover you for services such as dental, optical or physio. If you want to get cover for these services, you can take out extras (sometimes known as ancillary) cover.

If a health care provider offers OVHC, make sure it's 100% compliant with the comprehensive coverage required for the 870 visa. If a provider does offer OVHC, many can be upgraded to give you extras cover as well. This is a good idea for those on the 870 visa as older parents are more likely to require comprehensive health care.

Who is this visa for?

The 870 Sponsored Parent visa is a temporary visa whose primary function is to allow the parents and grandparents of migrants to come visit, stay and live in Australia for either 3 or 5 years.

It's set up for individuals who may find it difficult to return home to visit their parents. Especially for those just starting their careers in the country, it's often easier for parents to travel to Australia and spend time there. It's ideal for retired parents or those who can afford to take more time off work.

While some visas are only valid once, the 870 can be applied for again after another 5 years, which means you could spend up to 10 years living in Australia. However, parents must spend a short period of time outside of Australia before re-applying.

What are the visa requirements?

In order to meet the visa requirements, you must be biologically related or adopted. You can also be a step-parent or parent-in-law of the Parent Sponsor. It's essential your child is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and is at least 18 years old.

You need to have an approved Parent Sponsor before you're able to lodge this visa application and it has to be lodged within six months of the Parent Sponsor approval. It must all be done online.

A 3-year visa costs $5,000 while a 5-year visa will cost $10,000. You aren't allowed to work on this visa at all in Australia.

The sponsor (child or grandchild) must also have a taxable income of $83,454.80 or more in order to be able to sponsor their parents for the 870 Sponsored Parent visa. This can include a joint family income, so you meet the requirements if you and your family have an income of $83,454.80 or more.

It's also necessary that you and your children have health cover. The 870 visa comes with a requirement 8501, which means your visa can't be approved unless you have health cover in place. To meet the 8501 conditions, your insurance has to be fully comprehensive, providing you with cover equivalent to or better than Medicare.

How does health insurance work in Australia?

Medicare is Australia's public health care system but is generally only open to Australian citizens and permanent residents. However, Medicare doesn't provide full cover so most Australians have some form of private health insurance.

Australia's health care system can be split into two categories: hospital and extras cover. While Medicare provides some hospital cover for citizens and residents, it doesn't pay for out-of-hospital services like dental, optical or physio. Even if you're eligible for Medicare, you'll probably want some form of extras cover.

Pricing is based on a single person living in New South Wales on a visa and is not from a country that Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with and is not eligible for cover under Medicare. Prices are updated regularly and are subject to change.

Reciprocal Health Care Agreements

Depending on where you're from, you may be eligible for Medicare under Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA). This pays towards visitors cover for emergency medical costs and medical attention that cannot wait until you've returned home.

Australia has RHCA agreements with 11 countries: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Being eligible for an RHCA does not remove condition 8501 from an 870 visa: Home Affairs requires you to have and maintain adequate health insurance from an Australian health insurance provider for your whole stay, so check your position with Home Affairs before relying on an RHCA. However, RHCAs do not give you access to the same extras benefits as being covered privately.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What happens if my health insurance expires or lapses on an 870 visa?

  Your 870 visa has a condition which requires you to maintain adequate health insurance for the entire duration of your stay in Australia. If your health insurance expires or lapses, you will be in breach of your visa conditions. This could lead to your visa being cancelled and you may be required to leave Australia. It is crucial to ensure your policy remains active and is renewed before its expiry date.

• Does 870 visa health insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

  Some Overseas Visitors Health Cover policies for the 870 visa will cover pre-existing conditions but often with a waiting period. A pre-existing condition is any ailment, illness or condition that you had signs or symptoms of in the period before you took out your health insurance. You should always check the Product Disclosure Statement or PDS of any policy for specific details on waiting periods and exclusions.

• Can I include my partner on my 870 visa health insurance policy?

  Yes you can typically include your partner on a single 870 visa health insurance policy. Most OVHC providers offer couple or family policies that cover multiple people. This can often be more cost effective than purchasing separate policies. Ensure you advise your health fund that you wish to cover multiple people when you apply.

• How do I make a claim for medical expenses with my 870 visa health insurance?

  To make a claim you generally need to pay for your medical expenses first then submit a claim to your OVHC provider. You will need to provide supporting documents such as itemised receipts, invoices and medical reports. Most health funds allow you to submit claims online through their website, via an app or by mail. Check your specific policy or contact your insurer for detailed instructions on their claims process.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

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Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

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